HomeMy WebLinkAboutCFE Meeting Summary 08122024 Orange County Commission for the Environment
Meeting Summary
August 12", 2024; 7:00 pm
Hybrid Meeting
Present: Kristie Mather, Mark Randall, Ian Morse, Jane Harris, Reade Oakley, John
Bucher, Matthew Ferguson, Regina Baratta, Lily Schacht,Veronica Penn Beattie,
Aimee Vandemark(via Teams)
Absent: Patrick Fn'Piere,Nicholas Stover
Staff: Chris Himi, Wesley Poole, Amy Eckberg, Kalani Allen, Karina Nabors, Melony
Gilles, Valeria Gabriela Rico (Intern, via Teams)
I. Call to Order
Chair Regina Baratta called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm.
II. Additions or Changes to Agenda
None.
III. Approval of DRAFT Meeting Summary—June loth, 2024
Motion to approve by Mark Randall; seconded by Kristie Mather; all in favor; none
opposed; motion passed.
IV. Community Climate Action Grant Round 4—Discussion
Amy Eckberg gave a brief background of the Community Climate Action Grant and
discussed the score sheet for Round 4. New items this year are as follows: no funding
set aside for schools; $262,500 available for community projects; new signs made to
promote; expect applications from Ag Sector; CAP alignment; and applications tweaks.
August 16t'will be the deadline for submissions. Amy asked CFE members to have
scores ready by the October meeting for discussion.
V. State of the Environment Report
Chris Hirni gave a brief background of the State of the Environment Report. None of the
current CFE members have ever been involved in preparing the report so there were lots
of questions regarding the process and what was expected. Some members questioned if
the report data would even be used and staff re-assured members that the commissioners
had specifically asked when it would be ready. Veronica Penn Beattie asked why the No
Net Tree Canopy Loss Policy had not gotten anywhere and made a point to have her
concern documented. CFE members discussed the timing of preparing the report and
agreed to start discussing in November once the Community Climate Action Grant
reviews were complete.
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Orange County Commission for the Environment
Meeting Summary
August 12", 2024; 7:00 pm
Hybrid Meeting
V1. Committee Breakouts
The CFE broke out into committee assignments and discussed goals /projects for the
year.
Sub-Committee Breakout Meeting Summaries
Air& Energy Resources Subcommittee:
Present: John Bucher, Veronica Penn Beattie, Ian Morse, Matthew Ferguson, Kristie
Mather
Absent: Nicholas Stover
Staff Amy Eckberg, Valeria Gabriela Rico (Intern, via Teams)
• No summary provided.
Water Resources Subcommittee:
Present: Mark Randall, Lily Schacht
Absent: PatrickFn'Piere
Staff Wesley Poole, Melony Gilles
• We discussed the topics that we want to cover in the State of the Environment
• Updates to past topics: the effects of land use and climate change on water resources,
status of drinking water, watershed health and vulnerability, invasive aquatic plants,
groundwater quality
• Possible new topics: PFAS, the effects of industry on Orange County water
Land Resources Subcommittee:
Present: Regina Baratta, Jane Harris, Reade Oakley, Aimee Vandemark(via Teams)
Absent: None
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Orange County Commission for the Environment
Meeting Summary
August 12", 2024; 7:00 pm
Hybrid Meeting
Staff: Chris Hirni, Karina Nabors
• Discussion of State of Environment 2025 and how it will drive our work and future
policies
• Need to get No Net Tree Canopy Loss Policy passed since it was mentioned in 2019
State of Environment as a goal
VII. Updates and Information Items
• Chris Hirni and Kalani Allen updated the CFE on the ERCD—Lands Legacy 251h
Anniversary Celebration. It will be held on October 19th at Blackwood Farm Park
and staff are currently preparing the proclamation.
• Regina Baratta updated the CFE on the Master Naturalist Program. It will be ran by
Mart Bumgarner on Saturdays here at the Bonnie B. Davis Center.
• Amy Eckberg updated the CFE on the Medium/Heavy Duty EPA Grant that they
recently applied for jointly with nearby jurisdictions. Their goal is to replace (2)
refuse haulers with the EV version and to get a charging station for them.
• Amy Eckberg updated the CFE on the Volunteer Road Show. It will be held
September 21"at Eno Mill. They are currently looking for EV ambassadors to assist.
• Melony Gilles updated the CFE on the Duke Energy Foundation Grant that they
recently applied for. Their goal is to do a heat island analysis and pick 20 families to
plant trees at their homes.
• Karina Nabors updated the CFE on the Accelerating Urban Forestry IRA Grant that
they recently applied for. Their goal is to get a fellow to come help manage the Duke
Energy Foundation Grant.
• Mellony Gilles updated the CFE on her heat mitigation work that she has been
working on. They are currently discussing messaging strategies that will need to go
out May thru September each year.
• Karina Nabors updated the CFE on the national campaign Drive Electric Week
(September 27th—October 6th). There will be an event in Carrboro on October 1'and
they are looking to host another.
• Valeria Gabriela Rico updated the CFE on the Anti-Idling Campaign that she worked
on this Summer. It was called"Turn it Off. Care for Your Air."
• Chris Hirni updated the CFE on Commissioner Bedford's request for them to look at
the spreading effort to ban the release of helium balloons.
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Orange County Commission for the Environment
Meeting Summary
August 12t'', 2024; 7:00 pm
Hybrid Meeting
VIIL Adjournment
Veronica Penn Beattie motioned to adjourn the meeting at 9:07 pm; seconded by Ian
Morse; all in favor; none opposed; motion passed.
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