Environmental Commission

Madison Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes—February 16, 2012 Call to order and Open Public Meetings Statement PRESENT: Missy Durham, Jeff Gertler, Susan Niculescu, Roy Redmond, Jeff Sarrett, Stephan Stocker, Betsy Uhlman, Claire Witcomb. ABSENT: Jim Greene, Donald Links Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of January 26, 2012 were approved with changes. Guests: Bob Vogel was expected but did not arrive. No other guests. Mail received: 1. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge: Comprehensive Conservation Planning Update 2. Madison High School, Annual “Day of Service”, project deadline: March 2 for June 1 Day, with Annual Volunteer Fair, April 20. This issue was discussed and Clair Whitcomb volunteered to submit a proposal before the deadline and organize an “Environmentally Educational” event to use some volunteers. MHS students may be asked to teach Central Ave. School students about the environment. Conservation easements and “adopt a park” (clean up a park) were also discussed. 3. NJTPA and County Study of Access to Train Stations. Improvements were suggested in bike parking, extension of traction line trail from Danforth to train station and paper recycling added upstairs in the waiting room. B. Uhlman will be contact to NJTPA. Discussion/Correspondence: 1. MEC participation in ANJEC workshops: March 24 in Denville. All members are encouraged to sign up for the workshop. 2. Rosenet addresses. Councilman Links recommended in the Jan. MEC meeting that the Borough provide MEC members with Rosenet addresses for as a best practice for the MEC. B. Uhlman agreed to follow up with J. Burnet on the issue. 3. M. Durham reported on the activities of the Open Space Committee (D. Carver, chair) that met but did not have a quorum. 4. Madison 2020: Discussed the proposed ordinance drafted by J. Sarrett. Agreed to some changes. Agreed to change the name to “Sustainable Madison”. Voted to approve proposed ordinance and give it to D. Links for presentation to the Council. 1 5. ERI Follow-up: presentation by S. Stocker on wellhead protection, Solar Study, etc. Discussion of possibility of coordination with other adjoining towns to obtain a grant to have a wellhead protection study done that would model water flow and produce accurate wellhead protection maps in the Buried Valley aquifer. Discussed a possible draft RFP for solar panels on municipal buildings. Discussed the need to apply for grants and explore creating a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit. S. Stocker to set up an initial meeting of a Solar Power Subcommittee to include B. Wolkowitz and S. Eget to develop an analysis of the role of solar power in Madison for the Mayor and Council. 6. Bio-Diesel project: J. Sarrett stated that there is nothing new to present. 7. Green Fair: discussed the previous meeting in which a plan for MEC commission members to participate in the work to prepare the Green Fair was put forward and agreed to. S. Niculescu will coordinate with L. Faletto of the Boy Scouts. M. Durham, J. Gertler, S. Niculescu, C. Whitcomb, and B. Uhlman will call potential vendors and sign up as many as possible. S. Niculescu agreed to lead the MEC contribution to the Green Fair. 8. B. Vogel was to attend and inform the Commission of the remediation and environmental studies for the Greenwood/Main, the Bayley-Ellard, and the MRC/Bd. Of Ed. polluted sites. B. Vogel did not attend. A Phase 1 study of Bayley-Ellard had been provided to the Commission but the study did not find any specific pollution, and recommended further study since there was evidence of fill which was likely polluted. In the continued absence of information it was resolved to request from the Council that all reports prepared and given to the Borough be made available to the Commission on all three projects and all publicly available reports posted to Rosenet. This also covers items 8, 9, and 10 (leaf composting) of the agenda that were all to be addressed by B. Vogel. B. Uhlman will ask B. Vogel to attend the March 29 MEC meeting and to provide information in the interim. Applications & TCC Plan Review Planning Board Application No. P-12-001, 1999 Madison Associates, Amended Site Plan with Variance for 311 Main St. The MEC has no comment on the application. Meeting adjourned at 9:30 pm. The next MEC meeting will be held at 7:30 pm on March 29, 2012. 2