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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2013-11-07 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board 7:00 p.m., November 7, 2013 Final Minutes Members Present: James Hamilton, Kristine Shaw, Jon Meigs, Tony Ingraham, Andy Goodell, Ellie Stewart, Vladimir Micic, Eva Hoffmann, Susan Perri Staff Present: Mike Smith Guests Present: Mike Roberts (prospective CB member), Mara Alper (Ithaca College), 3 Ithaca College Students Persons to be heard: none Member concerns: James voiced his concerns about climate change and the unprecedented high levels of long living (LL) greenhouse gasses (now well over the 350 metric tipping point). This makes it all the more important to attend to energy saving and other conservation initiatives pending in the Town, such as the tiered water pricing structure. Kristine suggested passing the word along to the Ithaca Times or Journal to help raise public awareness. Chair report: Nothing to report. Coordinator report: Ithaca Beer Co. expansion is underway with Town approval. At the Nov. 19'h Town Planning Board meeting Cayuga Meadows (formerly Conifer), a 68 unit senior housing project, will have its final site review. In December there are two projects coming up for review: (1) Auto Repair and Taxi Service (Elmira Road) will occupy the vacant mattress building, clean up the site, and additional garage doors will be installed; and (2) Rodeway Inn modifications to upgrade esthetics and other repairs. Rodeway Inn will also add 10 feet to the back of each room to enlarge. The Finger Lakes Research Conference is still open for registration if any CB members are interested in attending. The conference is scheduled for Friday, November 15''. The CB will have three vacancies beginning in January. Mike drafted a targeted press release to send to environmental organizations in the community. He sent it to Cornell Plantations, Finger Lakes Land Trust, Tompkins County Planning Department, Cooperative Extension, Soil & Water, and others. Ideas and suggestions for other dissemination venues welcome. Tony mentioned that he will not be continuing on the CB when his term is up at the end of the year. Minutes: October minutes approved as amended. Business: Continued discussion regarding Town of Ithaca water conservation efforts: Mara Alper from Ithaca College and three of her "Power of Water" students attended. Kristine attended the last Bolton Point meeting. They have a subcommittee responsible for assembling and reviewing their RFP to design a rate change (for a low minimum amount). There is no tier structure in the current proposal, and the process is moving slowly. The Commission does 1 not believe that a tiered structure will save Bolton Point money. They are already experiencing decreased consumption. Because their costs are heavily fixed, decreased consumption will not necessarily equal reduced costs. Their process and intent to change the rate structure no longer focuses on decreased consumption/water conservation. Kristine suggested ways to build fairness and equity into a system that penalizes the highest water users, such as warnings and household grants to improve water efficiency. James was discouraged that Bolton Point appears to have missed the whole point of greenhouse gas emissions and our goal of reducing them. Ellie wondered why Bolton Point's costs are so high (75% fixed costs). Kristine said that perhaps we should revisit the idea of working directly with the Town on this issue, or meeting in person with Bolton Point to better make our case. We could also work with the Town to make a revised resolution to Bolton Point. A local action step would be to adopt James' resolution about a tiered water rate structure. James put the resolution forward and Eva seconded. This resolution will go to the Town Board. The resolution was amended (the last WHEREAS) — changing the word "punish" to "discourage". It was suggested to also add amended language to state that our last resolution produced no results. Kristine recommended using lower case letters to list the research points in the body of the resolution, and use footnotes for the citations (especially web link references). We should add language and evidence that speaks to the financial sustainability of the block tier system. Kristine provided language for a new paragraph: "A three-tiered increasing block water rate structures are financially feasible and are in use in other U.S. municipalities." James put the revised resolution forward, Kristine seconding, and passed unanimously. (complete resolution attached) Kristine will set up a meeting with Bolton Point and would like three CB members to attend, including James. Mara would also like to attend; Kristine will confirm whether this is agreeable to Bolton Point reps. Update on pest management policy from other communities: Susan provided some research to show case studies/emerging best practices in place in other communities. James referenced a deer control initiative in New Jersey, and stated 80% of females must be culled in order to keep herd growth in check. Eva remarked on the use of a bow hunter for deer control in Lansing. Tony referenced sterilization studies as being ineffective in open populations. It is also very expensive. Susan and Kristine will continue to work on this as a proposal for the next meeting. Mike noted there are DEC public comment meetings to the new proposed invasive species regulations. There will be a meeting in Syracuse on Dec. 11. He encouraged CB members to review the regulations and provide commentary as a board to the DEC. Mike will email everyone with the proposed regulations and copies of the Tompkins County list of Invasive Plants. Regular reports and updates: Environmental Review Committee: Nothing to report. 2 Scenic Resources Committee: Tony attended the 2013 NYSACC conference to receive our award. He attended an Economics of Great Lakes Reconstruction —the `Blue Economy" session, which he found interesting. He also attended a "Great Lakes Impacts of Invasive Species" workshop and learned about new strategies to control emerald ash borer. There will not be a press release about the award. Tony is waiting for photos from the event so we can do our own press release. Communications Committee: Fischer Award season is approaching. James would like to nominate the Finger Lakes ReUse Center and Greensprings Natural Cemetery. Other nominations welcome. Nominees must have a conservation impact on the Town. Will need to review criteria for nominations. Conservation Zoning Committee: Diane Conneman is considering rejoining the CB as an associate member. Tompkins County EMC: Solarize Tompkins is moving forward; Vladimir contacted Nick Goldsmith about a similar initiative in Ithaca. Tompkins County is applying for a grant to continue the project here, and will quarter the county into divisions for services. There is a project meeting tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. for interested parties (Tioga Room). 