Is Esopus Ready for Energy Efficiency Money From the Federal Economic Stimulus Bill?

Interesting piece in the NYTimes today about how some municipalities are preparing, but most are unprepared, to spend the billions in the economic stimulus bill that are to go toward energy efficiency. Is there something the environmental board can/should do to advise the town?

Birding Blog From Mount St Alphonsus

I came across this blog today - written by an amateur birder, Tom Deely, living at The Mount.

Recycling Grant Opportunity Postponed

I just received this from Coca Cola and the National Recycling Coalition. This is in reference to the grant program that supplies recycling bins for public places, like Main Street or parks.


Dear Recycling Leaders,

This message is being distributed to those requesting notification of the next Coca Cola / National Recycling Coalition Bin Grant cycle. The grant cycle originally scheduled for February, 2009 has been postponed until later in the year. New dates have not been set at this time. We will send further updates by email once a new grant schedule has been determined.

Thank you for your interest in the Bin Grant program and for supporting recycling in your community.

Alec Cooley
National Recycling Coalition

2/28/09: Sojourner Truth concert

Image via Wikipedia

Listening For Truth, a benefit concert to raise funds for a memorial to Sojourner Truth, will be presented on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009 at 3 PM at the Reformed Church on Salem Street in Port Ewen.

The choral concert will feature the Esopus Festival Choir directed by Linda Bresnahan McCarthy, and the Ulster County Community Outreach Chorus, directed by Dennis Washington. Music will include a variety of songs and hymns, some written by Sojourner Truth, and period music she would have known. In addition, a dramatic reading will be presented.

Tickets will be available for a suggested donation of $10 at the door. Seating is limited. Refreshments will be provided.

Money raised at the concert, through donations, and in the future at other fundraisers will be used to erect a statue to Sojourner Truth in a park being constructed on Broadway in Port Ewen. As a slave, Sojourner Truth lived and worked in a tavern which stood on the site in the 19^th century.

In 2005, the Esopus Town Board voted to name the park in her honor and a citizen's committee organized the Memorial Fund to raise funds for the statue. The Sojourner Truth Memorial Fund is affiliated with the Ulster County Community Foundation. All contributions are tax deductible.

2/18/09: Env. Board meeting agenda

1) Roll Call & Approval of Minutes, Vouchers, etc.

2) Membership report

3) Recycling Contract Update – submission of Env. Board recommendation memo to Town Board

4) Lighting Survey Update

‐ Status of data collection and evaluation (due). Status of report progress for March submission

‐ NYSERDA literature, Speaker on urban lighting (Greene County? NYSERDA?)

5) 2009 ‐ New Project

‐ Natural Resource Inventory: Status ‐ finding speaker to discuss process with the group in a combined meeting with Planning Board?

6) 2009 Community Events

‐ April: Arbor Day "Breathe Green Esopus" sapling giveaway

‐ June: Water Chestnut Harvest ‐ will we do this again this year?

‐ July: Hudson River Fulton Event ‐ Plan for event with Waterfront Board. What do we want to do?

‐ September: Fall Festival ‐ Do we want to have a table?

8) Updates and New Business

More upcoming events

Below are a few area events, as listed by a list Manna Jo Greene sends monthly. Thought some of them could be relevant to either the Environmental Board or residents in Esopus:


Weds., Feb. 18, 6 - 9 pm, Designing the Home Garden. Learn how to site, design, and put in a garden, whether it’s one bed or fifty. Get information on what you can start planning and doing now. BRC, Kingston. Continuing Education: 845-339-2025, www.sunyulster.edu,$45.

Weds., Feb. 25, 7-8:30 p.m. ANNUAL CAC/EMC ROUNDTABLE, sponsored by the Environment Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County, affords CAC members the chance to share information, network with colleagues and learn about their accomplishments and priorities for 2009. Open to those interested in joining CACs ­to learn about the dynamic role volunteers can play in preserving their community’s natural resources. Farm and Home Center, 2715 Route 44, Millbrook. Contact: Vicky Buono, (845) 677-8223, x153, vcb4@cornell.edu.

Thurs., Feb. 26, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm. Save Energy, Save Dollars -- a FREE Weatherization and Energy Savings Workshop designed to help people reduce their electric and heating bills resulting in significant savings year round. Student Union Room 407 at SUNY New Paltz. Pre-registration required; attendees will receive a FREE Energy Saving Gift Pack. Free and open to the public. Contact Barbara Grumberg at 845-340-3990 or bag23@cornell.edu to reserve a seat. http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/ulster

April-June VOLUNTEER RIVER HERRING MONITORING PROGRAM. Join the NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program in our efforts to collect information on the spawning runs of the ecologically important river herring. Location specific to your area -- no experience necessary. Contact Amy Bloomfield, r3hermon@gw.dec.state.ny.us . 845-256-3172 http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/41545.html .

