HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CAG-2012-04-02Community Advisory Group (CAG) Minutes for April 2, 2012 APPROVED Present: Nels Bohn as City Facilitator, Ken Deschere, Regina Deschere, Cynthia Brock, John Graves, Leia Raphaelidis, Kathy Woodcock Guest (s): Laurie J. Mille r (Project Coordinator), graduate interns: Lincoln Calvin Bent Llerena and Michael Burke Donovan from Cornell Institute of Public Affairs (CIPA) researching the Toxic Release Program (TRI) and how this data can be made more accessible and useful for public use. Minutes from the March 5, 2012 CAG meeting approved for posting. Agenda Additions and/or Deletions: No additional items suggested PROJECT SITE UPDATES: *See the Department of Conservation (DEC) update from Karen Cahill and Stephanie Harrington, Syracuse Office – after these Minutes Public Meeting about Cleanup Action to Begin at Former Manufactured Gas Plant Site at GIAC on April 26 from 7-9 p.m. TOXIC RELEASE PROGRAM (TRI): TRI Research by CISPA Team - Laurie Miller, Lincoln Bent, Michael Donovan • TRI - it's your right to know. For more information look up your zip code in EPA's Toxics Release Inventory: http://www.epa.gov/tri • TRI is a database set up in the 1980s with six different tools on the EPA website to find toxic releases (daily industrial and medical environmental releases) and CU is trying to make the site more user friendly. • It is a self reported by industry but is not checked for accuracy • Accidental spill information comes from DEC, and not EPA • Grassroot activists could use TRI to determine a baseline reading to determine whether hydrofracking is polluting the environment (EPA is not allowed to do this but this information could be used by the public.) • The Oil and Gas Industry is exempted from the Clean Water and Clean Air regulatio n since passage of Cheney’s 2005 law. • Borg Warner and Emerson are the only two companies who have voluntarily reported to EPA. • For example, CU, IC, and Therm are not in the TRI database. • CIPA team requested that our committee review EPA’s TRI database and the Syracuse GSI maps and give feedback. Questions asked: • N. Bohn questioned whether older toxins are being replaced by newer, less toxic materials? • Why aren’t more companies reporting? • Are these companies held to a threshold (only allowed to emit a certain amount)? • Is there collective communication between federal and state toxin data information?
REPORTS by Nels Bohn: The Ithaca Falls overlook SIWP revisions: More water wells were sampled, a security fence incorporated, notification about lead contamination, bank stabilization, and the budget increased to $390,000. DEC needs to approve this budget. The City/Town Emerson Task Force: A City/Town Task Force will determine a use recommendation and tax sharing plan (Mayor’s idea). • Members of this combined task force will be JoAnn Cornish (Director of Planning and Development) Cynthia Brock (City Administration and CAG Committees), Bill Goodman and Rich DePaolo (both on Ithaca Town Planning Committee) • No buyer has been identified but a mix use of residential and business will probably be desired. Assignments: • All - CIPA team requested that our committee review EPA’s TRI database and the Syracuse GSI maps and give feedback. Next Meeting Schedule: Monday, May 7, at City Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 6:00-7:30 p.m. NOTES FROM SYRACUSE DEC: From Karen: Additional injection trench being installed at Axiohm. Two 15K underground Fuel Oil tanks encountered during installation. Currently being investigated. Injection event pending completion of investigation. From Stephanie: Court St. MGP: • Additional Pre-Design work (soil borings and waste characterization soil sampling) will take place this week at 420 North Plain St. (OU2). • In anticipation of the razing of the Markles Flat (OU1) by the Ithaca City School District, a Pre-Design Investigation for an excavation below the building will also take place this week. • An approvable Remedial Design for OU-2 has been submitted to the DEC. • A public meeting will be held (tentative date April 26th) to discuss the upcoming remediation at OU1 and OU2. The specifics for this meeting will be announced early next week via the NYSDEC's Contaminated Sites Listserv for Tompkins County (see www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/61092.html to sign up) as well as to other local media/community groups. 315 N. Meadow Street: Starting the injection 4/16/2012.