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Home My WebLink AboutPB Packet 2024-07-16 TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD Shirley A. Raffensperger Board Room,Town Hall 215 North Tioga Street Ithaca,New York 14850 Tuesday,July 16,2024 6:30 P.M. Members of the public are welcome to attend in-person at Town Hall or virtually via Zoom.The public will have an opportunity to see and hear the meeting live and provide comments in-person or through Zoom (by raising hand icon) at httys://us06web.zoom.us/i/83643764382. If the public would like to attend the meeting for viewing purposes only,it is recommended to watch the livestream video on YouTube (httys://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC9vvcXkJ6klVlibihCv7No /Iive . AGENDA 1. Persons to be heard. 2. Continue discussion of State Environmental Quality Review(SEQR)comment letter from the Town of Ithaca Planning Board to the City of Ithaca Planning& Development Board for the proposed Cornell University Meinig Fieldhouse Indoor Sports and Recreational Facility located at Robison Alumni Fields on Tower Road on the Cornell University campus. The project involves replacing the Robison Alumni Fields with a 90,000+/-square foot, 56-foot-tall indoor fieldhouse building and a new synthetic outdoor multipurpose field along with new sidewalks and pedestrian connections, stormwater facilities,landscaping,lighting, and other site elements. The project will be largely located within the City of Ithaca with a portion in the Town of Ithaca. This is a Type I Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and is subject to environmental review. The City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board declared their intent to be the Lead Agency to coordinate the environmental review. The Town of Ithaca Planning Board concurred with the Lead Agency declaration on January 16,2024. Cornell University, Owner;Kimberly Michaels,TWM,a Fisher Associates Landscape Architecture Studio,Applicant/Agent. 3. Approval of Minutes. 4. Other Business. 5. Adjournment. C.J. Randall Director of Planning 607-273-1747 NOTE:IF ANY MEMBER OF THE PLANNING BOARD IS UNABLE TO ATTEND,PLEASE NOTIFY CHRISTINE BALESTRA AT 607-273-1747 or CBALESTRA(&TOWNITHACANY.GOV. (A quorum of four(4)members is necessary to conduct Planning Board business.) Accessing Meeting Materials Online Site Plan and Subdivision applications and associated project materials are accessible electronically on the Town's website at https:Htownithacany.2ov/meetin2-calendar-agendas/under the calendar meeting date. 711612024 DRAFT TOWN OF ITHACA lA Yl NEW YORK Planning Board July 17, 2024 Mitch Glass, Chair City of Ithaca Planning & Development Board 108 East Green Street Ithaca, NY 14850 Dear Mr. Glass, The Town of Ithaca Planning Board is an Involved Agency in the environmental review of the proposed Cornell University Meinig Fieldhouse project. The Board has reviewed the project's Full Environmental Assessment Form Part 1, along with the project narrative dated December 15, 2023, additional materials dated April 19, 2024, supplemental information dated June 10, 2024, and associated drawings and other materials provided by the Applicant. We offer the following comments and recommendations for the City of Ithaca Planning & Development Board to consider, as Lead Agency in the environmental review of the Meinig Fieldhouse project: §6 NYCRR Part 617.7 of the New York State Environmental Quality Review regulations requires that the Lead Agency in an environmental review of a Type I or Unlisted Action determine the significance of a proposed action. In order to require an environmental impact statement (EIS) for an action, the lead agency must determine that the action may include the potential for at least one significant adverse environmental impact upon the environment. The Town of Ithaca Planning Board met on July 2, 2024, and July 16, 2024, to discuss a recommendation to the City of Ithaca Planning & Development Board (PDB) on whether the Cornell Meinig Fieldhouse project could have the potential for at least one significant adverse environmental impact. [FOR DQ ^'&''"&S'^"' AND ^R-'''&'^"' ^""-'-'^' (delete shaded section) 1. Dees the Meinig Fieldhouse PF9jerA Fise te- the level of potentially having at least ene s gn; samaerse enTeiqtlac ? Board determined the project did NOT have the potential for at least one significant adverse environmental impact on 7-2-24 the Gts [FOR oQ DISGUISSIGN AND DRG-1-SIGN ON 7 2 241- Board to review "track changes" text on 7-16-24: The Town of Ithaca Planning Board has determined that the project does not have the potential for significant adverse environmental impacts. However, t-The Tey.op ^f Ithaca D aRRORg Board asks the Lead Agency to carefully consider the following comments in their review of the Full Environmental Assessment Form FEAFI associated with the Meinig Fieldhouse project: 1. Project Description — Page 1, and anywhere in the document that describes the field hockey field replacement with another field hockey field (including the supplemental EAF information from the December 15, 2023, submission, if the Lead Agency considers that part of the FEAF): The existing field hockey field will be replaced with a larger multipurpose field. All areas in the FEAF that describe the field hockey field and proposed structures should be revised to describe the newly proposed multipurpose field. Please note: the Geotechnical Report that was submitted as part of the 4-19-2024 application packet needs to be revised to reflect the multipurpose field, which contains a larger synthetic field area than the previously proposed field hockey field. 2. Impact on Energy- Page 7, item "k" (Part 1) -This item asks if the proposed action will generate new or additional demand for energy. The applicant states that the section is "not applicable." Although the project is not technically a commercial or industrial project, it is of a significant scale to warrant an answer related to energy usage. It is presumed that the proposed 90,000+/- square foot enclosed fieldhouse structure will utilize energy for heating, cooling, and lighting. The outdoor field and surrounding parking areas and site improvements will also utilize energy for lighting. The sketch plan materials indicate that there will be no natural gas connections in the proposed building, and that the project will utilize Cornell's district heating system. This information, along with more specific estimates related to energy usage, should be added to "k." 3. Impact on Transportation (general) —The applicant states that the focus of this project is to provide student practice space for lacrosse, club sports, and other multiple purposes.The Town Planning Board does not anticipate that this project will create a significant amount of vehicular traffic, even with occasional official lacrosse games being played at the new fieldhouse. The project appears to include upgrades to existing bicycle and pedestrian networks and connections to multimodal networks on campus. With a 300-person spectator limit in the fieldhouse, there is adequate vehicular parking provided for such events in the lots on Tower Road and in other areas of campus. here , „l. be f se„eFal n FI(5Rg spaees n +"^ Tey.oA ^f Ithapea - dd„ e ^f+"^ spaees. The City PDB may consider requesting information on the impacts of the project on campus transportation demand management. 4. Consistency with Community Plans (general) —The 90,000 square foot fieldhouse building will require area variances from the Town Zoning Board of Appeals, the details of which are enumerated in the attached letter from the Town's Code Enforcement & Zoning Department. The Town of Ithaca does not have an Institutional Zone; institutions of higher learning (Cornell University, Ithaca College) in the Town are currently zoned Low or Medium Density Residential. The proposed Meinig Fieldhouse building height exceeds the height permitted in the Low Density 2 Residential Zone. However, it is not expected to create significant adverse visual impacts, considering that: (a)there are no locally or regionally recognized scenic resources or vistas that will be impacted by the proposal, (b) it is typical for a university campus to contain buildings that are taller than residences, and (c) the proposed Meinig Fieldhouse building will be surrounded by much taller structures; thus, its height will not be out of character with the height of surrounding structures. 5. Stormwater Management (general) —All stormwater management structures, facilities, and other items must conform with New York State and/or Department of Environmental Conservation rules and regulations. The Town of Ithaca and City of Ithaca Engineering Departments will ensure that the proposed stormwater management systems and devices will meet all applicable requirements. The Town of Ithaca Planning Board expects to condition any required town-approvals related to stormwater management during the site plan review process to require compliance with these requirements. Dees. the -ge-ar,� ^„�^:,�,,. :..,� ^+^ ..elated to starmw ateF management as having the petential far a least one signific-ant _a_WeFse PAY-FoRmental Board determined NO on 7-2-24—delete shaded area 6. Lighting, Landscaping, Other Site Layout Elements (general) —The Town of Ithaca Planning Board will review Town-related site plan elements like lighting and landscaping as part of the Town site plan review process. Town Code Chapter 173 contains dark-sky compliant outdoor lighting provisions for which any outdoor lighting located in the Town-portion of the project must comply. The Planning Board generally requests that bollard and pole-mounted lights are set at a maximum 3000K LED color temperature (this would not be applicable to field/stadium lights). The Board appreciates that the Big Red and Arthur red-tailed hawk nesting site (located on the unpowered, existing light pole(s) along the northern edge of the existing parking lot) is being carefully considered and will remain undisturbed. The landscaping plans provided by the applicant appear to be slightly underdeveloped for an environmental review. It is reasonable for the applicant to provide more robust plantings around the project to assist with stormwater runoff mitigation, sustainability efforts, and visual/aesthetic enhancement of the project. Does the Board want to add any statements about the loss of trees—large oaks? Can they be saved? Why are they being replaced with maples and not oaks (per the plans submitted)? Does the PB want to ask the Lead Agency to request more landscaping and/or more information in the FEAF? Board determined NO on 7-2-24— delete shaded area Synthetic Turf field (s) —PR +e d;s^,,55 Board discussed on 7-2-24—asked staff to include the following language, to review on 7-16-24: 7. The Town of Ithaca Planning Board recognizes that the applicant could be a leader in the use of more environmentally friendly, climate-sustainable, natural turf alternatives, rather than installing artificial turf for the Meinig Fieldhouse project. The Board asks the Lead Agency to consider requiring the applicant to: a. Explore all other natural turf alternatives that could be used instead of artificial turf. If there are natural alternatives, then require the applicant to use the natural alternatives instead of artificial turf, b. If unable to use natural turf alternatives, then: 3 i. Commit to using 100% recycled materials for the artificial turf fields, ii. Commit to recycling 100% of the artificial turf materials at the end of their life—and submit a plan for said recycling, and iii. Test all artificial turf materials for PFAS before the materials are received. Additionally, the Town of Ithaca Planning Board suggests the Lead Agency consider the following amendments to the FEAF, Part 3 (revision date 6/17/24): 1. Page 4, under Impacts to Animals and Plants, fourth line, starting with the word "fields" — please change the word "eastern" to "western," 2. Page 6, under Impact on Critical Environmental Areas, first line, starting with "There"- please include the Town of Ithaca in the sentence.There are no Critical Environmental Areas located within the City of Ithaca and the Town of Ithaca for this project, 3. Page 8, under Impact on Noise, Odor, and Light - it is assumed that the "residents in the immediate area" refers to the Forest Home neighborhood. Please be more precise (consider "residents in the Forest Home area"). Thank you for providing us with the opportunity to comment on this important project. If you have any questions, please contact C.J. Randall, Director of Planning at cirandall@townithacany.gov or Christine Balestra, Senior Planner, at cbalestra@townithacany.gov, or either by phone at (607) 273- 1747. Sincerely, Fred T. Wilcox III, Chair Caitlin Cameron, Vice Chair On behalf of the Town of Ithaca Planning Board 4 Meinig Public Comments - received by 7-16-24 PB mail out (group 5) Chris Balestra From: Sydney Malaga <sem297@cornell.edu> Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 4:16 PM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall; Inicholas Subject: Sydney Malaga Support For Meinig Fieldhouse address,**WARNING**This email comes from an outside source. Please verify the from . - . . Dear Representative Cerra, Representative Nicholas, Representative Balestra, and Representative Randall, My name is Sydney Malaga, and I will be a senior this fall on the Varsity Women's Soccer Team at Cornell. I fully support the Meinig Fieldhouse project and additional turf field as they will undoubtedly enhance the lives of student athletes on campus. I am known to spend the little free time I have doing extra soccer work in the current facility, which is the Ramin Room in the Bartels Fieldhouse. Unfortunately, the Ramin Room is long outdated. On a personal level, it is imperative to my own growth as a player to be able to play when I find the time in my busy schedule as a student athlete. If the room is occupied, it hinders my development. On a team level, this past spring my team developed the habit of playing pickup games together on off-days or during time periods where we didn't have scheduled lifts or practice. This was great, but the only time we could actually get the room reserved was Tuesdays at 8:30 am. Many girls had class and couldn't make it to pickup. Or, we would take a chance and try to go without having the room reserved only to find other teams or clubs using it. Additionally, Ithaca's questionable weather from November to April isn't the most conducive to ideal soccer- playing conditions. In our early spring off-season, we have to go practice at The Rink in Lansing. We practice on a small field, and we have to have short one hour sessions because of field demand. It would be much more efficient if our practices were actually on campus. This would provide much more peace of mind and time-efficiency for girls who are coming from late classes or labs. For example, this past spring I had a class that ended at 4:25. We had practice at The Rink that started at 5, and we were expected to start warm-ups off the field at 4:45 to maximize our short hour-time slot on the field. It takes ten minutes just to walk to my car after class even if I have all of my practice stuff with me and another 15 minutes to drive to The Rink. Do the math, and it does not get me there on time for warm-ups. Additionally, the Ramin Room is very small. Large teams such as football, lacrosse (both men's and women's), and soccer (both men's and women's) need much more space to actually run productive team sessions. Not to mention, all of these teams are competing for space. With Schoellkopf and the addition of the Meinig Field House and multi-purpose field, we will all be able to practice with less restrictions based on field space. Our competitors have more advanced facilities, which creates a competitive disadvantage. For example, Columbia, Princeton, and Penn have bubbles. Dartmouth has an indoor facility. Brown is building an indoor facility with expected completion in Spring 2026. Harvard has a very impressive indoor Strength and Conditioning Center with turf space. While Cornell might not be UCLA or UNC, we want to be able to compete with this caliber of team. I always strive to be the best I can as an athlete for myself and for my team. I also want to see my team work to be their best. It is extremely frustrating when I can't put in the extra work or when my team can't get in proper sessions because of limited field space. I feel helpless, as I know all of our competitors are getting better while we struggle because of subpar facilities. CUWS has not seen an Ivy League title in a long time. While getting new facilities isn't a ticket to achieving this long-awaited milestone, it is an extra push forward to getting us all the opportunities to do so. The Meinig Fieldhouse will allow us to play close to regulation-size practice games, which the Ramin Room and The Rink can't do . 