Sat., April 4, MAGNETIZING DOWNTOWNS AND HISTORIC VILLAGES. Helping Mid-Hudson cities and villages increase their magnetism with fresh ideas and examples to attract people and job growth to existing centers. At 721 Broadway, Kingston.

Thurs., Apr. 9, 6 - 9 pm, Organic Gardening for Garden and Containers - Pt 2. Learn how to identify and outwit pests and encourage beneficial insects; how to reduce plant diseases; how to build the soil’s nutritional value and increase crop productivity. BRC, Kingston. Continuing Education: 845-339-2025, www.sunyulster.edu , $39

Sat., May 2, 10 am - 3 pm, Raising Goats 101. Learn how to start a herd, herd health, preventive care, reproduction, feeding, housing as well as profits from your herd, and financial considerations at Triple H Ranch, Hudson, NY. Continuing Education: 845-339-2025, www.sunyulster.edu , $79 (+lunch $7).

Sat., May 9, 10 am - 5 pm, ROSENDALE EARTHFEST AND EXPO. Rosendale Recreation Center, Rt. 32. "Many backyards, one world" with exhibitors and speakers on backyard biodiversity, local food production, water resources, alternative energy, energy efficiency, and green-building. Arm-of-the-Sea Puppet Theater, Dog on Fleas, food, crafts, and fun, hands-on activities for all. FREE/donation. (845) 658-8967.

ONGOING

The Hudson River Estuary Program’s “TREES FOR TRIBS” Initiative is accepting applications for spring stream buffer planting projects. The program offers free native trees and shrubs for qualifying projects in the Hudson River Estuary watershed. Applications are due by March 1st. For more info contact Kevin Grieser at kagriese@gw.dec.state.ny.us or (845)-256-3145. See www.dec.ny.gov/lands/43668.html for info & applications

NYSDEC’s Environmental Resource Mapper is an on-line, interactive mapping application that can be used to identify some of NYS's natural resources and environmental features that are state protected, or of conservation concern. www.dec.ny.gov/animals/38801.html

Environmental Board Roundtable

Dutchess County's EMC holds an annual roundtable discussion for members of local environment boards. This year's is Wed. Feb. 25 from 7-8:30 p.m. (more details below)

I've attended these in the past. Even though it's not our county, the same issues come up in neighboring towns, and these meetings are a good way to learn what projects other boards have taken on in the past year.

Weds., Feb. 25, 7-8:30 p.m. ANNUAL CAC/EMC ROUNDTABLE, sponsored by the Environment Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County, affords CAC members the chance to share information, network with colleagues and learn about their accomplishments and priorities for 2009. Open to those interested in joining CACs ­to learn about the dynamic role volunteers can play in preserving their community’s natural resources. Farm and Home Center, 2715 Route 44, Millbrook. Contact: Vicky Buono, (845) 677-8223, x153, vcb4@cornell.edu.

Coffee and Conversation

The Kingston City Board of Education is hosting a "Coffee and Conversation" open house on Monday, January 26th from 9-10am at Dominicks on the corner of Wall and North Front Streets. Good opportunity to ask questions one-on-one outside of the formal Board meeting sessions.

1/22/09: Sea-Level Rise Meeting

Public Invited to Meetings on Rise of Sea Levels
State Task Force Seeks Input on Adaptation Planning

Thursday, January 22
4 to 7 PM: Open House
7 PM: Presentations
Nelly Goletti Theatre
Student Center, Marist College
Poughkeepsie, New York

The public is invited to a series of meetings about the effects of sea-level rise and the development of recommendations for dealing with rising sea levels, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today.

The meetings, sponsored by the New York State Sea-Level Rise Task Force, will be held at four different locations -- in Poughkeepsie and Manhattan and Suffolk and Nassau Counties.

Each meeting will feature an informal open house session followed by staff presentations and a public-comment period. The open house includes exhibits related to various aspects of climate change andsea level rise. Agency staff will be available to explain the exhibits and answer questions. Those interested may come at any time during the scheduled open house. The meetings give the public an opportunity to provide input on the task force's work plan.

"Global warming is one of the most significant environmental and economic issues of our generation. I commend Commissioner Grannis and his staff for convening this important planning group and urge thepublic and elected officials to participate in this process that will help the state chart a responsible course on this issue," said Governor David A. Paterson.

