HomeMy WebLinkAboutCFE minutes 010912
FROM: Commission for the Environment
SUBJECT: Monthly Meeting Summary
DATE: January 9, 2012
LOCATION: Environment and Agricultural Center (Hillsborough)
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MEMBERS PRESENT: Renee Price (Chair), Michael Hughes (Vice Chair), Chris Adams, Lucy
Adams, May Becker, Michele Drostin, Loren Hintz, Bill Kaiser, David Neal, Tom O’Dwyer, Jan
Sassaman, and Gary Saunders
MEMBERS ABSENT: Peter Cada and David Welch
STAFF PRESENT: Rich Shaw and Tom Davis
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I. Call to Order: Price called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm
II. Additions or Changes to Agenda – Three members asked to make brief announcements.
III. New Member Introduction – Jan Sassaman was welcomed as new member of the CFE.
IV. Approval of Minutes – The Dec 12 meeting summary was approved unanimously with
technical edits by Saunders and Neal. (Motion by L. Adams; second by Saunders)
V. Expectations for 2012 and Committee Breakout – Price led a discussion of potential new
issues and work items for the new year. Members identified three potential projects:
joint forest management symposium/workshop, sustainable practices in County
government, and working on a new State of the Environment report for 2013. Each of
the four standing committees then met separately for approximately 30 minutes.
VI. Committee Reports – The CFE reconvened and each committee reported on the status
of various projects underway. Neal and Becker reported on two initiatives by the Energy
Committee. Neil is preparing draft memo to the Planning Board informing them of a NC
statute that allows local governments to offer incentives for installing energy
conservation measures in buildings. The CFE agreed to have Neal circulate draft memo
to CFE members via email for comments prior to it being finalized and sent to the
Planning Board for consideration. Becker reported on her discussions with Orange
County Solid Waste Dept. and a state agency on potential ways to reduce the solid
waste stream by increasing the volume of composting of food waste in Orange County.
The Air, Water and Biological resources committees reported on other ongoing tasks.
Drostin reported that a cover memo for the Water committee’s research and findings
about forestry’s impacts on water quality will be ready for CFE consideration in February.
Hintz reported on plans to present the roadside native plant habitat proposal to the board
of commissioners at an upcoming BOCC meeting (February).
VII. Updates and Information Items – CFE members received written materials and brief
updates on the following: CFE Annual Report and Work Plan 2011-12, CFE proposal to
conserve native plant habitat along roadways, CFE proposal for solar energy sites in
new developments, US Dept. of Energy awards $12 million to spur solar rooftops, and an
upcoming (Feb 11 Chapel Hill) symposium to discuss the future of local streams.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:20 p.m. Minutes by Rich Shaw, DEAPR Staff