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Attachment 1 Orange County Commission for the Environment DRAFT Meeting Summary August 10, 2015 Richard Whitted Meeting Facility, Hillsborough PRESENT: Jan Sassaman (Chair), May Becker, Peter Cada, Tom Eisenhart, Lynne Gronback, Loren Hintz, David Neal, Bill Newby, Jeanette O'Connor, Rebecca Ray, Sheila Thomas - Ambat, Lydia Wegman, David Welch ABSENT: Gary Saunders STAFF: Tom Davis, Rich Shaw GUESTS: Elizabeth Zander, Bill Kaiser (Chapel Hill Environmental Stewardship Advisory Board) Call to Order — Sassaman called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm. Additions or Changes to Agenda — Hintz asked to discuss his draft news article about invasive species. Sassaman agreed to add that to the Updates and Information items. III. Minutes — Wegman motioned to approve the June 8 minutes as written; seconded by Eisenhart. Approved unanimously. IV. Advisory Board Appreciation — Shaw handed out insulated lunch bags -- a gift from the Board of County Commissioners office to members of Orange County advisory boards. Shaw expressed his thanks to CFE members for their volunteer service to the county. V. Hydrilla in the Eno River Update — Davis provided an update on results from the initial two months of using herbicide to help control the spread of hydrilla in the Eno River east of Hillsborough. He showed maps of the project area, depicting the progress of the herbicide concentrations at different monitoring stations between Lawrence Road (near Hillsborough) and Red Mill Road (near Falls Lake). Davis showed photos of hydrilla in the Eno River before and after the herbicide treatment. Davis reported the hydrilla has died back considerably from the treatment, but there has been some chlorosis to native water willow and injury to native riffleweed. A two- to three -week pause in treatment was initiated on July 20 during which the management zone will be monitored for response of natives and remnant hydrilla. Depending on these responses, treatment will either be considered complete or be resumed at a lower injection rate to prevent hydrilla recovery but reduce potential stress to riffleweed. Davis answered questions from CFE members about the cost of the two year study ($75K) and what agency has the lead role in determining how to proceed with the project (NC Division of Water Resources). CFE members thanked Davis for his presentation and asked him to keep them apprised as further results become available. VI. Green Restaurant Challenge — Elizabeth Zander introduced herself as Chair of the Chapel Hill Environmental Stewardship Advisory Board, whose charge is to assist the Chapel Hill Town Council in strengthening environmentally responsible practices that protect, promote, and nurture the community and the natural world through advice and program support. She introduced her colleague and former CFE member, Bill Kaiser. 1