ГлавнаяMy WebLinkО нас04-13-17 EMC Final Minutes1 TOMPKINS COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COUNCIL 121 East Court St, Ithaca, New York 14850 Telephone (607) 274-5560 http://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/emc 1 Final Minutes 2 April 13, 4PM 3 Tompkins County Old Jail Conference Room, 125 E. Court St, Ithaca, NY 4 5 Attendance 6 Members 7 Member Seat Member Seat Steve Bissen P Town of Dryden Ron Syzmanski A Village of Freeville Brian Eden P Village of Cayuga Heights Dooley Kiefer P Legislative Liaison Bill Evans P Town of Danby Susan Allen-Gil E Associate Member Pegi Ficken P Town of Groton Karen Edelstein A Associate Member Michelle Henry P Town of Newfield Anna Kelles P Associate Member John Hertzler P Town of Ulysses Dan Klein P Associate Member James Knighton P At-Large Jose Lozano A Associate Member Roy Luft A At-Large Nidia Trejo A Associate Member Vladimir Micic A Town of Ithaca David Weinstein A Associate Member Steve Nicholson A Town of Caroline Robert Wesley A Associate Member Susan Riley P At-Large Roger Yonkin P Associate Member Tom Shelley P Ithaca CAC Scott Doyle P EMC Coordinator Linda Spielman P Village of Dryden Kristin McCarthy P Administrative Assistant 8 A quorum was present. 9 Guests – Cait Darfler 10 Call to Order – Chair Brian Eden called the meeting to order at 4:07 pm. 11 Privilege of the Floor – There were no speakers. 12 Agenda Review/Changes – None 13 Minutes approval (March 9, 2017) 14 Action: Chair Brian Eden moved to approve March minutes. Tom Shelley seconded. The minutes were 15 approved unanimously with minor editorial changes. 16 Committee Reports 17 2 A. Energy 18 • B. Eden gave the group an update on the Dryden community solar farm projects, which he described as 19 a balancing act because there are so many factors to keep in mind. Speaking in general, he commented 20 that a municipality may or may not have zoning but a site plan or special permit may still be necessary 21 particularly if they have a solar law. Also, the NYSERDA block grant is declining over time. In 22 addition, NYSEG has few circuits in Tompkins County that have the capacity to handle solar farms, so 23 not only are developers limited in the choice of areas where they can build a solar farm, but they also 24 need to pay to upgrade the distribution lines at about $1 million a mile. There are only two community-25 distributed solar farms in New York State. 26 • In other news, the mayor, town supervisor, and town lawyer of Lansing went to the Public Service 27 Commission in Albany to lobby against the natural gas moratorium. Brian is working with a group of 28 people who funded some case studies by Taitem Engineering to show that air source heatpumps can 29 deliver the amount of heat and cooling necessary to meet the needs of residents in Lansing. 30 • He has also been working to educate developers and architects on the use of heat pumps in new 31 constructions. Some projects he is involved with include City Centre, the new Cayuga Medical 32 Associates building in Community Corners and the Evergreen Townhouses project in Varna. The Old 33 Library project and different residential construction projects in Collegetown are also in his line of sight. 34 • The County’s new Energy Task Force had its first meeting. It will meet the second Thursday of every 35 other month, beginning June 8th, from 9:30 to 11:30 am in the Borg Warner Room at Tompkins County 36 Public Library. Members of the public are welcome to attend. 37 • B. Eden also reminded members of the email he sent regarding electing a People’s Commissioner to the 38 Public Service Commission who would advocate for renewable energy in New York State. 39 • Community-choice aggregation is a nonbinding agreement asking municipalities to work together to see 40 if we can implement a larger program here. So far Danby, Dryden, Caroline and Ulysses have signed on. 41 B. Environmental Review 42 • John Dennis: Last Wednesday, he and Brian co-presented with Cornell geologist John Mason at a 43 public forum on the Cayuga Salt Mine and Cargill’s Shaft 4 Proposal at the Lansing Community 44 Library. Fifty-six people attended and 36 of them signed a letter to Basil Seggos, commissioner of the 45 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), asking that a permit be 46 withheld until a Draft Environmental Impact Statement has been done on the Shaft 4 project. Also, 47 Cargill is holding an open house on Shaft 4 this coming Monday, April 17, from 4 to 7 pm, at 1001 48 Ridge Road in Lansing. There will be two more open houses held Tuesday, April 18, 10:30 am-1:30 pm 49 and 4-7 pm. It is RSVP only. 50 3 • B. Eden: As part of its SPDES (State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit from 2013, 51 Cornell had to conduct a lake source cooling outfall redesign study. The study was completed in the fall 52 of 2016, and in February of this year the NYSDEC commented on the study. There is an ongoing 53 discussion over whether the DEC is going to require them to put in a new outfall pipe that returns the 54 water to deep in the lake. Susan Riley will send members a link to the study. 