6,000 solar panels are being installed in Tompkins County by Cornell (Snyder Road). Vladimir will see if Nick can come to the December meeting to talk more about the Solarize program. Cayuga Operating Repowering Proposal info is available at www.ratepayersgroup.com Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program: CSI has been in the news through the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network through a 2013 Morehouse Award. A Six Mile Creek—Climate Change and Us Watershed Woes conference coming up with Mark Whitmore and Roxy Johnston. City of Ithaca Natural Areas Commission: Nothing to report. Cornell Plantations Natural Areas Academy: James has been planting trees in Cascadilla and Fall Creek gorges, removing swallowwort, replanting hickory and acorns. Community Energy Action Plan Advisory Committee: There are two more meetings anticipated this year, with a draft plan anticipated for next meeting. This may result in a new and separate advisory board being established. Other business: Mike commented on the tree inventory and areas to prioritize with the limited grant funds available. The Board passed a resolution to support the Town's grant application through the Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program. At the next meeting Kristine wants to continue discussion about new members and new chair for 2014. Proposed agenda for next meeting: DEC regulations review and commentary; invasive species/pest management recommendations; continue discussion about deer management (Brian Eden); Solarize Tompkins (Nick Goldsmith). Meeting adjourned: 9:17 p.m. Susan Perri, note taker 3 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board Resolution Recommending a Three-tiered Increasing Block Structure for the Town's Water Billing Rates to Promote Water Conservation and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions November 7, 2013 WHEREAS, On June 9, 2011, The Conservation Board resolved: "WHEREAS Katie Stoner, Town Sustainability Planner, demonstrated that the greatest percentage of greenhouse gas emissions for the Town of Ithaca comes from Bolton Point operations and that these emissions can be reduced by water conservation, it is now hereby RESOLVED that the Conservation Board recommends that the Town of Ithaca encourage Bolton Point to amend the current pricing structure to reflect a cost savings to end users for conserving water and a higher cost for using more water, and further recommends that adoption of a three tier pricing structure would encourage water conservation and lessen greenhouse gas emissions."' And WHEREAS that last RESOLUTION has produced no results, And WHEREAS there is much convincing proof that a three-tier increasing block water rate structure would decrease water consumption and the greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) caused by such consumption, to wit: a. "Economists have long advocated the 'polluter pays' principle—the idea that the polluter or consumer should pay for any environmental damage or resource depletion created."2 b. "Water rates can be more than a means of meeting utility revenue requirements. Water rates can be used to communicate to water users the private and social costs of water development. Water users can then base their consumption decisions on a more accurate accounting of the benefits and costs of using more or less water."3 c. "Water utilities can reduce per capita water use and maintain revenues by using water- conserving rate structures. . . . Without decreasing revenues, utilities can lower water use by using inclining block rates, that is, water price increases with increasing blocks of water use. . . . Fixed charges do not encourage conservation [emphasis added]. Utilities can lower water use by lowering fixed charges and increasing charges based on how much is used."4 d. "Creating fair water rates can also promote water use efficiency by charging customers . . . Increasing block rates."' e. "Many utilities currently charge a customer a fixed amount per gallon year-round, regardless of the amount of water the customer uses. . . . The legislature could require or encourage utilities to adopt . . . an inclined block rate structure, where the price per gallon increases with consumption in order to promote water conservation. . . " [emphasis added].6 4 f. "One of the most effective tools for water conservation is the rate structure" [emphasis added].' g. "Increasing block rate structures most effectively communicate the true value of water when compared to other types of rate structures. . . [emphasis added]. Research has shown that conservation-oriented rate structures that send a strong 'price signal' to customers can provide utilities with stable and sufficient revenue and significantly reduce water use—on the order of 10-30%. . . ."8 And WHEREAS increasing tiered-rate pricing structures are financially feasible and in use by many other U.S. municipalities, And WHEREAS other communities, agencies and researchers are in accord that this is such a good idea, THEREFORE the Town of Ithaca Conservation Board RESOLVES AGAIN that The Town of Ithaca should bill its residents for their use of Bolton Point's drinking water with a new three-block increasing rate that would reward conservation, discourage waste, and fairly and sustainably reduce the Town's GGE. MOVED: James Hamilton SECONDED: Kristine Shaw VOTE: unanimously approved, November 7, 2013 1. Conservation Board Meeting Minutes of June 9, 2011, https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=dG93bi5pdGhhY2EubnkudXN8dG93bil vZil pdGhhY2 F8Z3g6ZiExNmJiYzg2NTJmYw 2. "Water Infrastructure: Moving Toward Sustainability, Pricing Structures," United States Environmental Protection Agency, http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/sustain/pricing structures.cfm 3. "White Paper on Water Rates and Conservation," David Mitchell &Tom Chesnutt, March 13, 2009, www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/uploadedFiles/Resource Center/Library/rates/White-Paper-Rate- Structu res-and-Conservation-March-13-2009.pdf 4. "Water Rates: Conserving Water and Protecting Revenues," Southwest Florida Water Management District, www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/waterrates/ 5. "Questions &Answers, Water Rates: Paying for drinking water,"Washington State Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health, Office of Drinking Water, Jan. 2011 DOH 331-327, www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/l/Documents/Pubs/331.-327..Pdf 6. "Legislative Options to Promote Water Conservation," Kevin McCarthy, OLR Research Report, Connecticut laws/regulations, Jan 25, 2011, www.cga.ct.gov/2011/rpt/2011-R-0021.htm 7. "Conservation Pricing—Water Rates," Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington (Water Conservation Measures), www.mrsc.org/subiects/environment/water/wc-measures.aspx 8. "Water Rate Structures: Structuring Water Rates to Promote Conservation,"Western Resource Advocates, www.westernresourceadvocates.org/water/rates.php 5