In his State of the State speech last week, Governor Paterson addressed global warming by calling for one of the most ambitious clean energy plans in the nation. He unveiled his "45 by 15" plan that calls for New York to meet 45 percent of its electricity needs through improved energy efficiency and clean renewable energy by 2015. This goal will alsocreate 50,000 new jobs for New Yorkers, helping build the workforce necessary for a clean energy economy. Governor Paterson also announced the creation of a consortium on hybrid electric batteries and energystorage technologies to make strides in the development of technology for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

New York State is a leader in taking action to address climate change and is implementing a broad portfolio of tactics to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, from promoting energy efficiency, conservation, and renewable energy programs to participating in the nation's first mandatory carbon cap-and-trade program for power plant emissions. As part of this proactive approach, the New York State Legislature established the State Sea-Level Rise Task Force in 2007, under a bill sponsored by Senator Carl Marcellino and Assemblyman Robert Sweeney. The task force will issue a report making recommendations toprotect New York's coastal ecosystems, natural habitats, infrastructure, and coastal communities from flooding and other potential impacts.

The task force is comprised of state agencies, local governments, not-for-profit organizations, community groups, and private citizens. Commissioner Grannis serves as chair of the task force.

The geographic scope of the task force report will include the five boroughs of New York City and the counties of Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk. The tidal waters of the Hudson River to the Federal Dam at Troy are also included because of the potential risks from rising waters to Hudson River ecosystems, drinking water supplies, and infrastructure.

More information about the State Sea Level Rise Task Force is available at:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/45202.html

To receive e-mail notification of meetings and other task force activities, subscribe to the Sea-Level Rise Task Force e-mail list at: http://lists.dec.state.ny.us/mailman/listinfo/sealevelrisetaskforce

Submit comments on the work of the Sea-Level Rise Task Force to: slrtf@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Contact: Mark Lowery, 518-402-8027

Draft Meeting Notes for the Jan. 21

Draft Minutes of the Jan. 21 meeting of the Town of Esopus Environment Board

Meeting called to order at 7:15 p.m. in the Esopus Town Hall

In attendance were Chairwoman Emily Pereira, Town Board Liaison Deb Silvestro, members David Murray, Susan Holland, Dan Shapley and Kathie Quick (waterfront board liaison) and pending member Kate Landi.


Membership

Kathie Quick and Andy Bicking have been re-appointed to the board. Emily Pereira is acting chairwoman, pending official acceptance by the town board. Three are three vacancies on the board. Kate is awaiting town board confirmation of her application to fill the first. Chris Bowser is also expected to submit an application to fill the second. The town board plans to publish a solicitation in local newspapers announcing open board seats, including for the Environment Board.

There were no minutes or vouchers to approve.


Lighting Survey

Dave reported on the lighting survey, which is now approximately 80% complete.

Central Hudson, by contract with the town, will replace up to 5% of the town's lightbulbs per year, at the town's request. We will recommend the replacement of approximately 100 1950s-era mercury vapor bulbs that use approximately three-times the wattage of more efficient bulbs. Given that we have approximately 400 bulbs in all, it will take five years to swap out all inefficient bulbs. Once that process is complete, Dave estimates a yearly savings of $10,000. Most of these older bulbs are in Port Ewen, so the savings would be focused on the Port Ewen lighting district.

The goal is to complete the survey by our March meeting, and complete a draft report to the town board by April. In the meantime, to take advantage of the 5% annual bulb switch-out clause in the contract, Dave will draft an interim letter to the town board outlining which bulbs can be replaced, and updating the board on the progress of the lighting survey. To complete these goals, Dan will continue to canvas Port Ewen, and both Emily and Kathie offered additional help, if they receive instructions from Dave about which areas to canvas.

Deb reported that Steve Aaron, developer of The Birches senior complex, has requested 16 street lights, at expense of electricity and poles to the town, for a stretch of road that the Environment Board feels does not require lighting. Deb reported that there is already sidewalk lighting as part of the development. Dan noted that excessive lighting would be a detriment to the view from the Hudson River, given the development's location on top of a prominent hill.

The board discussed inviting a speaker to educate the board on community lighting best practices, so the board's recommendations to the Town Board relative to removing lights from service can be based on sound principles. Deb will contact a representative of Greene County that has worked on this issue. Dave will contact a representative of NYSERDA. Dave noted that street lighting is not typically based on hard and fast guidelines, but involves many community considerations, such as perception of safety.


Recycling

Deb reported that the town board has approved a request from the town's transfer station contractor, Dankelmann and Associates, to raise the bag fee at the transfer station in 2009 to $4.50. She reported that Dankelmann complained to the town board about rising costs associated with gas and the Ulster County Resouurce Recovery Agency. She reported that the town board appears close to approving a five-year contract extension for the contractor to continue operating the town's transfer station/recycling center.

Dave reported about a community in Washington State that asks users of a swap shack to sign a waiver before using it. It has come to the board's attention that liability may be a concern of Dankelmann's that is prohibiting the establishment of a swap shack that town residents could use to freely exchange gently used items.