1 While I will not be able to benefit from these facilities, I firmly believe in leaving the program better than you found it. I hope that by being one more person to voice my support for these facilities, I am making a small dent in doing my part to leave Cornell Women's soccer better than it was when I started here. Thank you for your time and consideration. You too are playing a vital role in greatly enhancing the lives of countless student-athletes by further streamlining their paths to success. Regards, Sydney Malaga Sydney Malaga '25 Nolan School of Hotel Administration SC Johnson College of Business Cornell University Women's Varsity Soccer Phone: (630)670-8751 Email: sem297Ca@cornelLedu z Chris Balestra From: Sullivan Mack <sm2753@cornell.edu> Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 1:41 PM To: Chris Balestra Subject: Cornell Hockey Player Supporting Meinig Field House **WARNING** This email comes from an outside source. Please verify the from address, any URL links, and/or attachments. Any questions please contact the IT department Representative Balestra, My name is Sullivan Mack. I am an athlete on the Men's Hockey team at Cornell writing to express my support for the proposed Meinig Field House. Cornell is home to some amazing athletic programs, and this facility would allow them to continue a tradition of excellence. While the field house will not be home to hockey games, it is still a vital piece of the recruiting puzzle for the hockey team. This Field House will be a great place for the team to train off the ice and would be an important cornerstone to demonstrate Cornell's commitment to its athletes. I hope that this project will eventually become a reality and improve the experience of all Cornellians for years to come. Thank you, Sullivan 1 Chris Balestra From: Phoebe Christake <pmc96@cornell.edu> Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 12:55 PM To: Chris Balestra; CJ Randall Subject: Meinig Fieldhouse address,**WARNING**This email comes from an outside source. Please verifythe from Dear Representative Balestra and Representative Randall, My name is Phoebe Christake, and I am one of the Presidents of the Club Field Hockey team at Cornell. I am writing to express my support for the Meinig Fieldhouse Project. Our team would benefit greatly from this new addition of field space. Currently, limited field availability significantly restricts our practice schedule. We typically have two allotted times per week during the Fall season, often late at night due to several sports competing for field space. Spring practices are even more challenging, with last-minute, day-of notifications about practice times. This inconsistency causes scheduling conflicts and often leads to low turnouts at practice. An all-weather turf field within the Meinig Fieldhouse would provide a consistent practice environment year- round. This will lead to increased practice frequency and participation, which will help improve team development and individual skill refinement. Consistent practices will improve our student-athletes health, both mentally and physically. We all enjoy our practice time, as it is a great way to exercise, bond with the team, and take a break from our rigorous workloads. We believe the Meinig Fieldhouse Project will significantly benefit the Cornell community and student body. We are happy to provide any additional information or answer any questions you may have. Thank you for your time and consideration. Best regards, Phoebe Christake Co-President of the Club Field Hockey Team at Cornell 1 Chris Balestra From: David Burke <david.burke@cornell.edu> Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 12:35 PM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: Meinig Field House - perspective from above and below .. Dear Town and City Officials, I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for the proposed construction of a new field house and multi- purpose outdoor turf field on the Cornell campus. I have an interesting perspective as Cornell's club rugby coach as well as a research engineer supporting cutting-edge experiments 50 feet below the proposed location of Meinig Field House in the tunnels of Wilson Lab's particle accelerator. My background as an athlete extends to playing professionally on the international stage representing USA on three different national teams. A portion of that time was spent as an engineering student who greatly benefitted from exercising and playing recreational/intramural sports for the mental breaks. Now retired from high-performance sports and living in Ithaca, I still find value in exercising for mental and physical health, especially to balance the stress of a high-pace working environment. As the coach of the university's club rugby team, I have seen firsthand the profound impact that access to quality athletic facilities has on our students' experiences and development. Currently, the limitations of training and playing rugby on grass fields located in Ithaca have been a significant burden. Ithaca's soil type and climate during the Fall and Spring semesters greatly limits the team's ability to train properly. Typically, the team has about two months in the Fall before the fields are inundated with rain making the fields unplayable. In the Spring semester, the team is unable to use the fields well after the snow has melted and before the semester ends. Indoor training on overbooked hard wood floors in the winter months poses a risk of injuries, further hindering our team's development and performance. The addition of the field in the Meinig Field House, along with the new multi-purpose outdoor turf field, would be transformative for our team, other clubs, and the broader student body. Moving from one to three all- weather turf fields would provide much-needed reliability and consistency in our training schedule. This consistent access would allow our athletes to train and compete at their highest level year-round, without the interruptions caused by inclement weather or overuse of grass fields. The time to properly train would increase from 2 months up to 8 months (mid-October to mid-May). The benefits of these new facilities extend beyond the logistical. Consistent access to playing fields significantly enhances the health, wellbeing, and development of our athletes. Regular, uninterrupted training helps in building physical fitness, teamwork, and discipline. Moreover, the mental health benefits of reliable practice times and the ability to play without disruptions are invaluable. Our players would no longer have to worry about last-minute cancellations or unsafe field conditions, leading to a more focused and motivated team. An indoor full-sized field turf would be particularly beneficial during the longer winter months. It would provide a safe, high-quality training environment, allowing us to maintain a rigorous practice schedule regardless of weather conditions. This facility would not only improve our performance, but also protect our players from the risks associated with practicing on frozen or muddy fields. 1 Another point no one is talking about is the demand from Cornell's varsity and club teams on area facilities. With limited spaces and time slots available, community and youth sports are impacted. The Meinig Field House will indirectly help free up these high demand facilities potentially making the cost decrease. One could argue that the Town and City of Ithaca could benefit from building our own community center with indoor facilities. In summary, the new field house and multi-purpose outdoor turf field would greatly enhance the athletic experience for our club rugby team and all university students. These facilities would ensure that our athletes can train consistently, safely, and at a high level throughout the year. I urge you to support this project, which promises to bring significant benefits to our campus community. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, David Burke Rugby Coach Cornell University z Chris Balestra From: Lei Cao <lc758@cornell.edu> Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 11:13 AM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: Support for New Turf Fields from the Cornell Lacrosse Club 6MTJT,fAJ 1 0��i��i�I��I I��1�I I��I I��;��1��I 111�� . . . Dear Town and City of Ithaca Reps, Hello there! My name is Lei, an Ithaca local and the current president of the Cornell Lacrosse Club. I am writing this email to express Cornell Lacrosse Club's support for the construction of the new Field Hous and outdoor turf field. As a club that requires a turf for games against other clubs, it has often been a challenge to schedule games at home. Last year we had zero home games because Schoellkopf was unavailable. Not having any home games has drastically impacted our club in many ways. Not only has it reduced the total amount of games we played compared to the past, it has caused us to see a reduced club membership due to people not being able to travel. Of course, it would also be nice to be able to play in front of friends for once instead of hostile crowds. In addition, games are a fantastic way to build comradery and improve skills, values that our club holds central. As for practices, the booking of the Ramen room is often full duringwinter months. To get practice times,we need to book the Rink in Lansing, which costs a significant amount of money which otherwise could be used for other things like travel fees.We hope that a fieldhouse would not only provide a better field to practice on, but also allow us to spend our funds on more important things. In conclusion, our club, like many others, would greatly benefit in all aspects from these turf fields. Please do consider this proposal in a positive light. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Lei 1 Chris Balestra From: Ashley Michelle Romanyk-O'Brien <ao452@cornell.edu> Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 11:11 AM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: Meinig Field House Project To whom it may concern, My name is Ashley O'Brien and I am an Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach at Cornell University. I wanted to take some time to reach out to you, our local representatives, and express my support for the transformational Meinig Field House project. This facility would have an extremely positive impact on the health of our women's lacrosse program and more broadly the campus community here at Cornell University. Development and growth are huge focuses for our program and this facility will bring countless opportunities to develop our student-athletes, adding to our competitiveness within the Ivy League. This extends into strength and conditioning as well. It will also add to the overall wellbeing to our campus community. I appreciate your willingness to listen to the countless voices in support of this project. Thank you! Ashley Ashley O'Rrien VWomen's Lacrosse Assistant Coach and Operations a-'-52 car.-e11.edu 585-764-35G2 512 C3rn pus Rd, Ithaca,NV 143SO lY 1 Chris Balestra From: Kyrie Denny <krd67@cornell.edu> Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 9:48 AM To: Chris Balestra Subject: Meinig Field House . .pi Good Morning Representative Balestra, My name is Kyrie Denny, I am a member of Cornell University's varsity softball team, as well as being a representative for Cornell's Student Athlete Advisory Committee. I am writing to you this morning about my support for the Meinig Field House. This project would provide a lot of support to our athletes, especially teams like mine which practice outside in the winter and spring. Because of limited facility space and unpredictable weather conditions, we often encounter issues with uncertain practice times, which result in a lot of stress for athletes. In these situations, it is extremely difficult to plan around practice times, often resulting in our having to miss a study group, office hours, and meals for those on our teams who don't have access to a kitchen. Where we would have had practice set for 4:45, when there is unpredictable weather, we aren't sure until late whether our practice time slot will stay the same, or get moved to begin at 7, 9, or even 11 pm. The Meinig Field House would provide more training space to allow for less competition between teams for field space, creating consistency in scheduling, more efficient practices, and less stress for student athletes. Thank you for taking the time to read my email. Best regards, Kyrie 1 Chris Balestra From: Carver Hauptman <cdh235@cornell.edu> Sent: Sunday, July 7, 2024 11:58 PM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; CJ Randall; Chris Balestra Subject: Meinig Fieldhouse Project address,**WARNING**This email comes from an outside source. Please verify the from Good (late) evening, My name is Carver Hauptman and I will be a sophomore this fall majoring in Environment and Sustainability. I am emailing all of you following a request of the Cornell AD to show my support for the Fieldhouse; however, I am sending this email to state my firm OPPOSITION to the project. As an intramural athlete in two different sports myself, I want it to be known that I absolutely love participating in such activities year round. That being said, the health and environmental concerns and possible subsequent effects of this project's approval are too great for me to ignore. I will outline the reasoning for my beliefs in this email and hope you will take a few of those into consideration when giving either a positive or negative declaration of environmental impact. 1 . The negative health impacts- When I say this, I mean both internally and externally, though I will emphasize more externally because the science around some of the internal effects is complex and still a bit hard for me to explain/back up well. I will mention that the internal effects that have been reported to have possible ties to artificial turf are cancers, microplastic ingestion, and a number of other illnesses due to the chemicals used in the turf production. Now, onto the external factors. Injuries, especially those in the lower half of the body are much more probable on artificial turf because of the hard surface underneath. Yes, the infill helps cushion any contact with the ground, but not enough to compare to natural turf. The sand that is often placed under the turd hardens over time, almost to the same level as concrete which can cause injuries to the ACL and MCL, ankle injuries, concussions (mostly internal, but due to external contact), knee injuries, foot injuries, and many more. Injuries are still a possibility with natural turf, I understand that, but those injuries are less frequent and often less severe. 