HomeMy WebLinkAboutCFE minutes 081213
FROM: Commission for the Environment
SUBJECT: Monthly Meeting Summary
DATE: August 12, 2013
LOCATION: Environment and Agricultural Center, Hillsborough
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MEMBERS PRESENT: David Neal (Chair), May Becker, Terri Buckner, Peter Cada, Susie
Enoch, Loren Hintz, Jeanette O’Connor, Steve Niezgoda, Gary Saunders, David Welch
ABSENT: Lucy Adams, Tom O’Dwyer, Jan Sassaman
STAFF: Rich Shaw, Tom Davis, Malcolm Munkittrick (DEAPR intern)
GUESTS: Donna Lee Jones (CFE prospect)
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I. Call to Order: Neal called the meeting to order at 7:34 pm.
II. Additions or Changes to Agenda – None
III. New CFE Member – Neal welcomed Susie Enoch who was appointed on May 21. Four
new CFE members were assigned to standing committee. Jones has yet to receive
employer authorization; she remains a guest and will not vote. The CFE approved a
resolution of appreciation for Bill Kaiser, a long-standing member and former chair.
IV. Approval of Minutes – The June 10 meeting summary was approved unanimously.
V. State of the Environment 2014 – Shaw provided an overview of the process and
timeframe for developing the State of the Environment report for Orange County.
DEAPR intern, Malcolm Munkittrick, has completed an initial draft for CFE review and
comments. CFE members provided detailed feedback on the overall format as well as
the narrative included in the different sections of the draft report. Staff asked CFE
members to read the report, consider the data, and provide appropriate text to
characterize the current status and trends. CFE will also provide recommendations for
each topic and determine what information will be highlighted in the executive summary.
CFE members thanked Munkittrick for his excellent work on preparing this initial draft
and wished him well during the upcoming school year.
VI. Updates and Information Items – CFE members received updates and information on
the following: a) environmental legislation updates, b) NCDENR’s consolidation of its
Water Quality and Water Resources divisions, c) Orange County Bus and Rail
Investment Plan, d) UNC/County landfill gas project, e) UNC System energy savings
plan, f) NC’s clean energy and energy efficiency programs, g) a regional renewable
energy project in California, h) potential uranium mining in Chatham, Virginia, and i) a
quarantine for ash tree materials & hardwood firewood in neighboring counties.
VII. Committee Meetings – Both standing committees met to review priority tasks and to
begin discussing their pertinent sections of the draft State of the Environment report.
VIII. Adjournment – Neal adjourned the meeting at 9:30 pm.
Minutes by Rich Shaw, DEAPR Staff