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<br /> <br />FROM: Commission for the Environment <br />SUBJECT: Monthly Meeting Summary <br />DATE: September 9, 2013 <br />LOCATION: Solid Waste Management Administration Building, Chapel Hill <br />_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />PRESENT: David Neal (Chair), May Becker, Terri Buckner, Peter Cada, Loren Hintz, Jeanette <br />O’Connor, Tom O’Dwyer, Jan Sassaman (Vice Chair), Gary Saunders, David Welch <br /> <br />ABSENT: Lucy Adams, Susie Enoch, Steve Niezgoda <br /> <br />STAFF: Rich Shaw, Tom Davis GUESTS: Donna Lee Jones (CFE prospect) <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br /> I. Call to Order: Neal called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm. <br /> <br />II. Additions or Changes to Agenda – None <br /> <br />III. Approval of Minutes – The August 12 meeting summary was approved unanimously. <br /> <br />IV. Updates and Information Items – CFE members received updates and information on <br />the following: a) proposed screening of a film on industrial hemp, b) Orange Well Net – <br />2013 Annual Report, c) Duke Forest annual closure, d) native plants along Buckhorn <br />Road, e) Triangle smart grid dominance, f) OWASA’s treatment/recycling of wastewater <br />and biosolids, g) Town of Hillsborough’s stormwater newsletter, h) NC conservation trust <br />funds, i) NCDENR reorganization, j) food waste as a source of fuel, and k) Festifall. <br /> <br />CFE members discussed the CFE’s potential sponsoring of a screening of a new <br />documentary film advocating for the legal production of industrial hemp in the United <br />States. CFE members agreed view the film before considering whether to sponsor a <br />wider screening. A private viewing for CFE members will be scheduled for late Sept. <br /> <br />V. Committee Meetings – The CFE decided to forego committee meetings in order to carry <br />out a longer discussion of the format and content of the State of the Environment report. <br /> <br />VI. State of the Environment 2014 – Shaw provided an overview of the process and <br />timeframe for developing the State of the Environment report for Orange County. CFE <br />members provided further comments and ideas on the report format and content. They <br />discussed making the report less technical so that it can be geared toward county <br />residents, households, business, and secondary school children. Two members <br />(Saunders and Buckner) agreed to edit and reformat the Air Resources section for full <br />CFE consideration before further wholesale edits are made to the Land and Water <br />resources sections. Neal encouraged CFE members to continue reading the draft report <br />working with committee members to provide recommendations for further County action. <br /> <br />VII. Adjournment – Neal adjourned the meeting at 9:15 pm. <br /> <br />Minutes by Rich Shaw, DEAPR Staff