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Home My WebLink About07-12-18 EMC Final MinutesEMC Final Minutes 1 July 12, 2018 4:00 p.m. 2 Tompkins County Old Jail Conference Room, 125 E. Court St, Ithaca, NY 3 4 Attendance 5 Member Seat Member Seat Steve Bissen E Town of Dryden Amanda Champion P Legislative Liaison Maureen Bolton P Town of Enfield Susan Allen-Gil P Associate Member Cait Darfler P Town of Ulysses Karen Edelstein A Associate Member John Dennis P Village of Lansing Bill Evans A Associate Member Brian Eden P Village of Cayuga Heights Anna Kelles A Associate Member Pegi Ficken E Town of Groton Dooley Kiefer P Associate Member Michelle Henry P Town of Newfield Dan Klein E Associate Member Anne Klingensmith P Town of Danby Jose Lozano P Associate Member James Knighton P At-Large Osamu Tsuda P Associate Member Vladimir Micic E Town of Ithaca David Weinstein A Associate Member Steve Nicholson P Town of Caroline Robert Wesley A Associate Member Susan Riley P At-Large Roger Yonkin A Associate Member Tom Shelley P City of Ithaca Darby Kiley P Planning Staff Genny Shipley P At-Large Andrea Aguirre P Planning Staff Don Smith P At-Large Ron Szymanski E Village of Freeville Regi Teasley P At-Large Guests – Joe Wilson, Julia Keene, Matt Nanna, Sara Hess, Jonathan Zisk, Laurel Lynch, Jerry 6 Acton, Tony Ingraffea, Marie McRae 7 8 Call to Order – Chair Brian Eden called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. 9 Privilege of the Floor – Joe Wilson asked what the EMC was doing to help codify the Green 10 Building Policy in the Town and City of Ithaca. Cornell’s proposed North Campus expansion 11 would probably violate this Policy if it was now codified. Every increase in natural gas use is 12 harming greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. 13 Anne Klingensmith introduced Jonathan Zisk from Danby, who is interested in becoming a 14 member. 15 Agenda Review/Changes – Remove the By-laws discussion until Planning and County 16 Legislative staff have had an opportunity to review the draft. 17 18 Approval of the Minutes – A motion was made by Tom Shelley, seconded by Anne 19 Klingensmith, to approve the June 14, 2018, minutes. Motion carried unanimously. 20 21 Presentation – New York State Energy Transformation 1990-2050 – Jerry Action, Systems 22 Engineer/Architect, Physicians, Scientists, and Engineers for Healthy Energy 23 • Mr. Acton shared information that he presented at the April NY-Geo Conference regarding 24 the best approach to meet 2050 New York State’s Greenhouse Emission Reduction Goals. 25 • In order to achieve an emissions-free energy supply by 2050, building energy use must be 26 drastically reduced to lower our greenhouse gas emissions to the target level. We need to 27 replace inefficient electric power plants, heating and cooling systems, and gas-powered 28 vehicles, as well as increase renewable electric power from solar, wind, and hydro, increase 29 use of air and ground source heat pumps, and increase zero emissions vehicles. 30 • Mr. Acton focused on residential and transportation sectors because emissions from these 31 sectors have increased between 1990 and 2015. 32 • Natural gas has been steadily replacing coal and oil for electric power. Methane leakage 33 from production, transmission, distribution, and use compounds emissions concerns. 34 • By 2050, residential space and water heating could be emissions free with air and ground 35 source heat pumps, along with renewable energy to power the heat pumps. 36 • Mr. Acton explained that it took 30 years to transition from coal as a dominant heating fuel to 37 petroleum. Natural gas use is increasing and a beneficial electrification strategy is needed to 38 drive the market in right direction. 39 • Asked if the grid needs to be updated, Mr. Acton responded that we need to rethink the grid. 40 Power needs to be generated closer to the user and combined with battery storage. 41 Maximum autonomy is needed at every level from the individual home to neighborhood to 42 city to region. 43 • Mr. Acton explained the heat pump value compared to alternatives by equivalent terawatt 44 hours. 45 • A member stated that at the macro level this makes sense, but what does it mean for the 46 individual homeowner? Mr. Acton suggested that leasing — spreading the cost out over 47 multiple years — would be better for individuals who can’t afford the upfront cost. 48 • Asked what happens if the Northeast gets colder in the winter and hotter in the summer, Mr. 49 Acton responded that a sensitivity analysis of the models should be done to adjust our 50 plans. 51 52 Committee Reports 53 Climate Adaptation: James Knighton 54 • Committee has completed the Flood Hazard and Risk Survey. 55 • The flood survey report was conducted and written by the Committee to better 56 understand the perceptions and beliefs of professionals working on flood risk mitigation 57 within Tompkins County. The survey demonstrates that professionals hold strongly 58 divergent views and definitions concerning current risks, and preferred outcomes of flood 59 mitigation. Knowledge of historical flooding events was typically held by only one sub-60 discipline, rather than a collective group of professionals. Our recommendations support 61 the establishment of stronger connections of flooding professionals within government, 62 NGO, private practice, and research to better assist TC in developing stronger flood 63 mitigation policy. 64 65 James, as Chair, made a MOTION to accept the Committee’s Report, initiate work on 66 implementing the Committee’s recommendations, post the Report on the EMC website, 67 and to distribute it to potentially interested municipalities and individuals. Regi Teasley 68 seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 69 Environmental Review: Brian Eden 70  DEC promulgated carbon dioxide emissions performance standard 71 regulations for major electric power–generating facilities. Comments are 72 due July 29. A County Legislative Resolution will be introduced on July 17 73 in support of the proposed regulations. There will be a public hearing in 74 DEC Region 8 at Avon and a bus for interested community members will 75 depart from Stewart Park. Contact the Chair for additional information. 