2. Artificial turf can rise to extreme temperatures- Since artificial turf is made of plastic and often rubber infill, it can and does rise to temperatures far above those that are safe to play on. The indoor field would not have any problems with this, but during summers which will only continue to get warmer as global warming continues (due to plastic production with the use of fossil fuels like this project is using), the outdoor artificial turf fields will warm to temperatures that will not be safe to play or practice on, which would negate the whole reason they are being installed- to allow for year-round play and practice. 3. Artificial turf is toxic for the environment (other than for people as also discussed above- New technologies in the artificial turf industry and new studies have shown that PFAS (forever chemicals) may actually be accumulating on the turf from rainfall or other airborne particles. In a recent city planning board meeting, a representative for Haley and Aldrich, an environmental and geotechnical engineering consulting firm, stated that the artificial turf planned for use on the project used a 1 "fluorinated polymer considered safe by multiple regulatory agencies. `Our synthetic turf is not made using PFAS,' Peters said. `The polymer used, known as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), is inert and does not leach harmful chemicals into the environment" (Dougherty). Though the possibility of new technologies is real, not a single study has found an artificial turf field to be PFAS-free. Also, even though harmful chemicals are not "leached" into the environment using this special kind of artificial turf, as blades of plastic turf break off of the field and make their way into our waterways and into the air we breathe, they are still becoming a part of the plastic pollution epidemic that we are currently failing to solve as a society. 4. Artificial turf is expensive- As we all know, the project is $55 million dollars. A large portion of that may be put towards the fieldhouse build, yet a good portion must still be put toward the turf itself. After the initial project is finished, 8-10 years may go by and the artificial turf fields will have degraded to the point where they are no longer playable and need to be replaced. That degradation will be because so much of the field has broken down due to playing time, not just due to environmental factors. Natural grass does not do this. Back to my point, those replacements will be expensive, and again, covering the ground with more plastic that will never break down, only break apart and end up in our and other animals' bodies and in other parts of the natural environment. Also, artificial turf requires maintenance to make it last those 8-10 years. The short lifespan of artificial turf leads me into my next point; disposal. 5. "Recycling"- Artificial turf cannot be recycled. There are recycling centers across the country, but few of them are operational, even fewer are operating at any capacity, and none of them are operating at full capacity. On top of that, there is no real way to recycle artificial turf that is efficient (burning which extremely energy intensive and not worth it) and the rest of the turf (billions of pounds across the country) is sitting in heaps, leaching even more chemicals into the environment and breaking down further, but never fully. The only real form of recycling is repurposing, but that still leaves the turf in existence while more is being produced to replace the old. 6. Biodiversity decreases- Biodiversity above ground is affected less, however, it is still affected, but the below-ground biodiversity is what really suffers. 1 cup of soil holds over 200 billion bacteria, 20 million protozoa, and 100,000 nematodes. These numbers are similar across all soil types, but installation of these fields requires the removal and replacements of thousands of pounds of native soils, which causes a chain reaction, making the surrounding organisms less healthy. This continues down the line and negatively affects the entire ecosystem. 7. Natural turf is safer and healthier- This goes along with all of my points above, but I want to discuss the pros for natural turf as well just to give you all another reason to consider giving this project a positive declaration of environmental impact. Natural turf is cheaper and does not need to be replaced nearly as frequently (or, crazy thought, "recycled"). Natural turf can support native biodiversity while also being a beneficial surface for play and practice because it has a softer landing surface. This keeps injuries, both internal and external, to a minimum. Natural turf does not rise to dangerously high temperatures that can prohibit practice and play time during a large portion of a day. Lastly, natural turf is much easier and less expensive to maintain, making its longevity extend far beyond that of artificial turf. Through aeration, seeding, organic fertilizer, and top-dressing, the natural turf can maintain itself as a high performance surface with none of the plastic and other negative aspects associated with artificial turf. Wow, that was a lot, and thank you for reading this far. I do not expect much support from other students because they are not educated on this, Cornell never did that for us. In the email I received from the AD, the words "clearly state your support" (or something similar) were mentioned a few times 2 to pair with all of the benefits the students would receive due to this new facility. We were never educated on this side of the project. As I stated earlier, as much as I would love the opportunity to play in such a facility year-round, my environmental mindset at what I thought was a school which shared that environmental mindset, makes me see clearly what the right thing to do is. The email stated that our mental health would be boosted by the physical activity, but with the negative environmental impacts on my mind, I don't think I could ever allow myself to see those positives when I know that my fellow students are playing on a massive field of plastic. The decision you, both the town and city planning boards make, will have implications far beyond the jurisdiction of the city and town of Ithaca. Schools and municipalities across the country will see the approval of this project as a green light to install artificial turf fields of their own because, well, if a STARS platinum certified school with ambitious sustainability goals (and ambitious actions to support those goals thus far) can install a massive field of plastic blades and rubber (or other toxic) infill, why can't they? As an ivy league and among the top sustainable campuses in the world, we have a reputation and a standard to uphold. I just want to leave you with this question; If you knew this project's approval could have global implications, would you, and you alone, really choose to approve a project that could have such dangerous implications? Thank you. Sincerely, Carver Hauptman 3 Chris Balestra From: Shaela Krayer <sk3237@cornell.edu> Sent: Sunday, July 7, 2024 9:55 PM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: Meinig Field House Project 6MTJT,fAJ 1 0��i��i�I��I I��1�I I��I I��;��1��I 111�� Isis . . . Hello Nikki, Lisa, Chris, and CJ, My name is Shaela Krayer and I am an Assistant Coach with Cornell Women's Soccer. I am reaching out to you this eveningto relay to you my unequivocal support for the Meinig Field House Project here on Cornell's Campus.As a member of the athletics community and a coach of one of the few teams whose actual competition field size is 120 yards long, I cannot possibly begin to tell you the immense benefits this will have for our team's performance potential, particularly in the off season. If I am being entirely honest, the press release of this facility being built is one of the reasons I applied for this position in the first place. I am someone who thrives in pressure and invites the pressure to win and be successful, but I am also a pragmatist, and I understand that winning at our level(the Ivy League is arguably the third most competitive conference in NCAA Women's Soccer) means havingthe facilities and support to train our athletes at the highest level.Without access to a full-sized competition field year-round, this is impossible. This last winter, my first with the program, we were training in the Rink in Lansingwhich poses transportation issues for my players, conflicts with classes based on scheduling ability, and also asks our goalkeeping unit to only train on half-sized goals all off-season. It also poses an additional burden on our Athletic trainers to staff an off-site facility, addingto the cumbersome task of providing an appropriate level of care to our athletes year-round. All of this creates a level of unnecessary stress around training which can be entirely mitigated with this project. Additionally, as a coach of a team whose training facility is also quite a distance from the center of campus, the addition of both the indoor and outdoor turn fields provide my athletes with the ability to get extra touches on skills in their performance development plan without disruptingtheir entire day with additional travel as they will be able to get in a quick skills session, grab a shower in their adjacent locker room and carry on with their academic day without having to get in their car. As representatives of both the town and the city, I understand that there are a lot of moving parts and pieces for you to consider when approving such a project. From where I sit, I believe that this one will keep additional cars off the roads at peak hours, decrease our athlete's anxiety levels as they look to plan their weekly schedules, and also make it easier for city and town organizations to get space in facilities like the Rink where we are currently taking up some really key hours in a location not originally intended for our collegiate athletes. want to thankyou for takingthe time to consider my thoughts and hope that you feel, as I do, that our student-athletes are worth this investment as they look to make both Cornell and Ithaca proud through their performance. 1 Best, Shaela Krayer Shaela Krayer Assistant Coach Big Red Women's Soccer Cornell University Winning.Wellness.Spirit.Leadership. P: (703)477-2205 E:sk3237@cornell.edu W: Cornell University Women's Soccer ID Camps: Click Here 2 Chris Balestra From: Lily Delianedis <Igd42@cornell.edu> Sent: Sunday, July 7, 2024 6:43 PM To: CJ Randall; Chris Balestra Subject: Meinig Field House address,**WARNING**This email comes from an outside source. Please verify the from Dear Representative Balestra and Representative Randall, My name is Lily Delianedis, and I am a varsity student-athlete at Cornell University. I am writing to express my support for the Meinig Field House, which will help not only student-athletes, but the entire Cornell community. As a member of the women's ice hockey team, when our team is out of season, we often train off-ice— using the neighboring fields, or available turf space. Since we share these spaces with the other field- sport teams, the Meinig Field House would allow our team, and all teams, to train more efficiently. This will help us better manage our sleeping, eating, and school schedules. One of my favorite parts about being a student-athlete at Cornell is the support among other athletes. The Meinig Field House will not only be a source of pride for all the field-athletes, but the whole athletic community.When the city and Cornell show their care for athletics, all varsity teams benefit. Lastly, since the field space is already shared among varsity teams, more field space will allow for more recreational use from other students. Whether someone is a varsity athlete or not, physical activity is a way to escape the pressure of school, and enhance overall well-being. Sincerely, Lily Delianedis 1 Chris Balestra From: Connor Francis Buczek <cfb67@cornell.edu> Sent: Sunday, July 7, 2024 8:11 AM To: Chris Balestra Subject: Meinig Fieldhouse Project Representative Balestra, I'm writing to advocate for the approval and construction of the Meinig Fieldhouse and Practice Turf Facility on Cornell's main campus. I have been at Cornell for 13 years as a student-athlete, an assistant coach and currently, I serve as the Richard M. Moran Head Coach of Men's Lacrosse. Historically our team practice schedule has been determined in large part by a scarcity of field space on campus. Currently,we have one turf field on campus,Schoellkopf Field,that is shared by men's and women's lacrosse, varsity football and sprint football.At times,we also have men's and women's soccer using Schoellkopf Field for practice during inclement weather.The windows available for practice and competition creates a logjam for the limited space available. In the fall,we are in our offseason preparation for the spring season. Our team hopes to be on the field two to four times perweek, butfinding field availability is a daily challenge.We are left with the field times not utilized by the fall sports,specifically varsity football and sprint football.Those leave us practicing at 6am, prior to classes beginning in the morning,or 8pm afterthe football teams have finished practice.Cornell students also have exams throughout the course of the semester that take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7:30pm,creating another hurdle to find adequate practice time within incredibly finite windows.All of that is taken into consideration before conferring with the women's lacrosse team to ensure that we didn't plan to practice on the same morning or evening.As you can imagine, it is quite a dauntingtask to manage so many factors in the scheduling process while still achieving the necessary preparation to build a strong foundation in the offseason. In the spring,we face similar field availability issues as we maneuver class schedules, exam schedules and the women's lacrosse practice and game schedule.When the women have a midweek competition,we do not have an alternate practice facility which forces us to practice at 6am before classes. Our spring season begins on February 1st,which adds to our scheduling challenges as we must now react to inclement weather.We are atthe mercy of Mother Nature and are simply left to hope that the field conditions are playable through the bitter cold and precipitation.As a program,we take pride in competing for Ivy League Championships and National Championships, but managing with the weatherwith no ideal Plan B for indoor space makes our early spring preparation reactionary based on the forecast.We always have a plan for how we'd like to build towards our first game on the third Saturday of February, but we are left scrambling in reaction to weather patterns that determine if we can be outside, how long we can be outside and which drills are possible based on the iciness/slipperiness of the turf. Our hope to have a consistent practice schedule for the student-athletes,while keeping them safe from injury and covering the material necessary to compete when gametime comes around just a few short weeks into practice consistently proves to be an arduous task.The Meinig Fieldhouse project will add two pads of turf to our campus which will alleviate many of the bottleneck issues that have been discussed, as well as alleviate the weather concerns that plague our lacrosse teams at Cornell by giving us a great option when the weather inevitably hits at inconvenient