To approve the Third Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement by and between the City of Plano and The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) for Collaboration Research for Environmental Education; and authorizing the City Manager to execute all necessary documents. (Contract No. 2019-0155-I) Approved

On April 22, 2019, Council approved the ILA 2019-0155-I.

On November 23, 2020, Council approved the First Amendment to the ILA 2019-0155-I.

On November 22, 2021, Council approved the Second Amendment to the ILA 2019-0155-I.

In 2016, Environmental Health & Sustainability Department (EHS) staff began participating in a consortium of North Texas stakeholders led by The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), all of whom were interested in developing a real-time air quality monitoring network for a region that is not in compliance with the Clean Air Act.

This ILA defines a research partnership with UTD which allows us to test air quality monitor technology. Dr. David Lary (of UTD) leads a team building and calibrating an air quality monitor system for deployment which can provide real-time estimates of PM1, PM2.5, PM10, and CO2. The information can be used to lower risks of personal exposures and improve environmental health by informing policies and practices such as traffic management, signal light timing, vehicle idling, alternative transportation, and personal outdoor activities.

At this time, all the monitors are built and two main nodes (of the four originally planned) have been installed. We plan to install one additional main node at the Environmental Education Center, but due to challenges associated with the cost of annual and ongoing maintenance and the logistics of installation (i.e. suitable public locations where security and connectivity can be ensured), the City will decline acceptance of one main node and the smaller satellite nodes. This modification defines these terms and provides two years of maintenance by UTD for the three monitors which have been accepted from the partnership. A public facing dashboard is being updated and UTD will inform COP on the progress of making this data available and understandable to the public.

If this amendment to the ILA is not approved, the monitors accepted by the City will not be maintained, eventually resulting in non-use of this resource.

The project amount will increase from $75,000 to $86,004 to include $11,004 for ongoing maintenance costs over the next two years. This amount will be invoiced in equal sums of $5,502 on January 31, 2023 and January 31, 2024. Of the original $75,000, $51,000 has been paid and $24,000 will be paid upon delivery and installation of the 3rd and final primary node. This amendment will also extend the interlocal agreement 2019-0155-I expiration from December 31, 2021 to December 31, 2024. Funding is provided by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.

Approval of this agenda item supports the City's Strategic Plan Critical Success Factor of Excellent, Innovative, and Accountable City Government.