76  Cayuga Power Plant is proposing to operate their Unit #2 turbine with 77 natural gas. The DEC ordered the power plat to shut the turbine down by 78 July 1, 2018 because there is no Selective Catalytic Converter NOx 79 scrubber on that unit or to submit a permit application to repower with 80 gas. An application to repower that unit with gas has been submitted. 81  Lansing Rod and Gun Club was issued a consent order by the EPA to 82 either not shoot in to Salmon Creek and the adjacent wetland with lead 83 ammunition or to move the site of their shooting range within 18 months. 84 They chose to move away from the stream, but they have not yet 85 developed an alternative location for the shooting range. They continue to 86 discharge lead ammunition at the site. The consent order expired on 87 March 28 and the Committee wrote to the EPA Region 2 Administrator 88 requesting that he consider enforcing the consent order. 89  Regarding Cornell’s proposed North Campus Residential expansion, the 90 environmental assessment forms have not been submitted to the involved 91 municipalities yet. It is expected that the City of Ithaca will be the lead 92 agency. 93  Cayuga Solar has proposed to install an 18 MW solar array at the power 94 plant, partially over the coal ash landfill. The landfill was created prior to 95 NYSDEC regulations governing the siting and operation of landfills. When 96 the power plant closes, this will pose a threat to the future use of the 97 nearby properties and will become a brownfield in need of further clean-98 up. Placing structures on the landfill will be an impediment to the ultimate 99 clean-up at the site. 100  For the Hillview Rd landfill, the DEC issued a general permit for the 101 construction of a replacement monitoring well adjacent to the wetland. 102  Proposed Trinitas student housing project in Varna would double the 103 population of Varna. Some of the neighbors have approached us with 104 concerns about its potential impact on community character. 105  This is a good year to install ground source heat pumps with the 106 assistance of Heat Smart. Generous incentives are available such as the 107 Federal tax credit that will sunset in a few years as well as a NYSERDA 108 incentive that ends in 2019. 109  Cargill filed an affidavit yesterday in the Article 78 specifically citing the 110 EMC. Resolution of September 2016 requesting that the County 111 Legislature support an Environmental Impact Statement. 112  The West Dryden Road Non-Pipe Alternatives project that delayed 113 constructing a major gas distribution line also included a proposal to 114 install mini compressors on an existing line to meet perceived reliability 115 needs in the Lansing gas moratorium area. NYSEG recently submitted a 116 filing to the Public Service Commission that they are planning to delay the 117 construction of the mini-compressors. Even with the cold period in 118 January and February 2018, the current line was sufficient and there does 119 not appear to be a pressing reliability need. The mini compressors might 120 not be needed. The airport and other projects in Lansing will free up their 121 gas use to support the overall reliability of the existing gas service. 122  The Committee submitted comments to the DEC on June 18 requesting a 123 comprehensive remediation program be undertaken at the Morse/ 124 Emerson site on South Hill. 125  John Dennis informed the group that DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos 126 announced today that the LPG storage project proposed by Crestwood 127 near Watkins Glen on Seneca Lake has been denied a permit. 128  129 Unique Natural Areas: Steve Nicholson 130 • Committee did not meet. The contractors will soon begin the fieldwork. Landowner requests 131 for permission to visit have been distributed. 132 • Two completed permission forms have been returned – both on 5 Mile Drive. 133 • The contractors have recommended a major expansion in the boundaries of UNA-15, the 134 Groton Swamp, which straddles the Owasco Inlet. 135 Waste Reduction: Tom Shelley 136 • The Committee asked what kind of outreach was needed to increase the likelihood of 137 passing legislation to ban single use plastic bags. 138 • Ithaca College students, under the direction of Susan Allen-Gil, created a one-page fact 139 sheet, which was distributed at the meeting. 140 • Who are stakeholders and are the key people to contact. 141 • What questions should the committee be prepared to answer. 142 • The Committee will look into Park Foundation funding for outreach and education 143 WRC Liaison: Michelle Henry 144 • Harmful Algal Blooms action plans were released by the DEC in June. 145 • HABs have already been identified in Cayuga Lake. CSI is mapping suspicious and 146 confirmed toxic sites. 147 • Water Withdrawals Committee is collecting information on local permits. 148 • CSLAP monitoring is under way. 149 • Hydrilla treatment in Aurora was expanded. The herbicide used is copper now. There will be 150 no chemical treatment in the south end of Cayuga Lake – will be hand pulling as needed. 151 • Water chestnut was hand pulled from the City of Ithaca reservoir. 152 • Soil Health committee is working on a brochure. 153 • Road ditch training will be held in October. 154 Executive: Brian Eden 155 • Need to begin planning soon for fall public program. 156 • Taking suggestions for future meeting presentations. No meeting in August. 157 Staff Report 158 • Darby Kiley introduced Andrea Aguirre who is the new Senior Planner – Energy Specialist 159 working on the Business – YES (your energy savings) program. 160 Municipal Reports and Member Announcements 161 • Tom Shelley reported that the City is planning to convert its streetlights to LEDs and is 162 working with other municipalities to assist them to do the same. He has talked with Nick 163 Goldsmith regarding lighting standards. Nick fully understand the EMC’s concerns in this 164 regard. 165 • Jose Lozano reported that the Ithaca Area Waste Water Plant is looking at a renewable heat 166 pump project for the waterfront neighborhood using the effluent. The project may require 167 support from the EMC and the County Legislature. 168 • Oral arguments on the Cargill Article 78 lawsuit will be held on September 13 at 2:00 p.m. at 169 the County Courthouse. It’s helpful to have substantial attendance to demonstrate that the 170 community is very interested in the outcome. 171 172 Chair Brian Eden adjourned the meeting at 5:50 p.m. 173