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Orange County
Commission for the Environment
Meeting Summary
August 8, 2016
Orange County Solid Waste Administration Building, Chapel Hill
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PRESENT: Lydia Wegman (Chair), May Becker, Peter Cada, Bill Kaiser, Bill Newby,
Rebecca Ray, Sheila Thomas-Ambat
ABSENT: Lynne Gronback, Loren Hintz, Jeanette O’Connor
STAFF: Tom Davis, Rich Shaw
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
I. Call to Order – Wegman called the meeting to order at 7:40 pm.
II. Ad ditions or Changes to Agenda – None. Shaw reported that the County purchased
land earlier that day for an addition to the County’s Soccer.com Soccer Park.
III. Minutes – Wegman asked for comments on the June 13 meeting summary. Kaiser
motioned approval as written; seconded by Becker. Motion approved unanimously.
Kaiser asked if there was any new information about the possibility of installing a solar
array at the closed landfill, which was discussed by the CFE and members of the Town
of Carrboro's Environmental Advisory Board (EAB) at the June meeting. Shaw noted
that the EAB members had spoken with Orange County Solid Waste staff about two
possible sites at the landfill, but he had not heard anything further. Shaw said he would
contact the Solid Waste staff and report back to the CFE with any news.
IV. CFE Facebook Page – CFE members recapped the June meeting discussion on the
use of Facebook and other social media to communicate with the public about CFE
activities and other environmental matters of interest to county residents. At that meeting
CFE reviewed the Orange County Social Media Policy included in the meeting materials.
CFE members expressed continued interest in using social media (not just Facebook)
and asked staff could request that someone from the County attend a future meeting to
answer questions and to help guide the CFE in how it could participate in outreach to
county residents. CFE members said they recognize and appreciate the need for
Orange County to enforce a social media policy, but it remains unclear how the CFE
should move forward with its outreach efforts.
Shaw said he would ask Beth Young (DEAPR Communications) or David Hunt (BOCC
Clerk’s Office) to attend a future meeting.
V. Hydrilla Treatments in Upper Eno River Basin (Update) – Davis provided an update
on year two of a two-year pilot study to treat the aquatic weed hydrilla in the Eno River.
He said the chemical treatments were being injected into the Eno at two locations (rather
than just one in 2015) and the effects are being monitored at several locations along the
16 miles of river that comprise the study area. Davis noted the Eno River Hydrilla
Management Task Force decided to maintain a lesser concentration of the chemical
Fluridone (<5 ppb versus <15 ppb in 2015)), but due to the high incidents of rainfall they
would need to use more of the chemical than they used the previous year.
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Davis reported hydrilla has been treated effectively while native plants appear healthy.
He noted, however, there are several ponds and tributary streams that feed into the Eno
River that need to be treated for hydrilla. He said those upstream areas need to be
surveyed in order to develop an effective treatment plan. Davis said the Eno River
Hydrilla Management Task Force is working on a five-year management plan, and he
expects the State of NC will provide funding assistance for the project.
Davis answered questions from CFE members:
Becker asked how native plants were doing. Davis said pre- and post-treatment
surveys of native plants show no evidence of problems thus far.
Newby asked if any other counties had similar experience with treating hydrilla in
a river system. Davis said Orange and Durham are the first to try this.
Kaiser asked what about in other areas of the country. Davis said many other
regions are battling hydrilla and other invasive aquatic plants, including Florida
with an annual budget of about $25 million.
Cada asked if the State would use Fluridone in a water-supply reservoir, such as
Lake Orange. Davis said the EPA has approved it for use in drinking water.
Thomas-Ambat wondered if hydrilla might develop immunity to the chemical.
Becker asked if there was sampling occurring downstream of the study area.
Davis said the sampling occurs all the way to Falls Lake, and after entering the
lake the chemical is diluted well upstream of the City of Raleigh water intake.
Wegman thanked Davis and asked that he continue to keep the CFE apprised of further
developments, including the five-year plan for treating upstream areas.
VI. Inter-Local Clean Energy Working Group – Shaw updated the CFE on recent
discussions by the Inter-Local Clean Energy Working Group about the County’s potential
participation in a Phase I Solar Feasibility Study. He said the work group had developed
a draft scope of work for a study that would provide Orange County and its partners with
a prioritized list of possible renewable energy deployment sites and help the group
prepare for a potential joint procurement of solar photovoltaics (PV) in the future.
Shaw said Bouma was participating in the group and would provide future updates.
VII. The Nature of Orange Contest Winners 2016 – Shaw presented the winning
photographs from this year’s contest, The Nature of Orange. He reminded CFE
members the goal of the contest is to encourage residents to help document the beauty
and diversity of our natural resources and our people connecting to their environment.
Shaw reported there were 89 entries by adults and youth (under 18 years old), and the
three volunteer judges evaluated photos based on, relevancy, composition/arrangement,
focus/sharpness, lighting, and creativity.
Winners received a congratulatory letter, certificate, and a small monetary award. During
the month of August the photographs were displayed at the Orange County Library and
the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Center. They will also be on display at the Cedar
Grove Community Center and the new Cup-A-Joe on King Street in Hillsborough.
VIII. Updates and Information Items – Information on the following subjects was provided in
the meeting package; selected items were discussed: a) overview of 2016 environmental
legislation by NC General Assembly, b) State’s rejection of plans to preserve land in
Falls Lake watershed, c) County to fund study to justify wider stream buffers,
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d) Mountains-to-Sea Trail, e) County recognized by NC Coastal Federation, f) Impact of
tree harvesting on wildlife, g) NC’s Butterfly Highway, h) coal and gas expected to
decline in next decade, i) Antarctica ozone hole beginning to heal, and j) the healing
power of nature.
IV. Adjournment – Wegman adjourned the meeting at 9:12 pm.
Summary by Rich Shaw, DEAPR Staff