Environmental Commission

Madison Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes—January 26, 2012 Call to order and Open Public Meetings Statement PRESENT: Missy Durham, Jeff Gertler, James Greene, Donald Links, Susan Niculescu, Roy Redmond, Jeff Sarrett, Stephan Stocker, Betsy Uhlman, Claire Witcomb. ABSENT: none Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of December 1, 2011 were approved with changes. Guests: Robert Catalanello, Andrew Bennett, Linda Faletto (parent leader/coordinator for Green Fair for Boy Scout Troop), Jim Burnet, Joe Bavierca Mail received: 1. NJ Conservation Foundation presents 2012 NJ Land Conservation Rally, March 10 with thirty workshops on open space and farmland preservation 2. PSE&G Application to NJ DEP for a Flood Hazard Area Individual Permit and Verification North Central Reliability Project, to upgrade existing overhead electric transmission line 3. NJ DEP Expands Land Use E-Permitting Program, for certain types of freshwater wetlands permits for property owners and contractors 4. ANJEC 2012 Sustainable Land Use Planning Grants for Municipalities, deadline of March 30 5. Notification from Mayor of New Members and Oath of Office to be Signed Discussion/Correspondence: 1. New members swore the Oath of Office. 2. The MEC will seek to conduct “green” meetings. 3. 2012 Budget: The proposed budget covers membership in the Whippany River Watershed Association and ANJEC, a booth in the Green Fair and some office expenses. There is no budget for marketing or other programs and the budget has been reduced from over $4K in $1.7K in 2011. Councilman Links will confirm that the Whippany River Watershed Association dues were paid for 2011. 4. ANJEC Membership: Two workshops available to MEC members: March 3 in Metuchen and March 24 in Denville. 5. Liaison to MRC/Open Space Committee: Councilman Links reported that the funding for the Community Garden fencing and roto-tilling was approved and work will start in the spring. A representative from MEC to MRC will be named as well as one to the Open Space Committee. 6. Bayley-Ellard fields and PK Environmental study: The site contamination from historic fill has not been mitigated since purchase. Bob Vogel has drafted concepts to cover the 3 of 10 acres that are affected, in part with a parking lot. However the Borough has not given the MEC documents 1  that show the sampling done to date. Councilman Links will work with the Borough to provide the MEC with this information, for a later informed discussion. 7. MRC/Board of Education and PK Environmental study: The Borough did not provide the MEC with sampling studies by PK Environmental on the site that adjoins the BOE vehicle maintenance facility. Councilman Catalanello described the situation as such: incomplete MRC remediation has held up $1.5M Green Acres funding and asked for the MEC’s assistance in working with the BOE on its part of the remediation. Councilman Links again offered to work with the Borough to provide the MEC with the environmental studies, in order to have a later informed discussion. 8. Developments at Greenwood and Main (Exxon) site: The Borough did not provide the MEC with documents on the remediation underway at the site and Councilman Links attributed that to pending litigation. Two additional tanks were found at the property corner extending under the Borough sidewalk. Since this was discussed in a public Planning Board meeting, the MEC will continue to request information from the Borough on the project. 9. Madison 2020: Madison 2020 achieved Bronze certification with Sustainable Jersey in the fall of 2010 but was not re-authorized by the Council in January 2011. While projects like the ERI continued (paid for with Green Fair revenues, MEC labor and a matching ANJEC grant), Madison cannot apply for the grants, like Wal-Mart’s, that do not require matching without an authorized green team. Also to raise funds or hold funds, there should be a 501(c)3 organization but an ordinance creating a permanent committee is a prerequisite. Councilman Links will bring an ordinance to the Council to support the Madison 2020 committee. Jeff Sarrett will draft an ordinance for review prior to taking it to the Council. Councilman Links mentioned that the request for funding was the reason that Madison 2020 was not re-authorized. A big part of the Green Team is community outreach. Councilmen Catalanello and Links noted that electronic communication is subject to Public Meetings Act constraints and the MEC should conduct electronic correspondence through Rosenet addresses. 