times. All these factors reinforce why the Meinig Fieldhouse and Practice Turf Facility will make the largest impact on Cornell Athletics that we've seen in decades. It will allow our student-athletes to safely compete at reasonable 1 times with realistic alternatives regardless of the weather conditions. It will make a transformational impact on student-athletes and staff members, alike,to have a reliable schedule throughout the school year. Thankyou foryourtime and consideration. Best, Connor Buczek Connor Buczek I Richard M. Moran Head Coach of Men's Lacrosse Teagle Hall, Campus Rd j Ithaca, NY 14853 Cell: 513.382.0110 cfb67@cornell.edu www.cornellbigred.com Cornell University " 1 F_ 2 Chris Balestra From: Jordan Marc Stevens <jms649@cornell.edu> Sent: Saturday,July 6, 2024 9:14 PM To: Inicholas; ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Chris Balestra; CJ Randall Subject: Support for Meinig Field House Nikki, Lisa, Chris&CJ, Hello all!Thankyou for the opportunity to advocate forthis facilities upgrade. Yourtime and understanding are greatly appreciated.As a quick introduction, I'm Jordan Stevens,a 2015 graduate of Cornell.Since the summer of 2016, I've worked for Cornell Athletics as a Men's Lacrosse Coach. Myfamily and I happily live in Ithaca and are grateful to be a part of this community. The Meinig Field House would drastically change my experience as a Cornell employee and resident of Ithaca,and I am in full support of moving forward with the project! More importantly, it would vastly improve the lives and student-experiences of those that I coach.These are hard-working young men who care deeply about Cornell University and sacrifice plenty to represent the school in a positive light,on and off the field.The ability to have a more regular practice schedule, avoiding late night 8pm practices and/or early 6am practices, would give them a more sustainable and "normal" life and student experience.The ups and downs of a schedule that is bottlenecked by one turf field creates significant stress for our student-athletes,their ability to manage their academics,social lives, and athletic performance. On top of that, it would give our team a chance to be more competitive due to a more consistent and reasonable practice schedule with the ability to accomplish more each day.This includes both timelier access year-round and the abilityto practice indoors through our lovely Ithaca winters! During the winter,we either miss significant practice time,or are forced to play outside in dangerously cold conditions and frozen turf, both of which have led to numerous injuries over the years. From the perspective of our Men's Lacrosse program,this facility upgrade would be unbelievably valuable in recruiting. Keeping pace with other universities and programs allows us to remain competitive on a national scale. Again, I thank you for the time and chance to advocate for this facility. I'd be happy to connect to have further discussions surrounding the project. Best, Jordan Stevens Jordan Stevens I Mario St. George Boiardi '04 Associate Head Coach of Men's Lacrosse Teagle Hall,Campus Rd I Ithaca,NY 14853 Cell: 631.873.77111 jms649kcornell.edu Cornell Men's Lacrosse i Chris Balestra From: Daniel Swanstrom <ds2444@cornell.edu> Sent: Saturday,July 6, 2024 10:44 AM To: Chris Balestra Subject: Meinig Field House Dear Representative Balestra, I hope this message finds you well. My name is Dan Swanstrom, and I have the privilege of serving as the head football coach at Cornell University. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Meinig Field House and to highlight its critical importance to our students and athletic programs. Currently, our students face significant challenges due to the limited availability of turf facilities. As we share the only turf field, our practice schedules are highly inconsistent, often requiring sessions as late as 10 PM or as early as 6 AM. There are even times when securing field space for training is simply not possible. This lack of consistency not only disrupts our training but also negatively impacts our students' sleep, time management, and overall mental health. The addition of the Meinig Field House would provide a consistent and reliable training environment, free from the concerns of inclement weather. This consistency is crucial for the well-being and performance of our students. With a dedicated facility, our athletes would benefit from a structured schedule, leading to improved mental and physical health. As the head coach, the current situation hinders my ability to adequately train the football team. We lack the necessary field space to consistently implement a comprehensive running program. This inadequacy is reflected in our injury statistics; we are currently the most injured team in the Ivy League, with the majority of injuries being soft tissue-related.These injuries stem from our inability to properly prepare our athletes for the demands of practice. My experience as the former head football coach at Ithaca College underscores the positive impact that modern facilities can have. The installation of turf at Butterfield Stadium not only benefited the athletes but also enhanced recreational sports, athletic training, and other sports activities, particularly during inclement weather. A modern facility at Cornell would similarly update our campus, helping us to remain competitive with our peers. Additionally, the Meinig Field House would greatly improve the availability of usable space for all students. Currently, our intramural teams often have to wait until 10 PM to access the field after our practices. A new facility would allow more students to train and participate in sports at reasonable hours, benefiting the entire student body of over 26,OOO.As Vince Lombardi wisely said, "One must not hesitate to innovate and change with the times." The Meinig Field House represents a vital step forward for Cornell, addressing our current challenges and settingthe stage for future success. Thank you for your time and consideration. I urge you to support this important initiative for the benefit of our students and the Cornell community as a whole. Best regards, Dan Swanstrom Head Football Coach I Football 1 Cornell Athletics Cornell University Schoellkopf Hall 521 Campus Rd,Ste 101 Ithaca, NY 14853 cornell bigred.com 2 Chris Balestra From: Surya Saha <ss2489@cornell.edu> Sent: Saturday,July 6, 2024 8:58 AM To: Chris Balestra Subject: New multi-purpose fields for Club sports at Cornell 6MTJT,fAJ 1 0��i��i�I��I I��1�I I��I I��;��1��I 111�� Isis . . . Representative Balestra, I am Cornell staff and an active member of the Cornell Cricket Club. Our club has to hold practice sessions late in the evening (9pm or 10pm)on random days because of the lack of availability of space earlier. I work full time like some other members and it impacts my ability to enjoy the sport of cricket and Cornell campus life. Having access to multiple all-weather turf fields will allow our club to have regular practice times.We have a good bunch of players but need more practice to be able to compete well when we represent Cornell at tournaments. Cornell Cricket club recently gained some publicity when one of our graduates captained the USA cricket team and performed very well at the recently concluded Cricket T20 World Cup held in the USA and Caribbean. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5llxl7Ov2wo https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/cricket/icc-mens-t20-world-cup/saurabh-netravalkar-the-hero-of-usa-win-over- pa k i sta n-12743010.htm I https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/saurabh-netravalkar-leads-team-usa-t20-world-cup-oracle-career- rcna157248 This is a good time to invest in club sports. Our team has been able to procure good equipment recently and better ground facilities will make a big difference to the quality of life in Ithaca for all our members as most of us are very passionate about the game and have been playing since we were kids.The indoor facilities will make tolerating life and reduce depression during the long and lonely winter months in Ithaca. Moreover, we will be able to invite more teams to come and play in Ithaca. Please let me know if you need more information or have any questions. Many thanks! Cheers, Surya Surya Saha (he/his) Sol Genomics Network Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, USA https:Hcitrusgreening.org/ 1 Chris Balestra From: Jenny Graap <jlg42@cornell.edu> Sent: Friday, July 5, 2024 3:08 PM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: In full support of Cornell's Meinig Field House project . . . Dear Representatives Cerra, Nicholas, Balestra, and Randall, I am writing in my capacity as the Karin Bain Kukral`82 Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse at Cornell University to support the Meinig Field House project. I have had the honor of coaching our Big Red women's lacrosse program since 1997, and I have been advocating for an indoor turf as well as additional outdoor turf fields for the past 27 years. When President Pollack announced the university's commitment to construct an indoor facility with a turf field large enough to allow varsity lacrosse competition, I was ecstatic. The need for additional turf fields, on a campus of Cornell's size and with Ithaca's unique climate, is abundantly clear. Many constituents, including Cornell's undergraduates, graduate students, varsityteams, club, intramural, recreational sports, Physical Education classes, staff and community members, vie for the limited indoor turf space in Cornell's existing Ramin Room, particularly in the winter months. The scheduling of this undersized indoor turf space, during all hours of the day and night, quite clearly illuminates the demand for this type of space on our campus. Given the mental and physical health concerns of the population we serve, providing additional recreation space (indoor and outdoor turf fields) is a tangible way to help groups gather and to be active, especially in the dreary winter months. I understand the transformational nature of the Meinig Field House and stand enthusiastically in support of this much-needed project. Our women's lacrosse team will benefit in several significant ways from the addition of both an indoor and an outdoor turf field. Those benefits including recruiting, the ability to train our student-athletes without daily worry of weather impacts, the chance to schedule out of region DI competition, and more favorable practice times which will allow our players, coaches and staff to balancing their lives. I have personally experienced and witnessed the health risk to my athletes and my assistants trying to play and coach lacrosse outdoors in the winter and spring months when slippery, icy conditions are extreme. With only Schoellkopf field to share with men's lacrosse, every day one lacrosse team has to practice in the "late" slot after the sun has set and the temperature continues to drop. Additional facilities will mitigate that risk of injury that Cornell athletes and coaches have shouldered for years when adverse weather conditions disrupt our practices and games. I sincerely hope Ithaca's city and town leaders will support this important project. Please contact me if further input is needed. Best, Coach Graap Jenny Graap 1 Chris Balestra From: John Richard Smith <jrs593@cornell.edu> Sent: Friday, July 5, 2024 1:13 PM To: Chris Balestra Subject: Cornell Men's Soccer Support for the Meinig Fieldhouse Representative Balestra, I hope this note finds you well. First, I would like to thank you for all you do to help make the town of Ithaca such a lovely place to live. I left Palo Alto over 8 years ago to become the Head Men's soccer Coach here at Cornell University,and we genuinely had very little idea what lay in store for us once we arrived here in Ithaca.The fact is, the last 8 years here have been amazing—this is such a wonderful place to bring up a family—and it is very much the one and only place we have lived that we call home. So,THANK YOU! I am writing today on behalf of Cornell Men's Soccer and our terrific alumni to champion the Meinig Field house Project. For the last 8 years from December to April our team has not had a place to train.The impact of this can't be understated.The Ramin Room—which is currently the only indoor option on campus—is a 45 by 45 area and the surface is specific to field hockey.We opted not to use this space three years ago since our guys had a series of serious ankle injuries,and the space simply was not capable of accommodating over 20 players. Instead, in winter,our players are asked to drive to The Rink in Lansing at times ranging from 6am to 9pm.As you can imagine, this is a huge worry for me,since the road conditions to and from The rink are oftentimes treacherous. There is no doubt the current circumstances revolving around our sheer lack of training space has had a huge impact on our players.Winter training around the nation is when student-athletes are supposed to develop and improve. Here, under our current conditions our players essentially stagnate for three and a half months,and it is oftentimes during this period where several of my group suffer from a mental health perspective.As a leader, my players are supposed to trust that I have their best interests at heart,and that I am providing an environment where they can flourish. Sadly,the conditions I am asking our players to endure—whether that be journeying up to Lansing in dreadful conditions at Sam,or training outside on an icy Schoellkopf Field in extremely low temperatures—completely betrays their trust in me and makes it extremely difficult for any of us to truly become the best versions of ourselves. Hopefully,you can feel the sincerity in my words. I am not a complainer,and I won't ever turn into one. My program has turned into a top 25 team in the nation during my tenure. I just know I am doing a horrible disservice to the student-athletes and their parents who decide to commit here thinking our environment is going to help them accomplish their goals. Needless to say,the Meinig Fieldhouse Project would completely change the game for us—the impact on the team would be astronomical. Kind Regards, John John Smith Dr. Daniel P. Wood Head Men's Soccer Coach Cornell University i Chris Balestra From: Danielle Kristen Reid-Espinal <dkb84@cornell.edu> Sent: Friday, July 5, 2024 1:05 PM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: Expressed Support for the Meinig Field House Project . . PM Hello all, am reaching out as the Assistant Women's Soccer Coach here at Cornell University,to express my utmost support for the Meinig Field House project. I am currently heading into my fourth season here at Cornell in a program in which we are determined to get to the top of the league. We are committed to elevating every piece of our program; from the culture and the technical and tactical quality to the impact that our program has on the greater community and the Ivy League as a whole. I am certain that this project would absolutely provide us a significant opportunity to boost the impact of our efforts and thus the rate in which we will achieve our goals. First and foremost,the Meinig Field House project will increase the sense of belief and support our athletes feel from their community and Athletic Department as a whole.The project is an investment in them,theirwellbeing, and all the work and commitment they put in to achieve at the highest level here. The Ivy League Academic schedule, as we all know,is extremely rigorous and to top that off with a Division I athletic commitment is an exceptional achievement.At times, it becomes extremely difficult to manage top priority for