Minutes, Meeting of the Metuchen Environmental Commission January 18, 2017 MAR 15 FEB 15 APR 19

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1 Minutes, Meeting of the Metuchen Environmental Commission January 18, JAN 18 FEB MAR APR 19 MAY 17 JUN 21 JUL 19 SEP 20 OCT 18 NOV M. Herzberg, Chair P D. Rasmussen, Liaison P A. Dohl A M M B. Weeks M M A. Dutemple P M M J. Kelly P M M L. Nowak A M M. Topping P M M Key: P=Present; A=Absent; M=Minutes Assigned/Taken. Dorothy called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Environmental Commission Annual Organizational Meeting Mark Herzberg was re-nominated and re-elected as chair. Two members three-year terms expired. Alyson Dutemple s term has been renewed for another three years. Joe Schaefer decided to resign, and will pursue other Borough activities to which he can direct his talents. New member Maryann Topping joined the Environmental Commission and introduced herself. Alternate member Keri Murath also joined the Environmental Commission and introduced herself. Members volunteered to take meeting minutes each month for This system has been working well. Minutes of November 2016 meeting The minutes will be reviewed at the February meeting. Discussion of amending the Borough Land Development Ordinance (see old business) to specifically address oil pipelines and similar infrastructure. Correspondence Five issues of the DEP Bulletin received. One included an application by the developer to the NJDEP for a treatment works approval for The District Phase 2, to be developed on the former Cryan s site. Phase 2 will include two buildings of four floors each with a total of approximately 80 residential units.

2 One building will have retail space on its ground floor. The treatment works approval is necessary to connect the buildings to the sewer system. National Park Service Grant Update The National Park Service (NPS) has renewed its technical assistance grant to the Borough for a second year. The grant will provide the Borough with a certain amount of NPS staff time over the next year to assist in planning to acquire and develop trails at the Middlesex Greenway, Trailhead property and Dismal Swamp. Borough Administrator Jen Maier met with the NPS on this grant renewal last week. Middlesex Greenway The Borough may work with New Jersey Transit to facilitate discussions with Conrail to extend the Greenway west along the long unused Lehigh Valley Railroad line, towards South Plainfield. National Trails Grant Opportunity The Borough received notice of a grant opportunity through the American Hiking Society s National Trails Fund. The grants range from $500 to $3,000 to help establish, protect and maintain foot trails, and are available to members of the American Hiking Society. The Borough is not a member. Sustainable Jersey The Borough received notice of a grant opportunity through Sustainable Jersey for $10,000 to update our Natural Resources Inventory. The Land Conservancy of New Jersey will prepare an application for a grant of $10,000 on behalf of the Borough. If successful, The Land Conservancy will work with the Borough on preparing the Natural Resources Inventory. The Borough s Natural Resources Inventory was prepared in the 1970s and has not been updated. A well-prepared Natural Resources Inventory can be a valuable land use planning tool for the Borough and its residents. The Mayor has expressed interest in the proposed actions for the Borough to renew its Sustainable Jersey Bronze status for a third year. The Borough s application for $30,000 to explore a solar photovoltaic system for Borough buildings was denied. However, the Borough Administrator will meet with representatives of Solar City to discuss various options for the Borough. Our new Environmental Commission alternate member, Keri Murath, has volunteered to research smart phone software applications that could facilitate tracking the use, mileage and fuel consumption by Borough vehicles, for the Fleet Vehicle Inventory action for Sustainable Jersey. Dorothy Rasmussen will look into obtaining a Sustainable Jersey banner to place over Main Street for special events such as Earth Day. 2

