Palmer Township – EAC

Environmental Steering Committee May 28, 2008

Attendees: Rob Reese, Tom Ganssle, Nancy Nicholas, Denise Veres, Cindy Oatis, Bob Lammi, Terry Cooper

Meeting opened at: 7:10 PM

Guests:

Charles Montague: Mr. Montague has been a resident of Palmer for 44 years and was one of the original members of the Palmer ESC. Currently, Mr. Montague is serving as the Secretary of the Board of AAA. Mr. Montague explained that one of goals of AAA is to go greener and one initiative is to make AAA available to ESC if help is needed.. The contact is Mr. Montague and Cindy O. has his contact information.

Approval of Minutes: No quorum, minutes could not be approved.

Hauler Report:

A Mascaro rep was not in attendance due to a change in meeting date.

Recycling Coordinator Report:

Plastics #1 though #7:

The Mascaro contract is now signed by Palmer and has been in the hands of Mascaro for quite some time. If not returned by June 1^st, Bob L. will call Bob A. about this. As soon as it is approved, Cindy O. will launch a big publicity splash. (Addendum: The day following this meeting, the amended contract was approved by Mascaro.)

Yard Waste Pick-up: Cindy O. said last yard waste pick-up, although don’t have tonnage report yet, was not alot. She felt that more publicity is needed for the next one, such as posting on the electronic sign, more visible on the website, posting on the newsletter and making a banner for Hartley center.

Recycling Center

Cindy O explained that new DEP requirements call for updated solid waste ordinances and some further educational requirements.

E-cycling Event – May 3, 2008

The event was a tremendous success by all accounts. Stats from AERC are in and Cindy O. will e-mail to everyone. Off-hand, there were 178 TVs, 63,993 pounds and 2,519 items collected in total. Tom G. indicated to Bob L that it would be great try to get Nazareth COG to sponsor the one next.

Old Business:

Bike Path Map Update:

Tom Adams is in the process of updating the bike path map. Denise V. will get in touch to see if will be available for the June 7 bike ride.

Greening of Palmer:

The new Palmer banners are up.

Bob L. informed the committee about a new and significant project. Scott Kissler developed a method of doing total road re-construction and recycling all on site. This is the first time this has been done in PA and PENNDOT is on-board. The process has been approved by Palmer BOS and the road construction company. Now, press is needed as a huge amount of old road will be kept out of the landfill.

Riparian buffers – 75ft - Bob L. informed the committee about an LVPC presentation that recommends 75ft. Riperian buffer zones as opposed to 100ft because the log curve completed by EPA showed that there is minimal difference between 75 and 100. The LVPC will recommend this ordinance that states a 75ft buffer zone and includes all native/wild vegetation within this area.

Wildlands Conservancy:

Rob R. has the complete Lower Makefield Township environmental plan. He will have copies for all who are interested.

New Business:

Paper shredding event: A resident approached Bob L. about a paper shredding event. He asked her to come to a meeting and propose.

School District: Tom G. and Cindy O. got in touch w/ Chrin to see if anything could be done for cardboard recycling after the contract was signed. They indicated that they would have to charge extra. The school district is not interested.

Hampers for paper waste: Tom G. said M.S. Reilly (paper recycler) is interested in putting paper hampers in all of the schools in the district. They will be in place for the glut of paper at the end of the school year and for the full school year 2008-09. Cindy O. mentioned that tonnage needs to be recorded for DEP and that the school district is in non-compliance with DEP recycling, as DEP law says that everything that can, needs to be recycled .

Next Meeting:

The next meeting is scheduled for June 25, 7:00 PM, at Palmer Municipal Building.

Adjourn: 8:25PM

Minutes submitted by D. Veres