CFE minutes 050911 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 FROM: Commission for the Environment SUBJECT: Monthly Meeting Summary DATE: May 9, 2011 LOCATION: Environment and Agricultural Center (Hillsborough) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ MEMBERS PRESENT: Bill Kaiser (Chair), Renee Price (Vice Chair), Lynnette Batt, May Becker, Peter Cada, Michael Hughes, David Neal, Tom O’Dwyer, David Welch MEMBERS ABSENT: Chris Adams, Lucy Adams, Michele Drostin, Loren Hintz, Clay Hudson, Gary Saunders STAFF PRESENT: Tom Davis and David Stancil _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ I. Call to Order: Kaiser called the meeting to order at approximately 7:40 pm II. Additions or Changes to Agenda – The Updates and Information Items (Item VII) were moved up on the agenda to follow the Orange Well Net report (Item IV). The CFE agreed to add three additional issues to the Information Items: the extraction of natural gas using hydrologic fracturing, future meeting locations, and solid waste issues. III. Approval of Minutes – The minutes from April 11, 2011 were approved as written. IV. Orange Well Net – 2011 Annual Report – Davis provided an overview of the first year of Orange County’s groundwater observation well network. He explained the results from the first 12 months of data gathering and answered questions from the CFE. Davis also reported he is collaborating with the NC Division of Water Quality and US Geographical Survey on three additional wells that will be included in the County’s network. CFE members voiced support for Orange Well Net and recommended that funds be found to expand the system to include more parts of the county and to include water quality monitoring. The CFE referred that matter to its Water Resources Committee. The CFE also discussed recent interest in the extraction of natural gas from the ground—a process referred to as “fracking.” Davis said it is being considered in parts of the Piedmont, but not in Orange County. VII. Updates and Information Items – CFE members received updates and information on the following issues: OWASA forest management plan (Kaiser and Stancil), Jordan Lake water allocation (Davis), Sykes dairy conservation easement (Stancil), and two environmental bills introduced in the senate of the NC General Assembly. The CFE discussed the possibility of holding some of its future meetings in other locations to engage people in other parts of the county. The CFE discussed the effects of solid waste management on the environment, and agreed to invite staff from the Solid Waste department to discuss what they are working on and whether there might be opportunities for collaboration between the CFE and Solid Waste Advisory Board. V. Committee Reports – Representatives from each of the four standing committees reported on their groups’ different work tasks for 2011. VI. Committee Breakout – The four committees met during the remaining time. Meeting adjourned at approximately 9:30 p.m. Minutes by Rich Shaw, DEAPR Staff