City Council

Chatham Township Environmental Commission Meeting Agenda Tuesday September 6, 2022 7:15 PM via Zoom Please click the following to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83109124044?pwd=Mi9lL2R1dDVNdnowMWsycmpVdWNRZz09 Or in the Zoom app enter Webinar ID: 831 0912 4044 Passcode: 945885 OPEN PUBLIC MEETING STATEMENT: The meeting schedule for 2022 and January 2023 is posted on the main bulletin board at the Township municipal building, in two newspapers and on the Chatham Township Environmental Commission website at https://www.chathamtownship-nj.gov/environmental. The public is cordially invited to attend all meetings, join the discussions and participate in projects. CTEC'S PURPOSE: To undertake projects and make recommendations concerning the protection or use of natural resources, including water resources and air quality, located within or directly affecting Chatham Township. The Chatham Township Environmental Commission's goal is to provide a responsible environmental viewpoint to Township committees and boards and to undertake projects with a strong educational component in order to inform officials and residents about constructive actions that can be taken to preserve the environment. APPROVED DATES FOR CTEC AND GREEN TEAM FOR 2022 AND JANUARY 2023 The first Tuesdays except second Tuesday in January 2022 and the third Tuesday in May: January 11, February 1, March 1, April 5, May 17, June 7, July NO MEETING, August MEETING CANCELLED, September 6, October 4, November 1, December 6, 2022 and January 10, 2023. AGENDA ITEMS: 1. Roll Call of CTEC Members: Celeste Fondaco (Township Committee liaison), Cara Pacifico Feeser, Amy Mason, Jim Connelly, Matt Palmer, Jessica Romeo, Lisa McHugh, Dan Miller (Planning Board), Sally O’Neil (alternate 1); Public Meeting Statement (see above) 2. Approve CTEC and Green Team Minutes of June 7, 2022 3. Rolling Knolls and CAG meeting update – EPA responded to Congresswoman Sherrill’s letter from 4/29/22 on 6/22.22. We are still pending a new date for the CAG meeting. To note: the EPA has approved a new facilitator, Doug Sarno. 4. Green Team updates – Jessica Romeo, Lisa McHugh 5. EV Charging Station Update – Celeste 6. Township fields, recreational areas (including Colony Pool) and Township Committee Resolution 2022-201 to revisit products used  7. Recycling updates – Styrofoam recycling update. MCMUA no longer collects shredded paper; lots of plastic film seen in recycling; Styrofoam plates being used at Colony and other local eateries. 8. Discussion of pocket park at Shunpike over flow parking that would include native plants gardens 9. NJSMA (Jessica) – we are hosting monthly “Green Drinks” – an informal catch up via zoom. first one will be on August 15 at 7:30pm. In person meeting: September. October 6 at 7:30pm at the Madison Community Center in Madison. 10. EVENTS: -Sustainability Fair 9/24/22) – Sign ups for informational materials and displays (Jessica: monarchs and monarch waystation. I’d like us to consider info on: mosquito spraying, SLF, recycling, pesticides and lawn care, what we do in CTEC, native plants in home gardens, green building, etc). Signups for working the day of at our table. Note: We are hosting a table for CTEC, we are NOT running the event. -Fall clean up day (up for discussion) -Fall tri-town yard sale (10/15/22) 11. Reports: a. Township Committee – Celeste Fondaco b. Planning Board – Dan Miller c. Open Space – Jim Connelly d. Education and Outreach – Jessica Romeo e. Invasive Species – Matt Palmer f. Social Media – Jessica Romeo, Cara Pacifico Feeser g. Website – Lisa McHugh h. Pollinator Gardens – Jessica Romeo 12. Items to discuss if time: Mosquito Spraying Education (Morris County program looks promising – Jessica); Climate Action Resolution; Streamlining Solar (Amy Mason) 13. Monarch Waystation: we had at least 7 monarch caterpillars this year! It was amazing to document their growth each day. The yare not in the pupa stage. This is a teaching tool for the community; the hope is that it encourages residents to plant native species of plants mindfully to support our native insects, birds, etc. 14. Adjourn APPLICATION/ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT REVIEW -When the two affordable housing lots on River Road begin to be developed CTEC will send another memo to the boards involved urging conservation easements on the upper slopes and on a wildlife corridor extending down to the road. -Suggest that there is an opportunity now to establish a conservation zone along all the slopes on River Road. -Frank Banisch, Township Planner, endorses the idea of a preserved Greenway along the slopes. -Discussion. The role of the EC. The NJDEP and the Township Engineer have assumed many of the environmental oversight activities that used to be mainly the responsibility of the EC and non-profit environmental groups. ONLINE RESOURCES - Good NJDEP website for maps, parcels and environmental information at NJ-GeoWeb, http://www.state.nj.us/dep/gis/geowebsplash.htm . Use Internet Explorer. - Very good Morris County mapping utility at https://morrisgisapps.co.morris.nj.us/apps/parcelsearcher/ , hit Map and use the i tool. Gives information about each parcel and has aerials layer. Search for more detailed information about a parcel at https://mcweb1.co.morris.nj.us/MCTaxBoard/. - View open space and Green Acres properties at https://www.state.nj.us/dep/greenacres/ga50/docs/rosi.lite.pdf and https://www.state.nj.us/dep/greenacres/openspace.html.