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Home My WebLink About2012-09-24 PACKET Washington County Environmental Commissions Joint Meeting September 24, 2012 6:30 P.M. Woodbury City Hall 8301 Valley Creek Road Ash and Birch Conference Room Agenda 1.Call to Order 2.Introductions (6:30) 3.Washington County (6:45) a.Washington County Waste Management Master Plan & Recycling Scorecard i.Nikki Stewart, Environmental Program Coordinator ii.Danielle Lesmeister, Environmental Specialist 4.Commission Q & A (15 minutes per city) a.Cottage Grove (7:00) i.GreenStep Cities b.Mahtomedi (7:15 ) i.Action Plan for GreenStep City c.Oakdale (7:30) i.Coal tar-based sealant ban ii.Styrofoam recycling d.Woodbury (7:45) i.What is commission involvement in plan review and permits? ii.Have other commissions or cities worked on energy conservation programs or initiatives? e.Lake St. Croix Beach (8:00) 5.Adjourn Reception and Networking (8:15- 9) City of Cottage Grove Environmental Commission - Focus Areas and Projects Joint Commission Meeting - September 24, 2012 Project and Permit Review Wal-Mart - The commission reviewed the proposed plans in relation to the sustainable building design criteria. Commissioners provided feedback on the plans and forwarded questions to City Council regarding sustainable features. City Hall and Public Safety Buildings - Commissioners reviewed energy efficiency proposals and other sustainable design criteria for the new City Hall and Public Safety Buildings. They provided recommendations on which energy package to implement and what other efficiency projects to include as part of the project. 3M Incinerator Permit The commission reviewed the permit for 3M to accept hazardous waste, from outside the organization, for burning at the 3M incinerator. Commissioners worked with 3M, the MPCA and the City to review and provide feedback on the permit and the results of air sampling from the incinerator that the city requested. 3M East Cove remediation project - 3M recently implemented a clean-up of the east cove, an inlet to the Mississippi River that was contaminated with perfluorocarbons (PFCs). 3M allowed the commission to review and comment on the site and the environmental assessment plan. In addition commissioners toured the remediation area before and after the work. 3M PFC contamination of Cottage Grove and Woodbury aquifers Commissioners reviewed data from 3M barrier wells and Cottage Grove drinking water tests and well tests to understand the PFC issue, and to identify where PFCs were leaching into the ground water and potentially contaminating drinking water supplies. 3M PFC filtration permit 3M and the MPCA are working on a permit to allow 3M to filter the PFC contaminated water pumped from their barrier wells and discharged into the Mississippi River. Currently the barrier wells pump water from the aquifer north of Cottage Grove at about two million gallons a day. The water is used to cool processes at the 3M CG plant, and is discharged directly into the Mississippi River. 3M will soon filter the water prior to discharge, once the permit has been approved. Wellhead Protection Program Commissioners reviewed the wellhead protection program that the city has implemented to understand environmental issues surrounding this plan. Other City and Commission Initiatives Spring Cleanup Day - Every year the city partners with Washington County to host a Spring Cleanup Day targeting appliances, tires, electronics, household hazardous waste, and other waste . Environmental Commission Strategic Plan In 2011, the commission formally outlined priorities that the commission would focus on in the upcoming years. They identified three areas of focus: 1) Permits