HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CAG-2011-10-03 Community Advisory Group (CAG) Minutes for October 3, 2011
Present:Nels Bohn as City Facilitator, Ken Deschere, Regina Deschere, Cynthia Brock, John
Graves, Leia Raphaelidis, Kathy Woodcock
Guest: Wade Dykstra, Independent Mayoral Candidate
Minutes from the September 12, 2011 CAG meeting are approved to post.
Agenda Additions and/or Deletions
• Barbara Lifton's meeting with Walter,Ken, and Carolyn.
PROJECT SITE UPDATES:
*See the Department of Conservation(DEC) update from Karen Cahill and Stephanie
Harrington, Syracuse Office—after these Minutes
GENERAL DISCUSSION ABOUT SITES:
Restoring the Emerson Contaminated Site: Discussion about whether an existing contaminated
building can be cleaned and reused, or whether it needs to be torn down to adequately clean up
the site. Ask DEC about guidelines for determining land use for development issues.
C. Brock recommended investigating funding for low to middle income dwellers that might
offset the cost to Emerson for site cleanup.N.Bohn said Emerson only needs to clean its site to
the"industrial use"standard, but the buyer could be eligible for a tax credit if the buyer was able
to clean the site well enough to meet the"for residential use"standard.
J. Graves recommended getting Cornell's research and development departments involved to
make the Emerson site more appealing to developers. A"Community Vision"document would
also be helpful for getting appropriate development land use for the Emerson 100 acre site.
Applications for NY State funding ($800,000) for sustainable energy projects within four regions
are due Oct. 31, 2011. A natural gas/bio-mass system of generating methane gas from sewers for
energy is one idea for the Emerson site.
The Ithaca Falls Overlook Environment Restoration Project Overview for Ithaca Citizen
Advisory Group by Barton&Loguidice was handed out.
REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL: Nels Bohn presented
CAG reviewed the Project Proposals that were submitted by work groups at the recent meeting
of the Regional Economic Development Council of the Southern Tier. (Posted on its website).
Agriculture, business development and entrepreneurship, downtown revitalization and
community development, energy, healthcare, infrastructure,technology development and
transfer work, and tourism were the topics of discussion of the various work groups.
In the past, funding from"Restore NY"was successful and there is an attempt to rejuvenate it.
DESIGN CONNECT PROJECT TEAM: M.Palmer's CAG project application accepted
Four students from Cornell's Regional Planning department will use GIS software and map the
contaminated Axiohm,Therm and Emerson sites on South Hill to determine whether there are
perimeters around these sites. All information will be combined to give a concise picture about
the extent of contamination on South Hill.
M. Palmer will serve as faculty mentor to Professor Spaulding and K. &R.Deschere will act as
advisors. Students plan to finish this project by December 2011 but realize it may be an on-
going project.
HUMAN HEALTH ASSESSMENT for TCE: EPA finally released the long-awaited Human
Health Assessment for TCE. It is now considered a KNOWN carcinogen, "upgraded"from
PROBABLE carcinogen in their last(1985)assessment. The updated EPA Integrated Risk
Information System(IRIS)TCE page is on: http://www.epa.gov/IRIS/subst/0199.htm
BARBARA LIFTON MEETING: She met with Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson, Walter Hang,
Ken Deschere and Council Members to review a toxin map and discuss the DEC's role in
helping resolve the Emerson pollution issues. She agreed that the sites of contamination at
Emerson need to be cleaned up at the source in order to prevent migration downhill.
Assignments:
Ken and Regina Deschere/Michele Palmer—Work with Design Connect Project Team
Ken and Nels—Ask DEC about guidelines for determining land use for development issues
Next Meeting Schedule:
Monday,November 7, City Hall, 2"d Floor Conference Room, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
UPDATES FROM THE DEC:
From Karen Cahill:
EMERSON:
Draft Supplemental Pre-Design Investigation FWR:
DEC is currently reviewing this complex report. Expect to have comments to Emerson within a
few weeks.
Emerson Former 507 Degreaser AOC:
-Early October: Pre-Design report including pilot test plan to be submitted to DEC
-Mid-late October: pilot test will be conducted by Emerson following NYSDEC approval.
THERM:
Therm Investigation Work Plan:
DEC is still waiting to receive the final work plan from Therm. Field work expected to begin in
October.
From Stephanie Harrington:
315 N.Meadow Street:
>>>Michael Mason 10/3/2011 10:07 AM>>>
finished the tank and soil removal.working on the groundwater design for 315 N.Meadow
Clinton West Plaza:
>>>David Chiusano 10/3/2011 12:26 PM>>>
conceptual remedial design report approved by DEC in September. Field work associated w/
insitu groundwater treatment pilot study to begin by end of October 2011.