Environmental Advisory Committee

The City of Cortland Environmental Advisory Committee January 9, 2023 Wastewater Treatment Facility The committee convened at 7 PM Monday 9 January 2023 at the Wastewater Treatment Facility. In attendance were members John Busch, Diane Chu and Donald Chu. Also attending were advisor Annika Huber, city government liaison Bruce Adams and Kevin Conlon of the Cortland Standard. Approval of the Minutes Chairman Busch called the meeting to order. The December meeting minutes which had been circulated earlier were unanimously approved. Reports No Mow May Diane reported on the No Mow May presentation to the Common Council and its December 20th approval of the proposal. We missed the deadline to get into the DPW (Department of Public Works) spring flyer, but Annika suggested putting flyers in school kids’ backpacks. Diane wanted to speak to committee advisor Szilvia Kadas about Common Council member Katie Silliman’s proposal for a children’s poster contest and possibly a banner for Main Street. John suggested just going to speak at the schools, and Diane proposed the Cortland Free Library. Donald thought the committee might present the No Mow May idea in school cafeterias along with food waste collection. Diane provided copies of the NYT article “I Fought the Lawn and the Lawn Lost” relating the story of a Maryland couple that got the Maryland State Legislature to curb homeowner association lawn requirements. Vermicomposting Bruce reported that the city and the county were moving forward with plans for the vermicomposting trenches at the landfill. The proposed area is on shale and could be difficult to excavate. It is currently used for composting. Annika asked why not just compost. Bruce explained that in vermicomposting, worms do the aeration as well as the digestion which eliminate the need for heavy equipment to turn windrows. 7/23/23 EAC minutes 20230109 1 The city engineer thought the site was good, and the city is waiting for an excavation cost estimate. A letter of support from the EAC would still be helpful. The DEC has been very patient waiting for the city to start using its grant money for this pilot project, but its patience won’t last indefinitely. The project was originally proposed for a city location several years ago but ran into opposition. Food waste collection would start with large institutions rather than residences. Green Organix (Seneca Castle, NY) would oversee the trenches and sell the compost and “worm tea”. The city would not directly profit from the sales but would pay less in tipping fees. This would also extend the life of the county landfill, and there would not be the methane emissions from the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. Water Works Usage Steve Broyles was out of town and could not make the meeting, so there was no information from the Cortland Soil and Water Conservation District to discuss. Annika wondered about the impact of deer urine on water quality and if extra foot traffic would compact the soil and impair the aquifer from recharging. Bruce said the mayor wanted the university to study such questions. Unfinished Business FOG Memo There is a draft memo to the Common Council from December, and Annika suggested that members start from there. Donald will send it out again. Vermicomposting Memo Bruce said a letter of support would still be helpful. There is also a draft of that letter which Donald will send for members to edit. Street Tree Selection Memo Steve offered to compile a list of recommended trees which will form the bulk of the memo. Cortland Soil and Water sells seedlings which could be a source for the envisioned nursery. New Business Food Waste Collection Bruce explained that food waste composting is to start with big institutions like the university and hospital. With time, smaller businesses and eventually residences will participate. There are no plans yet for residential pickup. Recycling Collection 7/23/23 EAC minutes 20230109 2 The city contracts with Blue Moose of Marathon to pick up trash and recycling. Both are now collected in wheeled “tote” receptacles. Rinsed containers made of plastics 1 (PETE) and 2 (HDPE) are accepted for recycling, but glass is to be put in the trash or brought to the Pendleton Street county recycling center. It is not recycled but instead crushed and used as cover at the landfill. This is unfortunate because glass is almost infinitely recyclable if separated by color. As for enforcing requirements, Bruce said the city can refuse to collect recycling from non- compliant residents and even fine them. At one point, it had an enforcement officer accompany the trucks. Annika noted that the county recycling center now has more options, i.e. glass, plastic, paper, electronics, batteries … and is better labeled than before. John said that they also take paint but that you have to show them what’s in the cans. Diane pointed out that Tompkins County recycles both containers made of plastic 5 (PP) and glass. Bruce said the EAC visited the Tompkins County recycling facility nine years ago and noted that Tompkins County spends much more on recycling than Cortland County does. Diane volunteered to research how Tompkins County does it and if the committee could tour the Ithaca facility again. Green Energy With the NYS-mandated move away from fossil fuels, there may be a need for greater electric capacity than Cortland currently has. Bruce offered to ask his contact at the Central NY Regional Planning and Development Board (RPDB) to present to the committee on this subject. In 1995, the RPDB provided a grant for a turbo blower to aerate sludge for biological processing resulting in a 50% energy saving. Previous processing had been physical and chemical. The biological process has done well for rivers by removing phosphates, but the remaining nitrates and nitrites from oxidizing ammonia can still reduce available oxygen in slow-moving water bodies like lakes. A sequencing batch reactor which uses facultative (aerobic/anaerobic) bacteria to turn nitrogen compounds into gaseous nitrogen didn’t work satisfactorily until recently when the Wastewater Treatment Facility personnel increased the oxygen cycle time. Donald will try to get a map of the city electric lines and substations. Discussion Kevin Conlon asked about the Water Works. Bruce explained that the mayor wanted it to be recreational but that the committee hadn’t discussed it much yet. Kevin noted that it is currently used once a year for the YMCA Chiro Run. The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:15 PM. 7/23/23 EAC minutes 20230109 3 Action Items 1. Contact Soil and Water Conservation, Mike Berlinski, and DoH about Water Works. (Steve) 2. Request copy of college’s draft MOU for using Water Works grounds. (Bruce) 3. Send draft FOG and vermicomposting memos to committee. (Donald) 4. Check on Tompkins County recycling. (Diane) 5. Check on Cortland City electrical capacity and facilities. (Donald) 6. Invite CNY RPDB to present to the committee about Cortland electric capacity. (Bruce) Proposed Agenda – 6 February 2023 1. Approve Minutes 2. Reports a. Soil and Water Conservation recommendation about Water Works use (Steve) b. No Mow May update (Diane) c. Tompkins County recycling practices (Diane) d. Cortland electrical infrastructure (Donald) e. CNY RPDB availability to present about electrical capacity (Bruce) 3. Unfinished Business a. Street tree recommendations memo (Steve) b. FOG recommendations memo (Annika) c. No Mow May flyer (Diane) d. Tompkins County Recycling and Solid Waste Center tour (Diane) e. Vermicomposting recommendations memo (Donald) 4. New Business a. Cortland County Recycling Overview - Chris Spadolini (Recycling Coordinator) b. Glass recycling possibilities - Diane c. Green Purchasing (https://ogs.ny.gov/green-purchasing-communities) - Donald d. Imagining Cortland as a Zero Waste Community - Donald 7/23/23 EAC minutes 20230109 4