both commitments because training times have been uncertain due to a lack of field space, especially in the long winter and spring months.As we know,if training changes to a time when some of our athletes have academic commitments, athletics automatically takes a second seat. For me,what is worse is when our athletes have to choose between a change training time and a commitment to a club,a program or an internship opportunity that they are passionate about. It's easyfor academics to come first but, our athletes should also be able to prioritize other commitments knowing theirtraining schedule is set. Providing these athletes and programs with not only another indoor space but elevating our department from one turf field to three,will provide our Athletes with an opportunity for certainty in their training schedule, allowing for better time management and less sacrifice to their athletic and extracurricular commitments. This is undoubtedly a game changing improvement for our athletes'entire experience here.With this project in place,our athletes will have less stress about trainingtimes and more opportunity for focused improvements. Less time rushing the pre-training routines with athletic trainers because practice time changes and more time for healthy prehab and rehab routines.Athletes will have a greater sense of pride in their facilities and support from their department,and with that comes a stronger sense of community and even greater commitment to their program's success. For the Women's Soccer team specifically, I know we would be able to continue to improve on so many aspects of our game that we are limited on in the winter months havinga full-sized indoorturf. Right now,we currentlytrain on a small kids 7v7 field with small,sided goals.This limits our ability to work on tactical full sided game play, as well as our ability to technically work on the execution of many skills that involve longer passing, realistic shooting and finishing, and more during the winter months. It also puts a halt on running community and ID camps and clinics throughout the winter months as well. Lastly, it limits the times that we are able to find good competition in our off season. Many Division I soccer programs, because they have the ability to train and compete on turf(indoor 1 or outdoor), are wrapping theirs pring seasons up as we are just getting into our second week outside on our grass. This means it is much harder for us to find teams to compete against in our non-traditional season. Providing our program with the ability to train in a more realistic space,with more consistency it time,and an improved ability to find competition in the off season will absolutely benefit the success of our program and its individuals. I want to again express my utmost support forth e Meinig Field House Project and my sincere gratitude forth e support it will provide for our future success!Thank you for your time and consideration of this community improvement. Dani Reid-Espinal Assistant Coach I Women's Soccer Cornell Athletics I Student& Campus Life Cornell University Bartels Hall 554 Campus Rd. Ithaca, NY 14850 Dkb84@cornell.edu 1 585.208.9164 cornellbigred.com Cornell University Women's Soccer ID Camps: Click Here 2 Chris Balestra From: Caleb Dane Newman <cdn37@cornell.edu> Sent: Friday, July 5, 2024 10:46 AM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Cc: Director of Athletics & Physical Education; Matthew Coats Subject: Meinig Field House Dear Ithaca Representatives, My name is Caleb Newman, and I am a senior and a member of the Cornell Varsity men's lacrosse program at Cornell University. I am writingto express my strong support for the proposed development of the Meinig Field House and the new multi-purpose turf fields adjacent to it. As someone who actively participates in varsity sports, I can personally attest to the significant impact that these new facilities will have on the Cornell community. The addition of these fields will provide much-needed access to competitive and recreational spaces for students throughout the year. This is particularly important during the winter months,when access to outdoor fields is limited due to weather conditions. Currently, the limited field space and uncertain grass field conditions create challenges for scheduling practice times and hosting events. The new all-weather turf fields will alleviate these issues, ensuring consistent access to high-quality playing surfaces. This will not only enhance our athletic performance but also contribute to our overall health and well-being, as many student-athletes have been injured due to unsafe field conditions over the winter. Moreover, the indoor full-sized turf field will be a game-changer for our teams. It will provide a reliable practice venue duringthe longer winter months, allowing us to maintain our training regimen without interruptions. The opportunity to practice and compete on top-tier facilities will undoubtedly foster our development as athletes and contribute to a more vibrant and active campus community. urge you to support this important project, which will benefit current and future generations of Cornell students. The positive impact on our health, personal growth, and overall collegiate experience cannot be overstated. Your approval will help us move forward with the construction of these facilities, creating a lasting legacy for the Cornell community. Thank you for considering my perspective. I appreciate your time and attention to this matter. Sincerely, Caleb Newman 1 Chris Balestra From: Ruby Li <rl557@cornell.edu> Sent: Friday,July 5, 2024 10:27 AM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: Please Support Meinig Field House! address,**WARNING**This email comes from an outside source. Please verify the from To the City of Ithaca and the Town of Ithaca Representatives, I hope you all have had a wonderful 4th of July! My name is Ruby Li and this past year, I was the Captain for the Cornell Wild Roses (a competitive ultimate frisbee club) at Cornell. During my time, I found it incredibly difficult to schedule practices with the limited field availability which led to days of no practice as well as taking $2,000 from our personal budget to fund practice space over the Winter. Not having enough field space is detrimental to any club sport as practice times are often where the strongest bonds are formed as well as team chemistry. In supporting this new building, you will be helping to foster countless lifetime friendships. To add, the lack of field space has also created a poor culture between several club sports as there are fierce competitions to secure space over another. Priority already goes to the varsity athletes, which often leads us to grab practice times as late as 12AM some days. The additional spaces will not only help build stronger relationships between clubs, but most importantly, it helps to ensure every single club sport can play to their maximum potential. For frisbee personally, it would help us achieve the national position we once had when we did have a consistent practice schedule. this is a dream that we are close to achieving (reaching 3rd place in Regionals last year) and one that will be reality if we are guaranteed practice space. Thank you for your time and I hope you all find the importance of supporting this project. Best, Ruby Li Ruby Li rl557gcornell.edu I Linkedln 1 +l (203) 550-4785 School of Hotel Administration SC Johnson Business School, Cornell University '25 1 Chris Balestra From: Matthew Benjamin Small <mbs287@cornell.edu> Sent: Friday, July 5, 2024 7:26 AM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: Strong Support for the Meinig Fieldhouse Project . . . Dear Ithaca Representatives, I am writing to express my full support for Cornell University's plans to break ground on the Meinig Fieldhouse in Fall 2024. Last school year, I served as Co-President of the Club Sports Council, the governing body for over 100 student organizations at Cornell. In this role, I had the opportunity to connect with leaders from many of these organizations and gain an understanding of their needs and challenges. A multipurpose facility like the Meinig Fieldhouse would greatly benefit the club sports community. Currently, many teams are forced to travel off-campus or schedule practices at inconvenient times due to limited availability of existing facilities. Ayear-round facility would alleviate these issues and provide much-needed space for our clubs. The lack of adequate facilities often creates a "scarcity mentality,"where club sports teams feel they are in constant competition with varsity teams for access to practice spaces. This internal competition hinders the development of a positive sports culture at Cornell. A dedicated multipurpose facility would help foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for all athletes. Furthermore, strong club sports programs can be a significant attraction for prospective students. At a highly rigorous institution like Cornell, it is crucialto recognize the importance of extracurricular activities in enriching the overall student experience. Club sports provide a valuable opportunity for students to engage with their peers, develop leadership skills, and maintain a healthy balance between academics and recreation. urge you to support the construction of the Meinig Fieldhouse, as it will greatly enhance the quality of life for Cornell students and contribute to the vibrancy of our community. Thank you, Matt Matthew B. Small Cornell University I Class of 2025 School of Industrial and Labor Relations 716.289.4718 1 mbs287Ca)cornell.edu I Linkedln 1 Chris Balestra From: Isla Chadsey <ic373@cornell.edu> Sent: Thursday, July 4, 2024 8:51 PM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: Meinig Field house Project **WARNING** This email comes from an outside source. Please verify the from address, any URL links, and/or attachments. Any questions please contact the IT department Dear Ithaca representatives, I am a student-athlete at Cornell University and I'm writing to voice my opposition for the Meinig Field house project. As I'm sure you are aware,turf fields have negative consequences for both human and environmental health and I find it disingenuous that Cornell Athletics is trying to advance this project while claiming that it will contribute to student wellbeing. I disliked that they asked us to email you all to support the project without being honest about the cons of turf fields so that we could make an informed decision. Again, I am AGAINST the installation of new turf fields. Thank you for your time! -Isla i Chris Balestra From: Anne Bracy <awb93@cornell.edu> Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 11:00 PM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: in support of the Meinig Fieldhouse and adjacent outdoor turf fields Dear City and Town of Ithaca Representatives Cerra, Nicholas, Balestra, and Randall: My name is Anne Bracy and I am a faculty member in the College of Engineering at Cornell University. I am also the faculty advisor for Cornell Mundial FC, a Cornell Mens Soccer Club. This is Cornell's most competitive soccer club. The team is often league champions, does well at regionals, and goes to national competitions most years. The largest impediment to their success (and the biggest overhead cost in both money and time) is lack of easily accessible year-round fields to practice and compete. Over the years, they have paid for field use at Cass Park, Tompkins Cortland Community College, The Field in Lansing(aka "The Rink") and the Grantchesterfields behind the Rink. These facilities are either expensive or inconvenient—or both! The winter months are the worst;their indoor practice and game times are often 10pm or later on weekdays and require students to have cars, which they do not all have. I write you in support of the construction of the Meinig Fieldhouse and adjacent outdoor turf fields. This project will fill a great need in the Cornell club sports community. I cannot tell you how excited my team would be to be able to practice or host home games (H) on their own campus rather than downtown, in Lansing, or in Cortland. For the past 9 years, I have taught over 7000 Cornell students. During this time, there has been a notable decline in the mental health of my students. I'm a firm believer in the benefits of extracurricular activities for our students' physical and mental health. Mundial offers students a supportive community and keeps them grounded and happy. My Mundial athletes are some of the most well- adjusted students I see at Cornell. I wish all my students had something like this at Cornell, and this project will surely support that goal by making club and intramural sports more convenient, affordable, and year-round. Lastly, as a resident of the Town of Ithaca and a mother of 3 children (ages 11, 13, and 16), 1 have seen that Ithaca and Cornell are not disjoint communities. My children have been taught by the coaching staff of the Cornell Women's soccer team. They have enjoyed Cornell soccer camps in the summer. have filled my minivan with 10 year olds and driven them to TC3 to watch the Cornell Mundial soccer games. Cornell grad students who live in the Maplewood apartments enjoy playing basketball at the newly renovated Belle Sherman Elementary School playground. Ithaca middle and high school students enjoy playing soccer on Cornell's new North Campus Turf Field.Any project that makes sports more convenient, affordable, and widely accessible at Cornell will surely benefit the Ithaca community at large in ways that we perhaps cannot yet predict. I am sure of this. Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. Please feel free to reach out if I can be of any further assistance on this matter. 