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<br /> <br />FROM: Commission for the Environment <br />SUBJECT: Monthly Meeting Summary <br />DATE: November 12, 2012 <br />LOCATION: Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill <br />_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />MEMBERS PRESENT: Renee Price (Chair), Gary Saunders (Vice Chair), May Becker, Peter <br />Cada, David Neal, Bill Kaiser, Tom O’Dwyer, Jan Sassaman, David Welch <br /> <br />MEMBERS ABSENT: Lucy Adams, Michele Drostin, Loren Hintz <br /> <br />STAFF PRESENT: Rich Shaw, Tom Davis GUEST: Terri Bucker <br />_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br /> I. Call to Order: Price called the meeting to order at 7:32 pm. She introduced Buckner. <br /> <br />II. Additions or Changes to Agenda – Two information items were added to Item VII. <br /> <br />III. Approval of Minutes – The October 8 meeting summary was approved unanimously. <br />IV. CFE Annual Report and Work Plan (2012-13) – CFE members discussed a draft report <br />prepared by staff. CFE members recommended several edits and additions. Price <br />asked members to submit further additions and comments to staff so that a final draft <br />could be circulated for CFE review and approval prior to November 30 due date. <br /> <br /> V. Proposed Alternative Energy Task Force – CFE members continued their discussion of <br />expanding its Energy Resources Committee or forming a new committee to discuss and <br />formulate recommendations concerning alternative energy issues. CFE members <br />discussed the committee inviting other interested CFE members and outside <br />stakeholders as needed. Price asked the Energy Resources Committee to consider <br />these matters during the committee breakout session and report back in December. <br /> <br />VI. Election of Officers – Neal was elected Chair and Sassaman was elected Vice-Chair. <br /> <br />VII. Committee Meetings – The committee meetings were delayed until after adjournment. <br /> <br />VIII. Updates and Information Items – CFE members received updates and information on <br />the following issues: a) CFE member appointments, b) newly-approved CFE policies & <br />procedures, c) CFE meeting calendar for 2013, d) the new transit sales tax, e) permitting <br />of solar arrays, f) proposed new site plan requirements to comply with the Falls Lake and <br />Jordan Lake rules, and news articles about “fracking” for natural gas extraction in NC. <br /> <br /> CFE members discussed new standards and procedures for approving solar arrays, two <br />recent articles about the importance of forests for carbon sequestration and Duke <br />researchers visiting Northeastern states to discuss hydraulic fracturing, and an idea for <br />converting the southern rail spur from a coal transport line to public transportation. <br /> <br />IX. Adjournment – Price adjourned the regular meeting at 8:45 pm. <br /> <br />CFE members met in committees to discuss ongoing and future tasks until 9:30 pm. <br /> <br /> <br /> Minutes by Rich Shaw, DEAPR Staff