10. Bio-Diesel Project: Councilman Catalanello described a project to create bio-diesel for Borough use and demonstration. The Borough consumed 85,000 gallons of diesel last year. For $6,000, a set-up that produces 160 gallons a week can be purchased, with a rapid payback. Villanova University will donate its engineering expertise. Councilman Catalanello suggested that the MEC seek grants, Wal-Mart or others, to support the purchase of the equipment. J. Sarrett will seek to coordinate this. 11. Opportunities for Madison 2020: Stephan Stocker reported on the Energy Audits that he has led since 2009. The aims are to determine the actual energy consumption of all the municipal buildings, to find ways to reduce energy consumption (through improved insulation or more efficient lighting, for example) and eventually, if it is economically feasible, to install solar panels. So far the Library, the Civic Center, the Municipal Building, the DPW, and the Electric Building have all been done. In the Library, for example, all the light bulbs are now fluorescent T-8 (which are even more energy-efficient than the older fluorescent T-12) resulting in an annual savings of about $8-10K, a complicated calculation given other changes. In order to do this Madison paid 20% of the cost, a grant from the State of NJ paid 60% of the cost and a matching grant paid the difference. Stephan has now audited the six school buildings. New light fixtures will be installed at Kings Road School, Central Avenue School and the HQ on Woodland Road. The cost is $43,000, paid for 70% by the State of NJ and 30% by the BOE. The savings are projected to be $26,000 per year. Councilman Links asked about the Hartley Dodge building. 2  Stephan responded that nothing is planned at Hartley Dodge since it was recently renovated. The possibility of a major savings in the operations of the A/C system at the Library is being investigated. The Library was determined to be too shady to be a good location for installation of solar panels of 500kWh. At this time our contract with Constellation Energy prohibits installation of solar panels over 500kWh. The contract will end in 2014 and then can be re-negotiated to allow some solar panel installation on municipal buildings. Also about Community Outreach, and the importance of documenting the activities in order to qualify for grants and move up to a Silver Certification. The ANJEC 2012 Sustainable Land Use Planning Grants, with March 30 deadline, could be used to support a joint program with the Planning Board on Green Building, Green Training of Municipal Staff, etc. and could be applied for with Chatham Borough because of shared services. Matching funds would be easier to generate with a joint application. The topic was discussed without resolution. The NJ DEP Recreation Trails grant is being utilized by Boy Scouts. 12. Green Fair: Linda Faletto spoke about the Green Fair planned for this year, on May 3rd, a Thursday. The Green Fairs were started two years ago and have been very successful. It has been a partnership between the MEC and the Boys Scouts. However, the Boys Scouts have been doing most of the work. It is a source of funding and a considerable amount of work. The questions discussed were how much and which parts of the work would be done by MEC or by the Boys Scouts, and how to share the funds received during the course of the event. Andy Bennett made an appeal for more support and a fairer distribution of funds. It was resolved that a detailed plan of action would be provided by the Boys Scouts and that MEC members would commit to various parts of the work. Jeff Gertler committed to assisting with contacting the manufacturers who have display tables at the fair. A motion was proposed that the MEC support the May 3rd Green Fair at the Early Trades and Crafts Museum. The motion was seconded and approved. 13. Leaf Composting at John Ave. (DPW): Composting borough leaves at John Ave. (DPW headquarters) would save $80,000 annually. The site appears suitable, although there are wetlands delineated and residents nearby and the DPW needs to clean up waste stored there. We will have further information from the Council in two weeks and will hear more in February. 14. Planning Board update on ERI: Jeff Gertler reported that he presented the ERI to the Planning Board and received a favorable response, except that the wellhead protection area map differs from that in the Master Plan. Resolved that Betsy Uhlman will contact H2M who wrote the ERI and ask them to include the Borough map in the ERI as well. The Planning Board will introduce the ERI to the Council and recommend inclusion in the Master Plan. Meeting adjourned at 9:50 pm. 3