1 Best Wishes, Anne Bracy, Ph.D. Senior Lecturer Electrical and Computer Engineering Cornell University 2 Chris Balestra From: Xiaodong Cao <xiaodongcao@cornell.edu> Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 9:54 PM To: Chris Balestra; CJ Randall; ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas Subject: Support for the Meinig Fieldhouse address,"WARNING"This emailcomes from an outside source. Please verifythe from Dear Representative Balestra or Representative Randall, I teach at Cornell and live in the town of Ithaca. I fully support this project. Having the Meinig field for our students to exercise will be a huge plus to their mental health, this will be as important as their academic life. Best, Xiaodong Cao Professor of Mathematics Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853-4201 xiaodongcao@cornell.edu 1 Chris Balestra From: Rob Ferguson <rf452@cornell.edu> Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 9:13 PM To: CJ Randall; Chris Balestra Subject: Meinig Field House &Outdoor Turf Field Representative Balestra & Representative Randall, I hope you are both well and wish you a happy and healthy July 4tn I am the Head Coach of the Women's Soccer team here at Cornell University, and I hope you have five minutes for me to share my thoughts. It is my strong belief that the development of the Meinig Field House, and the adjacent multi- purpose outdoor field turf will be hugely beneficial, both in physical and mental terms, to thousands of young people who make Ithaca their home each year. These benefits extend beyond the student body and absolutely out in to the wider community. Our program, for example, has been longing for space to provide community days,along with youth soccer clinics and camps for local soccer players and fans, or which there are many. Specifically relating to our team,the benefits are very real. Currently, during November thru March (when we cannot train/play on grass due to the climate) finding the time we need to train on campus is impossible unless we want to train at Sam or 10pm, neither of which are conducive to succeeding in a high-level athletic performance environment, alongside the academic rigor our incredible student athletes manage. We compete in one of the best women's soccer conferences in the nation, and we do not have field space to train for as much as five months of the calendar year.This is a huge challenge and competitive disadvantage. The addition of the Meinig Field House and the outdoor turf field would improve things drastically. Our team could train on campus at a reasonable hour throughout the winter months. I should mention sleep is now considered one of, if not the, most important components of recovery for high level athletes. Beyond our team,the countless young people and club teams who do not have the space and therefor opportunity to pursue and actively participate in healthy exercise and activities which require field space is, frankly,frightening. In a time when society and lifestyle contribute to countless mental and physical health challenges,we in education and community should be doing all we can to remove barriers to active, healthy lifestyles. In our wonderful town, and with our climate, access to both indoor and outdoor turf fields is a necessity. I am a huge advocate of healthy body> healthy mind, and while there is much more to mental health than being active, there is a lot of evidence to suggest there is a very real link to activity and physical exercise helping both the body and mind. Finally, we play with great pride representing Cornell and Ithaca, and we have an incredible connection to this wonderful place we all call home.These athletes come here and put their blood, sweat and tears in to representing, and performing for our community. As a father of both a daughter and son, I want nothing more than for them to be able to watch 18 to 22 year old Cornellians work tirelessly and passionately at something they love to do, and execute it at a high level. Unless we provide the appropriate(basic)facilities, I fear this opportunity to have hundreds of role models right here in front of them, might not exist for future generations of young Ithacans. 1 I would be more than happy to answer questions or speak in person if that would be of help. I am fully in support of these projects going ahead, and I am confident I speak for everyone tied to our team, and 43 years of alumnae when I make that statement. Thanks for your time, much appreciated. Respectfully, Rob Rob Ferguson Head Coach Big Red Women's Soccer Cornell University Winning.Wellness.Spirit.Leadership. E:cornellsoccer@cornell.edu W: Cornell University Women's Soccer ID Camps:Click Here TM Z Chris Balestra From: Bert Adams-Kucik <mjal2@cornell.edu> Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 6:50 PM To: Chris Balestra Subject: Meinig Fieldhouse Project Support Hi Chris, My name is Bert Adams. I am the Director of Cornell Fitness Centers, which affords me a good understanding of the need for more recreational training space on campus. I wholeheartedly endorse the completion of this project as a means of supporting the students at Cornell. The Meinig Fieldhouse Project is a key step towards providing another safe space for all Cornellians to maintain their mental and physical health. From myvantage point,every square foot is important to meeting that core value. I believe this will expand opportunities for clubs and recreational events that currently cannot happen due to the high demand for limited space on a campus of over 24,000 students.This will also provide opportunities year-round that would not otherwise be available due to our long winters. Thank you foryour time and consideration of this much needed project at Cornell. Bert MJ Bert Adams-Kucik Pronouns: She, Her, Hers Director Cornell Fitness Centers 319 Helen Newman Hall Ithaca, NY 14853 Mja12 cornell.edu 6072541341 1 Chris Balestra From: Samantha Engel <sle62@cornell.edu> Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 6:07 PM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: Support for Meinig Fieldhouse . . . Hello Ms. Cerra, Ms. Nicholas, Ms. Balestra and Ms. Randall, I hope this emailfinds you well. My name is Samantha Engel, and I am an incoming seniorvarsity student-athlete on the Cornell Women's Volleyball team. I also serve the athletics community as the Co- President of Red Key Honor Society, Community Service Chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and Vice President of Rally Cap sports. I am writing to share my strong support of the Meinig Field House proposal.As a student-athlete, I understand the challenges of many of my peers who play grass-based sports. Our current indoor facility, the Ramin room, is great but not large enough to facilitate appropriate practice times for all of our teams. Duringthe winter, many teams must practice duringthe early hours of the morning(think5:30am!), or late at night because it is nearly impossible to secure time in the Ramin Room. Nearly every team -- baseball, softball, mens/womens lax, field hockey, mens/womens soccer,football, sprint football, etc. all must share the facility, as well as the Strength and Conditioning staff. Even as a volleyball athlete, my team uses the facility for our agility and conditioning workouts. During our biweekly SAAC meetings, we often begin our conversations with "nags" and "brags", where representatives from each team shares wins from the week, and issues that the teams currently face. A common theme during these discussions is sleep deprivation stemming from extremely early or late fluctuations in practice times during the winter, due to our limited space. It is nearly impossible for coaches to create a "set" practice schedule, because the Ramin room cannot reasonably accommodate multiple team's practices at a time. Yes, teams can make it work, but the lack of space sub-optimizes our student-athlete's potential success on the field. Additionally, in my capacity as Vice President of Rally Caps Sports, I am tasked to help schedule time in the Ramin Room to invite special needs children from Ithaca to play sports with students. It is nearly impossible to do so --the Ramin Room is almost always booked, even on Sundays, because club sports fill up the limited remaining time slots. Many of the parents in our group are incredibly grateful for our programming --which is free to the community. We wish to be able to host these events on a more regular, weekly basis, but this is not feasible due to the current constraints on field space. Unfortunately, this project will not be completed while I am a student at Cornell, but I know it would greatly improve student-athlete performance, mental health and increase opportunities for community outreach. Please support the construction of the field house. Thank you, and have a fantastic holiday weekend. 1 Sincerely, Samantha Engel Samantha Engel Cornell Volleyball I College of Arts and Sciences '25 Government Major E: sle62(cDcornell.edu I R 513-609-8462 UNi ?F' 9 e a = Cornell University G h�F D P D'0 2 Chris Balestra From: Caitlin Slaminko <cros439@cornell.edu> Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 4:28 PM To: Chris Balestra Subject: Support of Cornell's Meinig Field House and Turf Field Projects address,**WARNING**This email comes from an outside source. Please verifythe from Dear Representative Balestra, My name is Caitlin Slaminko, I am a 2x captain for the Cornell Women's Lacrosse team. I am contacting you to express my support for the Meinig Field House and multi-purpose outdoor turf field projects. While I understand that from the outside, it is hard to understand the immense impact that this project would have on the Cornell Athletics community. Our community has made do with extremely limited resources and training space, however, this project would propel Cornell Athletics into a new level of potential. During the winter months, 10 different sports teams typically compete for our only indoor tiny space. With lacrosse being a spring sport that commences in February, (which we both know is hardly spring in upstate New York) our practice and game schedules get severely affected every time Ithaca is hit with winter weather. The addition of an indoor 120 yards long and 60 yards wide field, would allow us consistency with our training, as well as be a large boost in appeal for future recruiting purposes. The addition of an outdoor turf field would also have massive benefits for our lacrosse program, along with other Cornell teams. The Women's Lacrosse team competes with both the Men's Lacrosse team and the Football team for field space, which is difficult to plan around,with the rigor of the Ivy League academic schedule requirements. Another field would allow much more school-athletic balance and improvements to our overall wellness by not having to continuously practice at the crack of dawn or late at night. There is a glaring need for an expansion in athletic resources at Cornell and we hope that you will consider our recounts. With this being my last year at Cornell, I am very excited for the future of Cornell athletics if these projects are passed. I hope you have an enjoyable 4th of July,thank you! Best Regards, Caitlin Slaminko i Chris Balestra From: Megan Bickel <mlb468@cornell.edu> Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 2:35 PM To: Chris Balestra Subject: Cornell Volleyball in Support of Meinig Fieldhouse address,**WARNING**This email comes from an outside source. Please verifythe from Dear Ms. Balestra, I hope this email finds you well. My name is Megan Bickel and I am a captain of the Cornell Women's Volleyball team. I am writing this email in support of Nicki Moore and the Meinig Fieldhouse project. With respect to hardwood floor/sport-court teams like volleyball and basketball, there is a critical need for additional court space on our campus. Our team faces significant challenges with court availability and frequent scheduling conflicts with other sports programs, particularly the women's and men's basketball teams. Here are the key points I'd like to highlight: Limited Court Time: Our team currently struggles to secure practice slots due to the high demand for court space. With only 3 available courts, sometimes only 1 court when the bleachers are pulled out in Newman Arena, we often find ourselves stepping on each other's toes to get meaningful practice in. This limited court time affects our ability to come in on our own and practice our individual skills. It creates hesitancy to get in the gym and improve our performance because of the worry about getting kicked off the court. This negatively affects the team's attitude towards getting extra reps. Scheduling Conflicts: The overlap between volleyball, women's basketball, and men's basketball practices creates logistical challenges. We often find ourselves competing for the same court during peak hours.These conflicts force us to adjust our practice schedules, impacting our players' academic commitments and overall well-being. Volleyball Accessibility: Most facilities have built in accommodations for team sports, like basketball hoops, soccer nets, lacrosse goals. However, volleyball is often overlooked and requires specialized equipment, including nets, antennae, and poles. Setting up and taking down these components is time-consuming and consumes court time. Having access to more potential court space in the Meinig Fieldhouse will allow us to keep our nets up overnight, instead of having to take the nets down after every session to allow basketball to play. This will not only make it easier for our team, but it will also help the basketball teams maximize practice time, leading to improvement in overall performance. The Importance of the Meinig Field House: 1 The proposed Meinig Field House project represents a transformative opportunity for our campus. It includes a multi-purpose turf field adjacent to the main facility. Completion of this project would significantly increase access to competitive and recreational spaces for all students, whether they participate in club or intramural sports, wellness activities, or varsity-level competition. In summary,the Cornell Women's Volleyball Team believes that the Meinig Field House is essential for fostering athletic excellence, personal growth, and overall well-being at Cornell.We appreciate your attention to this matter and kindly request your expedient action in supporting this vital project. Thank you so much for your time. Looking forward to what's to come Sincerely, Megan Bickel Captain, Cornell Women's Volleyball Team Cornell University Economics and Information Science Major E: mlb468(cD-cornell.edu I R 301-708-8048 2 Chris Balestra From: Kiran Rokade <kvr36@cornell.edu> Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 1:29 PM To: ncerra@cityofithaca.org; Inicholas; Chris Balestra;CJ Randall Subject: Meinig Field House . . . Dear Ms. Balestra or Ms. Randall, I am writing to you to express my support in developing the Meinig Field House facility on Cornell campus. I am a graduate student at Cornell, an officer of the Cricket Club at Cornell and a sports enthusiast. Sports are an important part of my life and help me relax and recharge for work. Speaking for the Cricket-playing community, we are a club at Cornell that needs to reserve space to play on campus. Due to the sheer population of students at Cornell, reservation of spaces is competitive and does not give us enough playingtime as we need. This newfacility located at the center of the campus would help us a lot to play indoors and outdoors at a more convenient time. I request you to kindly approve the project. Kiran Rokade PhD Candidate Electrical and Computer Engineering Cornell University 1 Chris Balestra From: Abbey Charlamb <ac2856@cornell.edu> Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 12:29 PM To: Chris Balestra Subject: Support for Meining Field House **WARNING** This email comes from an outside source. Please verify the from address, any URL links, and/or attachments. Any questions please contact the IT department Dear Representative Balestra, I hope you are well! My name is Abbey Charlamb, and I am a rising senior on the Men's Heavyweight Rowing team at Cornell University. I am writing today to express my support for the Meining Field House project.This new facility will give athletes and the Ithaca community an incredible place to develop into stronger players and team members. We are currently lacking access to fields, especially in the cold winter months. The addition of this new field house will help bring our athletic programs to a new level by allowing for consistent, all-year round practice times. Thank you for all you do for the Cornell and Ithaca communities! Best, Abbey Charlamb i Chris Balestra From: Town Of Ithaca Clerks Department <clerks@townithacany.gov> Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 12:01 PM To: Abby Homer; Chris Balestra Subject: FW: Cornell's artificial turf projects Paulette Rosa, Town Clerk 215 N. Tioga St. Ithaca, NY 14850 Ph (607) 273-1721 Option 1 www.townithacany.gov TOWN OF ITHACA NEW YORK From: Murray Brian McBride <mbm7@cornell.edu> Sent: Wednesday,July 3, 2024 10:03 AM To:Town Of Ithaca Clerks Department<clerks@townithacany.gov>; pbstaff@cityofithaca.org Subject: Cornell's artificial turf projects I am addressing this letter to the city and town planning boards regarding the artificial turf athletic field projects proposed for Tower Road and the East Hill Plaza area in Cornell University's "Long Range Vision" Plan. I am a recently retired Cornell professor of soil and environmental