55 • B. Eden: The Water Law for Activists symposium held at Cornell on March 25th went very well. [Brian 56 circulated information from the conference ─ topics discussed, etc. ─ around the table in case members 57 were interested in seeing it.] 58 C. Unique Natural Areas 59 Steve Nicholson was absent and did not supply Brian with a report to give on his behalf. Brian noted that the 60 UNA Committee will meet on Monday at 5 pm. Also, while the EMC has approved the boundary revisions, 61 postcards still need to be mailed to the affected landowners. The UNA brochure is ready for an update. 62 [Sidebar: B. Eden: Last, another area we might want to look into is birds and renewable energy projects, such 63 as the community solar farms in Dryden. Both Steve Kress of the National Audubon Society and Irby Lovette 64 of the Lab of Ornithology have reviewed the Dryden proposal and found the project to have no adverse impact 65 on bird populations in the area.] 66 D. Executive 67 • B. Eden: We are still working to get our annual report together. Members should update their contact 68 information as necessary on the roster currently being passed around. 69 Staff Report – Scott Doyle 70 • He submitted a proposal for a New York Department of State grant on behalf of the Tompkins County 71 Planning and Sustainability Department for a Countywide resiliency and recovery plan. It addresses a 72 range of recovery planning activities including debris management planning to continuity of operations 73 planning and for both businesses and local government. He will keep EMC members informed as to this 74 grant’s status. 75 • The County Legislature’s Government Operations Committee, which Dan Klein chairs and Dooley 76 Kiefer sits on, voted unanimously to support the sales of the foreclosed properties he mentioned at the 77 March 9th EMC meeting. One is located partially in an UNA adjacent the Black Diamond Trail and is 78 proposed to be sold to the Town of Ulysses. The other, a small parcel on Fall Creek, are proposed to be 79 sold to the Village of Freeville. These two resolutions will go before the full Legislature next week for 80 approval. The County has identified 26 possible foreclosures for this year, two of which involve UNAs. 81 4 It is a relatively lean number, which he hopes will dip even further with a few of the properties being 82 removed from the list. 83 • He circulated copies of the Finger Lakes Land Trust’s “Top 10 Conservation Strategies for the Finger 84 Lakes” report. 85 • Last, he read an email received from a middle school teacher named Jessica Love praising the 86 information and resources she and her students were able to glean from the EMC website. In her 87 message, she sent an article on the Pacific Garbage Patch that one of her students, “David,” had found 88 while doing research and asked if the EMC would mind posting it to the website to encourage David and 89 his classmates to continue taking an interest in the environment and the future of our planet. 90 Update: Natural Infrastructure Capital Program – Scott Doyle 91 This program addresses important protection needs in the face of climate change, and the objective is to both 92 enhance and protect natural systems to allow them to retain and filter water in extreme weather events. Actions 93 could include directly acquiring properties, developing and advancing easements for protection of areas, 94 reconnecting degraded floodplains, and upgrading County road and facility practices. 95 Ideally, this work will leverage funding to have a large-scale impact. The project review process starts with the 96 Planning Advisory Board (PAB), which has a subcommittee whose task is to advise about such potential 97 projects. Recommended projects will then go before the full PAB for a vote, followed by the Planning, 98 Development and Environmental Quality Committee, and last the County Legislature. 99 Bill Evans: Who suggests the projects? S. Doyle: The County initiates project review but needs 100 municipality/landowner support to move forward. 101 J. Dennis: Is there a budget? Will you leverage funds? S. Doyle: $200,000 per year for five years. Yes, we will 102 leverage funds. 103 John Hertzler: Is there anything in print regarding aquifer protection? S. Doyle: No. 104 Steve Bissen: Will you talk to the municipalities? S. Doyle: When projects develop to a point of feasibility, 105 municipalities will be consulted. 106 Appointment of WRC Liaison 107 Action: Chair Brian Eden moved to approve the appointment of Michelle Henry as the new EMC liaison to the 108 Water Resources Council. Tom Shelley seconded the motion, with enthusiastic support from Roger Yonkin. 109 The motion was approved unanimously. 