and Regulations, 2) Policy, and 3) Education. Under each focus area, they prioritized items related to each topic. The final list of work plan priorities is enclosed. Washington County Recycling Grant Projects Get Caught Recycling program The City of Cottage Grove promotes Through the program, two addresses are randomly selected each week. City staff checks each address on its designated pick-up day to verify whether the resident has their recycling out. If they do, they are awarded a $50 gift certificate to a local business. Another asset of this program is the support of local businesses. Promoting recycling at schools On March 20, 2012, city staff partnered with Washington County and ISD 833 to conduct a waste sort at Cottage Grove Elementary. City, County, and school district staff, in addition to within one school day. City staff also presented information, with Dan Schoepke, on the three grade classes at the school (between 90-100 students). In addition, the city offered an ice cream social to the winning Pod (group of classes) of a recycling competition at the school. The winning Pod included the all-day kindergarten and third grade classes. The Mayor, along with city staff and members of the commission, handed out ice cream, a pencil and recycling wristband to the winning students. All of the fifth grade students also received ice cream, as well as recognition, for managing the recycling program at the school during the year. City of Cottage Grove Arbor Day Event and Compost Bin Distribution The City hosted its seventh annual Arbor Day event April 28, 2012. The event took place at the he themes of composting and recycling. Residents who pre-ordered a compost bin or rain barrel from the city sponsored sale were able to pick them up at the event. In addition, there was a vermicomposting display, and a shredding service for residents to shred and recycle personal documents. Kids were able to dig in the dirt to locate and hold the worms from the composting display, allowing city staff to answer questions and talk to parents about the benefits of composting. The city sold 125 compost bins, 47 rain barrels, and shredded 3,000 pounds of paper. Recycling Promotion through newsletters The city promotes Cottage Grove Reports. In addition, inserts were included in the newsletter to promote the Spring Clean- Ý·¬§ ±º Ñ¿µ¼¿´» Û²ª·®±²³»²¬¿´ Ó¿²¿¹»³»²¬ Ý±³³··±² Ú±½« ß®»¿ ¿²¼ Ð®±¶»½¬ ó Ö±·²¬ Ý±³³··±² Ó»»¬·²¹ èñîìñïî É¿¬»® Ï«¿´·¬§ óóË° Ûª»²¬ô ±ª»® ëð °¿®¬·½·°¿²¬ °·½µ»¼ «° ¬©± ¬®«½µ´±¿¼ ±º ¬®¿¸ ¿²¼ ¼»¾®· º®±³ ·²ñ¿®±«²¼ ¬¸» ´¿µ»ò óÌ¸» ½±³³··±² · ½«®®»²¬´§ ½±²·¼»®·²¹ ¿ ¾¿² ±² «·²¹ ½±¿´ ¬¿® ¼®·ª»©¿§ »¿´¿²¬ ·² ¬¸» ½·¬§ ¿ ½¸»³·½¿´ ·² ¬¸» »¿´¿²¬ ½¿² ½¿«» ¸»¿´¬¸ ¿²¼ °±´´«¬·±² ·«»ò É¿¬» Ø¿«´·²¹ ¿²¼ Î»½§½´·²¹ óÝ±²¬·²«»¼ °±°«´¿® Î»½§½´·²¹ Î»©¿®¼ °®±¹®¿³ô ®»©¿®¼·²¹ ®»·¼»²¬ º±® ®»½§½´·²¹ò óÛ¨°¿²¼»¼ ®»½§½´·²¹ ·²¬± ¿´´ ½·¬§ º¿½·´·¬·»ò óß°°®±ª»¼ ¿²²«¿´ ©¿¬» ¸¿«´»® ´·½»²» ¿°°´·½¿¬·±² ¿²¼ ®»ª·»©»¼ ¿²²«¿´ ®»½§½´·²¹ ¼¿¬¿ò Ù»²»®¿¬·±² Ù®»»² óÝ±³°´»¬»¼ Ù»²»®¿¬·±² Ù®»»² Í«¬¿·²¿¾·´·¬§ Ð´¿²ò Ì¸· °´¿² »®ª» ¿ ¿ ¹«·¼» ¬± ¬¸» ÛÓÝ ¿²¼ Ý·¬§ Ý±«²½·´ ·² ¬¸»·® ¼»½··±²ó³¿µ·²¹ ®»¹¿®¼·²¹ ¾»¬ °®¿½¬·½» ·³°´»³»²¬¿¬·±² ·² ¬¸» Ù®»»²Í¬»° Ý·¬·» °®±¹®¿³ò Ì¸» °´¿² ¸·¹¸´·¹¸¬ ¹±¿´ ¿²¼ ¿½½±³°´·¸³»²¬ ·² ·¨ ½¿¬»¹±®·»æ Û²»®¹§ Ý±²»®ª¿¬·±²ñß´¬»®²¿¬·ª» Û²»®¹§ô Ì®¿²°±®¬¿¬·±²ô Í«®º¿½»ñÙ®±«²¼ É¿¬»® Ï«¿´·¬§ô Î»½§½´·²¹ ¿²¼ É¿¬» Î»¼«½¬·±²ô Ñ°»² Í°¿½»ñË®¾¿² Ú±®»¬ô ¿²¼ Ý±³³«²·¬§ Ø»¿´¬¸ ¿²¼ Ú±±¼ò óÝ±²¬·²«»¼ ¬± °«®«» ¬¸» ·³°´»³»²¬¿¬·±² ±º ¾»¬ °®¿½¬·½» ·² ¬¸» Ù®»»²Í¬»° Ý·¬·» °®±¹®¿³ò óÝ±³°´»¬»¼ ¿²²«¿´ ½·¬§ ±°»®¿¬·±² »³··±² ¿²¼ »²»®¹§ «» ·²ª»²¬±®§ô «°¼¿¬»¼ ®»«´¬ ¬± ÓÒ Þí Þ»²½¸³¿®µ·²¹ ©»¾·¬»ò óÝ±³°´»¬»¼ ·²¬¿´´¿¬·±² ±º ¿ ìð µÉ ±´¿® ÐÊ §¬»³ ¿¬ Ý·¬§ Ø¿´´ò Ì¸» §¬»³ · »¨°»½¬»¼ ¬± °®±¼«½» ¿°°®±¨·³¿¬»´§ ëíôððð µÉ¸ ¿ §»¿® ±º »´»½¬®·½·¬§ô ®»¼«½·²¹ ÙØÙ »³··±² ¾§ ìç ¬±² ¿²¼ ¿ª·²¹ ¬¸» ½·¬§ üëëððñ§»¿®ò Û¼«½¿¬·±² ¿²¼ Ñ«¬®»¿½¸ ó Ø±³» ×³°®±ª»³»²¬ Ú¿·®ò Ñª»® ëð Ñ¿µ¼¿´» µ·¼ ©»²¬ ¸±³» ©·¬¸ ¬¸»·® ±©² ¾·®¼º»»¼»®ò óË°¼¿¬»¼ ½·¬§ ©»¾·¬» °®±ª·¼» ·²º±®³¿¬·±² º±® ®»·¼»²¬·¿´ ¿²¼ ½±³³»®½·¿´ »²»®¹§ ¿ª·²¹ ¿²¼ ®»½§½´·²¹ ®»±«®½»ò óÛ²ª·®±²³»²¬¿´ ¬±®§ »½¬·±² ·² »¿½¸ ·«» ±º ¬¸» Ñ¿µ¼¿´» Ë°¼¿¬»ô ©¸·½¸ · ¼·¬®·¾«¬»¼ ½·¬§ó©·¼» ±² ¿ ¯«¿®¬»®´§ ¾¿·ò City of Woodbury Environmental Commission Events and Initiatives Joint Commission Meeting Sept. 24, 2012 Commission Sponsored Events Solar Works Workshop, Thursday, March 1 The commission partnered with CERTs to host the workshop at City Hall. Nearly 100 people attended the workshop. Woodbury Community Expo, April 14 The commission hosted a booth at this annual event. The booth focused on the benefits of native plantings over traditional lawn. Commissioners gave out native seed packets, and offered prizes to people who answered a question about native plants. There was also a free drawing for a rain barrel Waste Sort at Woodbury Elementary, April 19 The commission worked with ISD 833 and Washington County to do a waste sort at Woodbury Elementary. Commissioners sorted through one waste to determine the breakdown of recyclables, trash, and compostable waste. Woodbury Elementary School Carnival, April 20 The commission had a booth at the school Waste Reduction Yahtzee games, prizes, a display, and handouts. Sustainability and Landscape Workshop, April 28 The annual landscape workshop is hosted on a Saturday morning and features three speakers on topics related to sustainability and native landscaping. Curbside Recycling Event, May 14-17 The commission works with licensed haulers to provide a curbside recycling service, targeting appliances, tires and scrap metal. Haulers agree to offer a one- time reduced fee for this event. Tamarack Swamp Tour, August 1 This was the first year that the city and commission took over the Tamarack Swamp Tour from the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District. Four tour guides led people through the swamp to educate them on the ecology and plants of the area. Native Plant Market, Sept. 8 The commission hosted its second annual Native Plant Market in the parking lot of Woodbury City Hall. Five vendors participated in the event, as well as the local Master Gardeners. Other Commission Activities Green Times Newsletter The Green Times is published three times a year and focuses on topics related to sustainability. Environmental Excellence Awards, April/May an annual awards program recognizing businesses, organizations, and individuals that are making Woodbury a more sustainable community. Award categories include: Green building, energy efficiency and conservation, green remodeling, Use of renewable or alternative energy, waste reduction and recycling, environmental education, water conservation, innovative stormwater management practices, sustainable business practices, and youth leadership. City of Woodbury Review and Presentations Review of NPDES annual permit. Draft Urban Forestry Plan Zoning Ordinance Amendments Review annual residential recycling data Televised presentation - economy - Wayne Gjerde, Recycling Market Development Coordinator, MPCA Televised presentation - Lawns, Lakes, Rain Gardens & Water Quality Howard Markus, Washington County Master Gardener and EAC Commissioner Partnerships and Projects Xcel Powering Your Community programs to encourage residents and businesses to make affordable changes. Regional Indicators Initiative. The program focuses on community metrics related to energy, waste, and travel. The final report will be provided to the city, in addition to a comparison of the twenty cities in relation to each other.