HomeMy WebLinkAboutCFE minutes 050916
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Orange County
Commission for the Environment
Meeting Summary
May 9, 2016
Orange County Solid Waste Administration Building, Chapel Hill
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PRESENT: Lydia Wegman (Chair), Peter Cada, Jeanette O’Connor, Bill Kaiser, Bill Newby,
Rebecca Ray, Sheila Thomas-Ambat
ABSENT: May Becker, Thomas Eisenhart, Lynne Gronback, Loren Hintz, David Welch
STAFF: Rich Shaw, Tom Davis
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
I. Call to Order – Wegman called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm.
II. Ad ditions or Changes to Agenda – There were none.
III. Minutes – Wegman asked for comments on the April 11 meeting summary. Cada
motioned approval; seconded by Kaiser. Motion approved unanimously.
IV. Regional Conservation Planning – Shaw presented information about a collaborative
effort by Shaw and his colleagues from several land conservation entities to develop a
comprehensive conservation plan for Orange, Durham, and Chatham counties. Shaw
explained that the idea for developing such a plan for Orange County was recommended
by CFE members several years ago, and was also included as a recommendation in the
Orange County Comprehensive Plan (2008), and recent State of the Environment report.
He noted that David Welch and other members of the CFE Land Resources Committee
had proposed establishing a steering committee such as this group Shaw has been
meeting with since September 2015.
Shaw said after five meetings thus far, the group’s consensus is to explore effective
ways to identify and preserve important landscape corridors that connect significant
natural areas and open space in the three-county region.
Shaw said the group is currently identifying potential funding sources, including the NC
Wildlife Resources Commission (NC WRC) that offers grant funds for projects that help
protect important wildlife habitat and travel corridors. The group plans to submit a grant
application to the NC WRC’s Partners for Green Growth. Other potential funding sources
include Triangle Community Foundation, NC Dept. of Transportation, and the Climate
Adaptation Fund. Shaw hopes to provide matching funds from Orange County.
Shaw said he plans to involve the CFE Land Resources Committee in the project, but
other CFE members are also welcome. Cada offered his potential GIS assistance.
Wegman recommended briefing the BOCC and possibly asking for additional funding.
Wegman and CFE members thanked Shaw for this information.
V. CFE Outreach Opportunities – Shaw presented a revised list of CFE outreach
opportunities, including quarterly news articles, outdoor street festivals (Last Friday,
Festifall), social media (CFE webpage, Facebook, Twitter), and potential radio spots.
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Kaiser and Davis reported on their experience at the Earth Evening event in
Hillsborough (April 29). Kaiser said there was a fairly steady stream of visitors, and most
children were between six and twelve years old. He suggested having more handouts
and children’s activities in the future. Shaw reported that Hintz had similar
recommendations that he shared with CFE members via email, including having
giveaways (e.g., rocks, minerals, shells), large map for people to identify/mark the
county parks they have visited, unlabeled map for people to identify key locations, and
checklists of common wildflowers and birds in the county.
Davis asked for CFE volunteers to set up a table at one or more of the Last Friday
evenings in downtown Hillsborough. Shaw suggested June and September, and either
he or Davis will email CFE members to request volunteers for those Friday evenings.
CFE members reiterated their interest in reinvigorating the CFE’s Facebook page and
perhaps using other social media. O’Connor offered to present some basic information
about these media sources at the June meeting, and it was suggested that Gronback
join her in making a presentation and leading the discussion. Gronback had earlier
recommended that they develop a code of conduct for the use of its Facebook page.
[Wegman offered to contact Gronback to ask that she prepare this for June meeting.]
Kaiser offered to research climate change and to educate himself on this topic so that he
might prepare a draft news article on the topic. He mentioned learning that the geologic
record provides evidence of five periods of extinction in the Earth’s history, and that the
current literature indicates we may be entering a sixth period of species extinction.
Newby mentioned the federal government is assisting a community in Louisiana to
relocate due to rising sea level. He said this is considered the first such incidence of
“climate refugees” in the United States.
O’Connor mentioned that Carrboro's Environmental Advisory Board has developed a
climate plan, and she suggests the CFE learn about this effort from one or more of the
board members, which includes herself, Rob Pinder, and Kathy Kaufman. Shaw said
he would obtain a copy of the plan from O’Connor and distribute to the CFE.
VI. Committee Meetings – Wegman suggested not breaking out into committees because
of the many absences, and CFE members agreed.
VII. Updates and Information Items – Information on the following subjects was provided in
the meeting package; selected items were discussed: a) Eno River hydrilla update, b)
aquatic weed control bill, c) Hollow Rock Nature Park, d) Clean Power Plan update, e)
renewable energy investments in NC, f) Duke Energy ranks in top 3 for solar
connections, g) Durham NET Power building a zero-emissions plant, h) climate change,
i) Mason Farm wetlands, and j) SolarBees removed from Jordan Lake.
Davis provided a brief update on the chemical treatment of hydrilla in the Eno River. He
noted that in this second year of the two-year pilot study there are two locations for
injecting the herbicide downstream of Hillsborough. Davis said he would provide further
updates as the study proceeds into the summer months.
VIII. Adjournment – Wegman adjourned the meeting at 9:15 pm. The next CFE meeting is
scheduled for June 13 in Hillsborough.
Summary by Rich Shaw, DEAPR Staff