3 Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions Grant Opportunity The Borough received notice of a grant opportunity through the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) for up to $1,500 for open space stewardship. Alyson suggested purchasing an outdoor water bottle filling meter to be installed near the tennis courts on Oakland Avenue. She has noticed the disposal of large numbers of disposable plastic water bottles there, and would like to encourage the use of refillable water bottles instead. Discussion explored the merits and cost of the proposal. Several models are available; for example, the Elkay Company makes an outdoor model for $4,000. If the grant application is successful, the Borough and the Environmental Commission could explore other possible sources of funds to raise the balance of the necessary funds. The Environmental Commission supports this proposal, and will ask the Borough Administrator to prepare the grant application. Applications are due during April. Dismal Swamp The owner of the former Gulton site has retained an environmental consultant to prepare a freshwater wetlands mitigation plan for the property. The NJDEP is requiring the owner to remediate the property by removing contamination from certain areas. Some of the removal must be performed in the stream channel of the Dismal Brook, the stream bank and wetlands and wetland transition areas. The work will involve cutting down vegetation and excavating contaminated soil and sediment. The owner must mitigate for the damage caused by the remediation, by creating similar wetland and open water areas. The environmental consultant for the former Gulton site has reached out to the Environmental Commission and other interested local environmental groups to discuss issues of concern relating to remediating and mitigating in the Dismal Swamp and Dismal Brook. Metuchen Coalition for a Livable Community Several groups are cooperatively working on plans to improve the safety of streets in the Borough for pedestrians and bicycle riders. They have formed the Metuchen Coalition for a Livable Community, and held a presentation and meeting with the Borough Council in early December to discuss a number of issues and proposals. The Borough Council has begun to implement some of these proposed measures, including a crossing of Main Street near Brunswick Avenue that should make the area safer for children and families walking to and from Campbell and Saint Francis schools. There will be further public meetings and presentations by the Metuchen Coalition for a Livable Community. On a related point, Mark Herzberg offered to lend a copy of the book, Walkable City by Jeff Speck. Community Outreach The Borough has successfully implemented this community outreach program to encourage the use of composters. The Borough received a $25,000 grant from the NJDEP Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste, to reduce the flow of solid waste to landfills and to beneficially reuse composted food scraps and other vegetative matter 3

4 composted with the food waste (such as leaves). The Borough distributed to residents 557 composters, 39 aerator tools, five worm bins and 21 boxes of worms. Since the Borough has just over 5,000 households, 10% of Borough households now have a composter. As part of this process, the Borough s Green Team held a well-attended public composting workshop on April 16, and the Environmental Commission members presented the composters to the public at the Farmers Market on June 25. The Borough Administrator coordinated receiving orders and the DPW delivered them. Discussion of a possible new community outreach activity involving rain barrels. The Environmental Commission will ask the Borough Administrator to look for sources of funding. Possible source may include the Middlesex County Municipal Utilities Authority, Rutgers Cooperative Extension Program, the Middlesex Water Company and the NJDEP. Planning Board No report. Earth Day Discussion of holding an event to encourage residents to use reusable bags rather than disposable plastic bags, either as or in addition to the Borough s Earth Day event on Saturday April 22. The event would encourage residents to use reusable bags rather than disposable plastic bags. The Borough Administrator is working with the Main Street Development Association (MDA) to prepare reusable bags to be distributed to the public through Main Street stores. Perhaps the MDA or some of the Main Street businesses would like to participate in the reusable bag event on or around Earth Day, and distribute some reusable bags to the public at that event. Perhaps the film, Bag It could be shown at the event, especially if held at the Borough Improvement League in the Old Franklin Schoolhouse. Discussion of whether it would be a good idea to ask members of the public to bring non-reusable plastic bags to the event, to be collected and brought to a local store or other facility that collects them for recycling. Need to identify a facility that would accept a large volume of bags. A related issue discussed was whether to also have a hands-on Earth Day activity for participants, especially children. Usually participants pick up litter, pull weeds, etc. Discussion of whether such an activity would be possible on the same day as a reusable bag event, or if that would detract from the main event and should be held on another day. Last year the public composting workshop and Earth Day were held on consecutive weekends. Both the Department of Public Works and the Recreation Department are usually active in organizing the Earth Day and related events. Brian Weeks will reach out to the Borough Administrator to discuss further. New Business The Environmental Commission will draft its 2016 Annual Report. Mark Herzberg will circulate a copy of the Environmental Commission s 20 Annual Report for editing and updating by members who worked on each issue during

5 Next Meeting Wednesday, February at 7 p.m. Meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Brian Weeks 5