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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 16, 2010 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. $ - C <br />SUBJECT: Planned Educational Summit on the Land Application of Wastewater Biosolids <br />DEPARTMENT: Health, Environment and <br />Resource Conservation, & <br />Cooperative Extension <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENTS <br />Draft Forum Program Proposal <br />Minutes from 10/13 BOCC Worksession <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Frank Clifton, County Manager, 245- <br />2300 <br />Dr. Rosemary Summers, Health <br />Director, 245-2411 <br />David Stancil, ERCD, 245-2510 <br />Tom Konsler, Environmental. Health, <br />245-2365 <br />Dr. Carl Matyac, Cooperative Extension, <br />245-2062 <br />PURPOSE: To receive information about a regional educational summit being planned by <br />NC State University and partners on the land application of wastewater biosolids. <br />BACKGROUND: At its October 13, 2009 work session, the Board received a <br />comprehensive background summary of local issues and activities regarding the land <br />application of public wastewater biosolids dating back to the late 1980s. <br />At the October 2009 work session, the Board directed the Health Director, ERCD Director, <br />and Extension Director to work with the County Manager to develop a draft program for a <br />facilitated public education forum designed to provide for an unbiased perspective on the <br />scientific research on land application of biosolids. Staff was also to consider whether it <br />would be better for the forum to have a regional perspective rather than just focusing on local <br />issues. <br />Since that time, County staff has participated in meetings with experts from North Carolina <br />State University (NCSU) who have also been interested in organizing an educational forum. <br />NCSU's interest, however, is in holding a meeting that would approach the issues from a <br />more regional or statewide perspective. <br />Over the past two months, a planning committee has met to develop a program for an <br />educational forum. The goal is to address areas of concern regarding land application of <br />biosolids, with topic-specific presentations by professionals representing several differing <br />perspectives. The planning committee has made a commitment to present unbiased <br />information. The planning committee includes representatives from NCSU, the NC <br />Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR), the NC Department of <br />