science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), and am very concerned with these plans to install large areas of plastic turf on the central campus and adjacent areas. Numerous issues have been raised by environmental health experts about potential dangers to the health of athletes playing on these plastic turf fields.The dangers arise from greater susceptibility to injury as well as exposure to toxic chemicals in the plastics and infill material (often crumb rubber from "recycled" tires) by dermal contact and/or inhalation and ingestion of microplastics and other fine particles. I have often observed, when watching football and baseball games, the fine black rubber particles flying up into the air as athletes' feet and bodies impact artificial turf fields. There is little doubt that athletes are ingesting and inhaling some of these microparticles, particles that may contain heavy metals as well as carcinogenic chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Mr. J. Peters, a risk assessor representing Haley and Aldrich, the consulting firm working with Cornell on the athletic field projects, claimed in the 6/25 Ithaca city planning board meeting that these toxic chemicals from crumb rubber, even when absorbed by the lungs, pose no significant risk to the athletes.This seemingly confident statement was based on risk assessment. It is important to recognize that risk assessments are models, often very complex models, and in my experience do not have a strong track record for accuracy. They are only as good as the validity of the data and assumptions entered into them. A statement on the website of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) suggests a much less confident assessment of the safety of crumb rubber i "Although previous research studies have not shown health risks from playing on fields and playgrounds with tire crumb rubber, these studies were limited and did not completely consider various health concerns" This statement, which reflects uncertainty about the present knowledge of the dangers of crumb rubber to athletes' health, should cause concern. I think the most reasonable conclusion is that the health risks posed by crumb rubber to athletes playing frequently on synthetic turf fields are as yet not well known. However, it is clear that athletes playing on these fields are directly exposed to toxic chemicals imbedded in fine particulates by inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact. Other considerations related to the well-being of athletes playing on these fields include the fact that synthetic plastic fields reach much hotter surface temperatures in sunny weather than natural grass fields. This is not a trivial concern considering the summer temperatures we have been experiencing in Ithaca recently. In addition, most athletes when surveyed much prefer playing on natural grass fields for reasons related to risk of injury and comfort. From an environmental point of view, synthetic turf materials have a very unfavorable carbon footprint. Not only does the manufacture of the plastic materials of synthetic turfs require fossil fuels and the release of CO2to the atmosphere, but the only feasible means of disposal of degraded synthetic turfs at this time is to incinerate or pyrolyze them with the release of even more CO2.The estimated lifetime of a synthetic turf field before disposal is about 8-10 years. Landfilling these turfs results in leachates that may contain numerous chemicals such as plasticizers and PFAS. Contrast this with natural turfgrass fields, which are net absorbers of atmospheric CO2, can be reconditioned, and never need to be disposed of. In my college at Cornell, we have a turfgrass program with the expertise to create and maintain natural turfgrass fields, and I am perplexed as to why natural grass playing fields have not been part of Cornell's plan. Many professional sports stadia are moving away from synthetic turf toward natural grass for a number of the reasons I am presenting here. Even stadia in climates colder than Ithaca have successfully maintained natural grass playing fields. Other environmental threats to be considered are the release of microplastics from the inevitable gradual weathering and disintegration of the plastics in the artificial turf.These microplastics, in addition to the infill crumb rubber particles, can migrate offsite by wind or by runoff during intense rain events. On outdoor fields, it would not be possible to prevent birds and other small wild animals from ingesting these potentially toxic particles. Synthetic particles from artificial outdoor turf fields have also recently been shown to contribute substantially to microplastic pollution found in surface waters. In addition, crumb rubber particles have been demonstrated to release, upon leaching by water, chemicals that are toxic to various aquatic organisms, with zinc being at particularly high concentrations in leachate.The crumb rubber content of artificial turf is not low—approximately 6 pounds of this toxic material per square foot ! There are additional numerous chemicals such as plasticizers that leach out of the plastic components of artificial turf. Mr. J. Peters, the risk assessor representing Haley and Aldrich, acknowledged in the 6/25 Ithaca city planning board meeting that the synthetic turf also contains PFAS polymers, claiming that these polymers are not the lower molecular weight ('bad") PFAS that have received so much attention for their toxicity, but instead are completely inert and non-toxic. That is, Mr. Peters appears to be assuming that the more toxic forms of PFAS will never be released into the environment from the artificial turf field. However, fluoropolymers do initially contain a low level of leachable low molecular weight PFAS, which could be an immediate source for surface and groundwater contamination. In addition, the partial and slow decomposition of PFAS polymers to lower molecular weight PFAS in artificial turf by the long-term exposure to ultraviolet light may be possible. However, as far as I have been able to determine, the potential for photodegradation of fluoropolymers has not been tested under realistic field conditions. In any event, there is disagreement at this time about the potential toxicity of polymeric PFAS, with chemical industry scientists claiming they are benign (see Korzeniowski et al., 2022, Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 19, 326-354) and 2 independent scientists stating that "the evidence ... does not find a scientific rationale for concluding that fluoropolymers are of low concern for environmental and human health" (Lohmann et al., 2020, Environmental Science and Technology, 54, 12820-12828). Again, uncertainty about how these persistent chemicals behave in the environment and what effects they may have on human health should persuade us to adopt a precautionary approach and limit the use of these synthetic chemicals to the extent possible. To conclude, I believe there are many negatives associated with artificial turf playing fields compared to natural grass fields. The installation of additional synthetic turf playing fields by Cornell is therefore ill-advised given the present uncertainty regarding the extent of risk to the health of athletes and to the environment. Sincerely, Dr. Murray McBride Emeritus Professor of Soil Chemistry 3 Chris Balestra From: Brendan Staub <bjs297@cornell.edu> Sent: Wednesday, July 3, 2024 11:38 AM To: Chris Balestra; CJ Randall; Inicholas; ncerra@cityofithaca.org Subject: Support for Meinig Field House address,**WARNING**This email comes from an outside source. Please verifythe from Representatives Balestra, Randall, Nicholas, and Cerra, My name is Brendan Staub. I am a rising junior studying at Cornell and a member of the men's varsity lacrosse team. I am writing to you to express my support for the planned construction of the new Meinig Field House and adjacent fields. I cannot overstate how impactful this facility will be for me and my teammates. We begin our season in the middle of the winter, outside on Schoellkopf Field everyday. The freezing temperatures and frequent snow at that time of year make practicing and playing difficult. In addition to subpar performance and cancelled practices, I have seen many injuries due to the cold and icy turf field. This field house would improve player health and safety in addition to being a performance advantage. Thank you for your consideration of my support! I love going to school in Ithaca and I thank you for your service to the local community. Have a happy Fourth of July! Best, Brendan 1 Chris Balestra From: Daniel Thomas Simoes <dts97@cornell.edu> Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 9:57 PM To: Chris Balestra Subject: Meinig Field House Development I - oil . . . Hi Representative Balestra, My name is Daniel Simoes and I am a student athlete at Cornell University on the Men's Swimming and Diving Team. I am contacting you to voice my support of the development of the Meinig Field House. Although I may not use the fields included in this project, I am not by any means exempt from its benefits. Athletics facilities are crucial to athletic performance.As athletes, we do not only want to better ourselves but want to represent our school to the best of our ability.Any athletic facility/equipment that could improve training would help us reach that goal. This could mean having more winning seasons, national representation, and Ivy Championships. These accomplishments will improve our athletic and overall school image, something all athletes wish to achieve. Similarly, new athletic facilities show outsiders, such as recruits,that a school supports their athletes. Recruits want to go somewhere they will feel appreciated and supported, and the Meinig Field House would help show Ithaca's commitment to academic excellence. This would help us recruit extraordinary talent to help fuel Cornell pride. Finally, athletics are at the heart of school spirit. Having the capacity to allow more students to stay active and healthy on campus would deepen their connection to Cornell Athletics and Cornell itself. This would no doubt improve mental and physical well-being on campus. Making Cornellians happier will create a positive environment that encourages health in all ways. As you can see, the development of Meinig Field House would have great effects on Cornell and the Ithaca community. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I ask that you please consider what I have written when making your decisions. Thank you, Daniel Simoes i Chris Balestra From: Daniel Thomas Simoes <dts97@cornell.edu> Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 9:57 PM To: Chris Balestra Subject: Meinig Field House Development I - oil . . . Hi Representative Balestra, My name is Daniel Simoes and I am a student athlete at Cornell University on the Men's Swimming and Diving Team. I am contacting you to voice my support of the development of the Meinig Field House. Although I may not use the fields included in this project, I am not by any means exempt from its benefits. Athletics facilities are crucial to athletic performance.As athletes, we do not only want to better ourselves but want to represent our school to the best of our ability.Any athletic facility/equipment that could improve training would help us reach that goal. This could mean having more winning seasons, national representation, and Ivy Championships. These accomplishments will improve our athletic and overall school image, something all athletes wish to achieve. Similarly, new athletic facilities show outsiders, such as recruits,that a school supports their athletes. Recruits want to go somewhere they will feel appreciated and supported, and the Meinig Field House would help show Ithaca's commitment to academic excellence. This would help us recruit extraordinary talent to help fuel Cornell pride. Finally, athletics are at the heart of school spirit. Having the capacity to allow more students to stay active and healthy on campus would deepen their connection to Cornell Athletics and Cornell itself. This would no doubt improve mental and physical well-being on campus. Making Cornellians happier will create a positive environment that encourages health in all ways. As you can see, the development of Meinig Field House would have great effects on Cornell and the Ithaca community. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I ask that you please consider what I have written when making your decisions. Thank you, Daniel Simoes i TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD MEETING May 21, 2024 Draft Minutes Present: Liz Bageant, Acting Chair; Cindy Kaufman, Caitlin Cameron (video), Bill Arms, and Kelda McGurk Absent: Fred Wilcox and Ariel Casper CJ Randall, Director of Planning; Christine Balestra, Senior Planner; Susan Brock, Attorney for the Town; David O'Shea, Senior Engineer;Marty Moseley, Director of Code Enforcement; Dana Magnuson, Senior CEO and Paulette Rosa, Town Clerk Meeting convened and motion made by Mr. Arms, seconded by Ms. Kaufman to nominate Liz Bageant to act as Chair; unanimous. Ms. Bageant opened the meeting at 7:00p.m. Ms. Bageant noted for the public that there is no public hearing associated with the first agenda item; no decision is being made on the project itself. The question is whether or not this Board will be making a recommendation to the Lead Agency, the City of Ithaca, regarding the question of segmentation under SEQR. She asked the Board if they would like to allow public comment. Board members stated that they would like to hear what the public has to say after the applicant's opening presentation. Item 1 State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) discussion for the proposed Cornell University Meinig Fieldhouse Indoor Sports and Recreational Facility located at Robison Alumni Fields on Tower Road on the Cornell University campus. The project involves replacing the Robison Alumni Fields with a 90,000+/- square foot, 56-foot-tall indoor fieldhouse building and a new synthetic outdoor multipurpose field along with new sidewalks and pedestrian connections, stormwater facilities, landscaping, lighting, and other site elements. The project will be largely located within the City of Ithaca with a portion in the Town of Ithaca. This is a Type I Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and is subject to environmental review. The City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board declared their intent to be the Lead Agency to coordinate the environmental review. The Town of Ithaca Planning Board concurred with the Lead Agency declaration on January 16, 2024. Cornell University, Owner; Kimberly Michaels, TWM, a Fisher Associates Landscape Architecture Studio, Applicant/Agent. Ms. Michaels gave an overview of the issue, saying that in January, the project included a field hockey field and an indoor sports facility. The purpose of that project was to add more field space on central campus to provide year round indoor practice space and access for more students to have access to athletics on central campus and to address the need for athletic space on campus. PB 2024-05-21 (Filed 5/24) Pg. 1 The Town's Planning Board agreed that the City of Ithaca would be lead agency as the project is in both the city and the town, but more in the city. Then Cornell began to think more about what would bring the greatest good;the field hockey field could only be used for field hockey, but if they instead turn the field hockey field into a general purpose field, a greater population will be served. That left a question as to where the field hockey field should then be located, and the current idea is to move that field to Game Farm Road. While