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<br /> <br />FROM: Commission for the Environment <br />SUBJECT: Monthly Meeting Summary <br />DATE: February 11, 2013 <br />LOCATION: Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill <br />_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />MEMBERS PRESENT: David Neal (Chair), Jan Sassaman (Vice Chair), Lucy Adams, May <br />Becker, Terri Buckner, Peter Cada, Loren Hintz, Bill Kaiser, Tom O’Dwyer, Gary Saunders, <br />David Welch <br /> <br />MEMBERS ABSENT: Sam Yellen STAFF PRESENT: Rich Shaw, Tom Davis <br /> <br />GUESTS: Brian Wittmayer, Elizabeth Zander, Jae Furman, Jeanette O’Connor <br />_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br /> I. Call to Order: Neal called the meeting to order at 7:32 pm. <br /> <br />II. Additions or Changes to Agenda – Added one item to the Updates and Information. <br /> <br />III. Approval of Minutes – The January 14 meeting summary was approved unanimously. <br /> <br />IV. Chapel Hill Sustainability Committee – Brian Wittmayer and Elizabeth Zander (Chapel <br />Hill Sustainability Committee) provided an overview of the committee’s mission and <br />activities. They discussed regional solid waste management issues and asked whether <br />the CFE might be interested in collaborating with the Sustainability Committee and <br />others on a solid waste public forum. The CFE discussed the merits of this proposal. <br />Sassaman motioned that the CFE encourage the Chapel Hill Sustainability Committee to <br />continue its efforts to convene a solid waste forum and to express its willingness to co- <br />sponsor the forum. O’Dwyer seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. <br /> <br /> V. Proposed Renewable Energy and Efficiency Work Group – Neal reported on the <br />BOCC’s January 29 work session during which he presented the CFE’s proposal for a <br />Renewable Energy and Efficiency Work Group. He said the commissioners had not <br />received the CFE’s memo in advance so there was insufficient feedback. CFE members <br />discussed going ahead and choosing a specific problem or topic, bringing in experts, <br />discussing the issues and formulating recommendations for presentation to the BOCC. <br />They agreed to invite staff to the next meeting present data on energy and fuel used by <br />County departments and facilities. CFE members discussed how to obtain guidance on <br />how to get the BOCC and County staff to fully consider its recommendations. <br /> <br />VI. 2014 State of the Environment Report – Shaw reviewed the contents of the 2009 State <br />of the Environment report and a proposed timetable for developing a 2014 report. <br />O’Dwyer motioned to recommend staff find the resources to hire a part-time employee to <br />work on the 2014 State of the Environment report and to include solid waste and energy <br />use data where available. Sassaman seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. <br /> <br />VII. Updates and Information Items – CFE members received updates and information on <br />the following: a) CFE recruitment efforts, b) County budget outlook for 2013-14, c) the <br />NC Mining & Energy Commission’s consideration of hydraulic fracturing (fracking), d) <br />carbon emissions down at Duke, and e) OWASA’s annual update to the BOCC. <br /> <br />VIII. Committee Meetings – The CFE broke out into its two standing committees: the Air and <br />Energy Resources Committee and the Water and Biological Resources Committee. <br /> <br />IX. Adjournment – Neal adjourned the meeting at 9:15 pm. The committees met until 9:45. <br /> <br /> Minutes by Rich Shaw, DEAPR Staff