110 Strategic Planning Retreat Report – Anna Kelles 111 Anna Kelles reported to the group on the outcome of the Strategic Planning Committee’s retreat. 112 5 A lot of data collection took place before the meeting, including interviews with the County administrator, 113 legislators, and members of the Planning and Sustainability Department. A document comprising a 114 conglomeration of that data was sent to the Committee members and discussed at the retreat. D. Kiefer brought 115 in a copy of the County Charter, and the retreat attendees used the section on the EMC to draft some of the 116 committee descriptions. The group opted to create “standing” and “special” committees. 117 The group distilled the ideas that seemed to “stick to the wall” and focused on those, key among them was 118 revamping the infrastructure of EMC committees. Here are some of those strategies: 119 • Shift focus from energy, which is an area being addressed by many groups now in Tompkins County, to 120 climate adaptation; 121 • Choose monthly presentations that reflect priorities of EMC committees or cover topics of interest to 122 members; 123 • Align some of the Council’s work to what the County is doing so the EMC serves as a direct advisor ─ 124 e.g. focus on natural infrastructure and resiliency; 125 • Create a Welcoming/Membership Committee to introduce new members to the culture of the EMC. 126 Specifics would include compiling a “Welcome Packet” with copies of Bylaws, descriptions of past 127 projects, and a list of committees with contact information; 128 • Have committees present year-end reports to entire Council. It would be a perfect lead-in to annual 129 retreat to work on priorities for the next year. Summaries could be posted on website. 130 • Increase recruitment efforts aimed at youth; perhaps engage a professor whose students could participate 131 as well. 132 • Connect with other groups in the area to learn what they’re doing and avoid duplication of efforts. 133 Restructuring Decisions 134 Following A. Kelles’ update on strategic planning for the Council, the members discussed restructuring of the 135 committees. B. Eden said his priority for today was for the EMC to decide whether to replace the Energy 136 Committee with the Climate Adaptation Committee and what the next subject of discussion should be for the 137 May meeting. A. Kelles asked that when committees form they decide on priorities and goals so there is a plan 138 of action. 139 In regards to an Outreach/Education Committee, Pegi Ficken suggested reaching out not only to the usual 140 suspects, Cornell University professors, but also to individuals from TC3, Ithaca College, and area 4H Clubs. 141 Action: Chair Brian Eden moved, and Pegi Ficken seconded, to replace the Council’s Energy Committee with a 142 new Climate Adaptation Committee. The Council enthusiastically and unanimously approved the motion. 143 6 The following members agreed to serve on the Climate Adaptation Committee: James Knighton (chair), Pegi 144 Ficken, Michelle Henry, and Tom Shelley. 145 Member Items/Municipal Reports 146 • B. Eden Please take a HeatSmart sign on your way out if you don’t have one already. If you want more, 147 I’ll deliver them to your house. 148 • D. Klein: Prospects for extending the South Hill Recreation Way are not looking good right now. Four 149 town boards (Dryden, Ithaca, Caroline, and Danby) need to approve the extension, and unfortunately the 150 Caroline Town Board is receiving a lot of complaints about the potential project and seems unlikely to 151 support development into Caroline. A. Kelles: What can residents of Caroline who are in favor of the 152 extension do to help? D. Klein: Contact their town representatives. The town board needs to hear from 153 those people; in contrast 50 angry residents opposed to the extension showed up at the last town board 154 meeting. Steve Nicholson is working on the issue. 155 • Linda Spielman: The Town of Dryden is holding an open meeting next Thursday, March 16th, at 7 156 p.m., to hear comments from both opponents and supporters of the two community solar projects being 157 proposed for siting in the town. If you want to learn more about the objections to solar, this could be a 158 good opportunity. 159 • T. Shelley: The Conservation Advisory Council spent most of the last meeting discussing the City of 160 Ithaca’s proposal to revise its committee structure. The City is taking roughly 20 committees, boards, 161 and commissions and shrinking them down to four, and going from 88 community members advising 162 the City to just 28. 163 Adjournment 164 Action: Chair Brian Eden moved to adjourn the meeting, and Tom Shelley seconded. The motion was 165 approved unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at 5:37 pm. 166 Prepared by Kristin McCarthy, Tompkins County Planning and Sustainability Department 167 Approved by EMC: 5/11/2017 168 169