Dan reported that Dankelmann has written a letter of support for a Hudson Valley Materials Exchange grant proposal to the USDA that would establish a regional reuse network among Southern Ulster County towns. In that letter, he estimated that Plattekill and Esopus transfer stations (the two towns his firm operates) could divert an estimated 200 tons of trash from the waste stream into reuse. Dan reported that Jill Gruber at the Hudson Valley Materials Exchange is willing to work with Esopus to expand reuse services to town residents, but that any effort, including staff time, would be billed for. The Hudson Valley Materials Exchange, which is run out of the New Paltz transfer station, is on shaky financial ground, according to Gruber.

Dan reported on data he'd gathered from the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency showing that among the 14 Ulster County towns that recycle more than 100 tons of materials each year, Esopus recycles the least. He reported that other towns in the county charge residents fewer fees for use of their transfer stations, though he noted that the data may not be fully up to date. The $4.50 per bag fee appears to be about 50% above any fee charged by any town-run transfer station. The town's annual fee of $20 is slightly above average ($18). The tonnage recycled per transfer station permit is two- to three-times lower in Esopus than comparable Ulster County towns. Dan reported that the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency has offered its help in drafting a new contract, or putting the contract out for competitive bidding. While Dankelmann is the only independent contractor of its kind operating in Ulster County (all towns but Plattekill and Esopus run their own transfer stations), UCRRA said there are additional independent contractors in the region that would bid for the contract.

UCRRA also said that one or two towns in the county run their transfer stations at no loss. Deb noted that Esopus runs a loss on its transfer station. The board noted the need for transparency in any contractor's bookkeeping for accountability and enforcement of any contract's provisions.

The board discussed the need to re-write the town's contract for transfer station services so that it clearly expresses a vision for the services that should be offered, and several board members expressed a desire to see the town bid a new contract.

Dan will draft a letter to the Town Board outlining the board's findings and recommendations and circulate to Environment Board members so that the letter can be delivered to the Supervisor before the Town Board's workshop Feb. 2.


Waterfront Advisory Board report

Kathie reported that the board has won a grant to purchase a new water chestnut harvester. Deb reported that the town can trade in its old harvester and get as much or more money than it paid originally, and that the town was exploring options to share the harvester with other towns with water chestnut problems, like Saugerties.

Kathie reported about the availability of a Biodiversity short course offered by Hudsonia and paid for by the DEC Hudson River Estuary Program. It's an intensive course using mapping and site visits to assess the ecological importance of various landscapes. Dan reported that many other town environment and planning boards in the region have taken this course in preparation of Natural Resource Inventories used to assess the impact of development projects.


Web site

Susan said Sustainable Esopus will soon have a subscription service so that board members can receive email updates whenever there's a new post to the blog.


2009 Goal Setting

The board agreed that its goals for 2009 should include completing the LIghting Survey and continuing the Recycling Initiative, beginning a Natural Resource Inventory, engaging the community at additional events, networking more with the Town Board and Planning Board, and holding another tree giveaway with an expert speaker.

The board agreed that it should begin work on a Natural Resource Inventory by inviting a speaker to explain the process, and invite other relevant boards to attend that speaking session. Kathie will ask the Ulster County Environmental Management Council if it has a knowledgeable speaker, and Dan will ask the DEC Hudson River Estuary Program.

The board discussed participating in the Hudson-Fultion-Champlain celebration July 25, the Hudson River Sweep, the Hudson Valley Ramble, the Apple Festival and another water chestnut pull, if necessary. No decisions were made about how the board should participate, or to what extent.

Deb reported that there will be a fundraiser for the creation of Sojourner Truth park on the site of the old town hall on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. at the Port Ewen Reformed Church on Salem Street. Tickets are $10 suggested donation, and there will be choir and storytelling performances to recognize the importance of this Town of Esopus slave-turned-abolitionist. She's one of the town's most famous and celebrated residents. The board expressed its support.


Notes for followup

Emily - offered to do more lighting survey work

Cathie - offered to do more lighting survey work, and will contact the EMC to request a speaker about the Natural Resource Inventory process

Dave - will send lighting survey information to Emily and Cathie, draft a letter to the town board about progress to date and savings potential this year, and contact NYSERDA to request a speaker about community lighting

Deb will contact Green county for a speaker about community lighting

Dan will continue the Port Ewen lighting survey, contact UCRRA for additional information about recycling, draft and circulate a letter to the town board about the recycling contract and contact the DEC HREP for a speaker about Natural Resource Inventory.


Meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.

Meeting notes by Dan Shapley - posted to Sustainable Esopus blog Jan. 22.