those conversations were happening, we thought it best to pause the public process because the scope of the project was changing a little bit. The intention and the goals of the project are not changing,but we were talking about a new location for the field, and that location is no longer in the city at all. The two projects are not necessarily dependent on each other, and we are beginning to put materials together for the new location, but what we are here for tonight is the central campus project, Meinig Fieldhouse. The project is about 80% in the City of Ithaca and 20% in the Town of Ithaca. The changes are (1)the use of the outdoor field is changed to multi-use, and as such it got a little larger, and (2) the flagpole, team storage area, shelters for the teams,press box, and spectator seating have all been removed. The scoreboard remains but is in a different location and the light poles moved a little bit and are a bit larger because the field got a little larger. The question tonight is whether the current project is considered a segmentation under SEQR and if so, whether it is a permissible segmentation. Aboard can legally look at the environmental impacts of two projects that are somehow interconnected and do their environmental review separately if your review is no less protective of the environment as two separate actions than it would be as one combined action. Since these two projects are on different timelines and they're in different municipalities, we would assume that the town would want to be the lead agency for a Game Farm Road Project, which we haven't submitted any plans for yet, although we do plan to in the near future. The request is for you to have a discussion tonight about whether this rationale makes sense to you and is then logical for you to make some recommendations to the City Planning Board and then in their SEQR determination, they would also make a finding that segmentation is appropriate and permissible in this situation for the same reasons. Ms. Michaels went through the tentative schedule of approval processes for the revised Meinig Fieldhouse project. Questions/Discussion Ms. Balestra asked when they thought the Game Farm hockey field project would be submitted to the town and Ms. Michaels said they are targeting the end of June. PB 2024-05-21 (Filed 5/24) Pg. 2 Ms. Cameron asked why there is even a question on segmentation? She felt that the project had simply changed, and that is all. It is still on central campus; the components have just changed. Ms. Balestra responded that it was advertised as one project, the Meinig Fieldhouse, a 90, 000 s.f. indoor field house with an outdoor hockey field. Now the hockey field part of the project is being moved to another location, which is no longer in the City of Ithaca,but in the Town of Ithaca on Game Farm Road. Usually, when a question of segmentation comes up, it is for a second phase of one project that might happen far into the future. But this new proposal for the hockey field will be proposed within weeks of the Meinig Fieldhouse project. Ms. Cameron said she didn't see how the name or type of field or stadium should matter in this question. The project has simply changed and although a piece of it is moving, it is not moving very close to the current project and so they are not joined. Ms. Brock stated that the applicant is asking this board to give an opinion on their request to the city for segmentation. Ms. Michaels added that they are asking for this out of an abundance of caution and to avoid even an appearance of impropriety. Just dotting our is and crossing our is because this main campus project has already been presented and the City Planning and Development Board established themselves as the lead agency in the environmental review. Their stance is that these are two similar projects that are not functionally dependent on each other; one does not have to happen for the other to happen. They are over a mile and a half apart, in two different municipalities and on two different timelines. Knowing that there is another sports field project being planned is mildly related, but not related enough to keep them joined for review purposes. Ms. Michaels used the example of a factory being built and then worker housing. Those two projects would be dependent on each other and have environmental impacts that in some cases would be intertwined(traffic and work shifts) and should be looked at together. These are two sports fields not dependent on each other and not associated in activities other than broadly "sports." The board discussed the two pieces of the project at length, noting that they felt they would give each the close attention and review under SEQR as they needed, and they would not want to give up lead agency for a project wholly in the Town of Ithaca. Ms. Brock stated that one of the criteria for determining segmentation is if there is some kind of an overall plan, and this could be considered an overall plan because they have decided to change the main campus plan and the use and move the previously included field and details out to another location. That is an overall plan. Another is to look at whether by segmenting, you would not be looking at all of the impacts together and if done together, you felt there could be a significant impact and this would be a way to avoid that determination. It is difficult to answer because we have no details on the plans for Game Farm Road. PB 2024-05-21 (Filed 5/24) Pg. 3 Ms. Cameron suggested that the board make no recommendation at all to the city. As the city was the lead agency in the environmental review for the Meinig Fieldhouse, the city could make the determination without the Town Planning Board's input. She was confident that the town would provide a thorough SEQR review on the project(s)regardless of the segmentation vote. Ms. Bageant outlined the options for the board to consider. The board can make no recommendation to the city; the board can make a recommendation based upon the information received in the packet; the board could make no recommendation and just forward planning staff's memo as additional information for the city to have. Discussion continued, with Ms. Bageant saying the board could put this off until the next meeting as two members were absent. Ms. McGurk said she was comfortable deciding tonight and that the other members could watch it on the recording if they wanted to. Mr.Arms agreed, saying he would not like to cause a delay for the applicants on that basis. The majority of the Board wished to move forward. Ms. Cameron moved to make no recommendation and instead send the staff memo to the City Planning and Development Board. PB RESOLUTION 2024 - 013: Forward the memorandum prepared by Town Staff re a�2 the issue of SEOR segmentation of the Meini2 Fieldhouse Indoor Sports and Recreational Facility proiect to the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board Resolved, that the Town of Ithaca Planning Board requests that the Town of Ithaca Planning staff forward the memo prepared by Christine Balestra, Senior Planner, dated May 14, 2024, submitted to the Town of Ithaca Planning Board for their May 21, 2024, meeting, to the City of Ithaca's Planning and Development Board. Moved: Cindy Kaufman Seconded: Bill Arms Vote: ayes—Kaufman, Arms, McGurk, and Cameron nays—Bageant Public Comment The Board invited those wishing to speak on this project a chance to speak. (Written comments submitted after posting of the official mailout packet and 24 hours after the meeting can be found in the updated packet online and will be filed permanently with the project folder along with any other comments received after the post meeting deadline.) Yayoi Koizumi, Founder, Zero Waste Ithaca, spoke on behalf of her grassroots organization to urge the Board to reject segmentation and urged a significant environmental effect is ruled to focus on the artificial turf aspect of the project. She referenced articles that the applicant used to PB 2024-05-21 (Filed 5/24) Pg. 4 justify artificial turf were from entities she felt were illegitimate and outlined her concerns and gave examples of other municipalities that have rejected artificial turf. Bethany Ojalehto Mays summarized her written comments highlighting her concerns with artificial turf. Comments were closed. Ms. Kaufman noted that natural fields would limit the use of the fields and not be equitable to all because they are unusable in our climate many times and there are a lot of chemicals used to try and keep the Meld usable. She understands it is a trade-off,but there is a great need for people to be able to get outside and exercise, and a grass field will not programmatically support the needs of the students and the community. Mr. Arms added that there will be a SEQR discussion and that will be the time to discuss this type of concern. He added that written comments are really appreciated, so that we can read them very carefully and be prepared when that SEQR discussion occurs. Ms. Michaels was asked to comment on Ms. Kaufman's statement. Ms. Michaels said the only thing she can speak to directly as a landscape architect is that there is a growing season here in Ithaca that is very short and does not align with having multiple sports programs throughout the school use if this Meld is kept as grass. You can do your best to maintain it, but if the grass isn't growing, there is no fix. She said she would bring additional people to speak to other aspects of the comments and added that referring to the current field at Game Farm as a"living meadow" is inaccurate and she would bring pictures to the next meeting. Ms. Bageant noted that the two public speakers were indicating they would like to respond, but she would not be allowing a second speaking opportunity. She suggested they submit written comments as Mr. Arms suggested. Item 2 PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of a recommendation to the Town of Ithaca Town Board regarding proposed changes to the Official Map of the Town of Ithaca. Mr. O'Shea gave an overview, saying this was a standard updating of our map and Ms. Balestra's memo covered everything nicely. Ms. Bageant asked why the town's preserves and the State parks were different shades of green and the town's parks were a completely different color so that you cannot see all town space as a whole. She said she likes to know where public land is. She got confused by the coloring on the map. PB 2024-05-21 (Filed 5/24) Pg. 5 Mr. Coakley responded that the State parks were on the map for information and help in establishing context and landmarks people are used to, but he could change the colors if that was needed. Ms. Bageant asked what the "approved" road from Conifer Dr over to West Hill Dr was. Mr. O'Shea responded that it is an approved road with easement/dedi cation that has been on the books for a while and because we have rights to it, under statute, it appears on the map. Ms. Bageant opened the public hearing at 7:27 p.m. There was no one wishing to speak on the revisions to the town map and the hearing was closed. Motion made by Mr.Arms, seconded by Ms. McGurk to forward the adoption of the revised Official Town Map to the Town Board without suggested changes; unanimous. Item 3 Persons to be heard Ms. Bageant noted that Ms. Koizumi's hand was raised, and stated for her benefit that this item is for comments regarding items that are not on the agenda. Item 4 Approval of Minutes Ms. Kaufman asked that her reference to collapsable bollards be added to the May 7t'minutes. Ms. Rosa agreed with the request and will add it to the two paragraphs where requested. Motion made by Ms. Kaufman, seconded by Ms. McGurk to approve the minutes of March 19t' and May 7 h as amended; unanimous. Item 5 Other Business There are no agenda items for the June 41h meeting. Motion made by Ms. Kaufman, seconded by Mr. Arms to cancel the meeting; unanimous. Submitted by Paulette Rosa, Town Clerk PB 2024-05-21 (Filed 5/24) Pg. 6 1 Correction of the Record: Time-sensitive correction to the Planning Board proceedings regarding PFAS July 15,2024 Dear Planning Board members and staff: I write to call your attention to significant false statements that occurred during the Town Planning Board Meeting on July 2,2024.In response to Planning Board members’questions about PFAS,the Meinig Fieldhouse applicant and their Haley &Aldrich consultant provided false statements that directly contradicted their own research summary in their application materials. Specifically,they claimed that PFAS compounds are “absolutely not”present in their artificial turf product,or that “there’s no reason to believe they would be there”(except perhaps PVDF).They further claimed that artificial turf “does not”contribute to PFAS environmental contamination,and that it will meet the New York Carpet Law that goes into effect in 2026 (which holds that “no carpet offered for sale shall contain or be treated with PFAS substances”).1 In fact,the consultant’s own research summary cites two tests showing that artificial turf products contain at least 18-212 identified PFAS compounds (including both polymers and non-polymers)and an unquantified amount of other unidentified potential PFAS compounds (and many other toxins besides).3 That testing also showed that measurable amounts of PFAS would likely discharge into stormwater. These are not minor errors.Of the PFAS compounds that could be tested with available methodology,fully a quarter (25%)were detected in turf products.The detected PFAS compounds exceeded maximum contaminant levels for drinking water set by the EPA for six critical PFAS chemicals,often hundreds or thousands of times over.4 (See Enclosures A and B for analysis.) 4 Because not all PFAS are currently regulated,I followed the TRC report’s “conservative method”of using PFOS levels as a surrogate screening level for as-yet-unregulated PFAS,to determine whether or not they exceed various screening levels.The MCL and risk assessment levels for drinking water may be different than those for other media,say soil,which I report in Enclosure B.Here,I reference MCLs for drinking water as the most protective criteria of public health,which takes into account that there is no safe level of PFAS. 3 PFAS is only one known hazard posed by artificial turf:it also contains heavy metals and VOCs,while tire crumb infill serves as “the largest individual contributor”to microplastics pollution in the environment (European Chemicals Agency).According to a 2023 peer-reviewed study,“The dark side of artificial greening,” “extensive replacement of natural land covers by AT surfaces will likely add a significant and irreparable plastic legacy to the global nature,"including land and aquatic environments [emphasis added]. 2 One test (by TRC Companies)detected 18 of 70 PFAS compounds tested in AT products;the other study (TetraTech)detected 7 of 29 PFAS compounds tested in AT products,including 3 unique compounds not detected by TRC;the total of unique identified PFAS compounds across studies is 21. 1 This law also sets recycling standards for artificial turf,relevant to other Board members’questions. 2 Mr.Peters has repeatedly claimed,in his testimony to both the City and Town Planning Boards,5 that artificial turf products do not contain “non-polymer PFAS,”which he characterizes as more harmful than “polymer PFAS.”6 But the tests cited in his own research summary detect many non-polymer PFAS,such as PFOA,PFOS,PFHxA,HFPO-DA,and PFBA (see Enclosure B).The EPA declared that for at least two of those (PFOA and PFOS),there is no safe level of exposure. Mr.Peter’s testimony on July 2 appears irreconcilable with his own research submitted to the Planning Boards.The correct answer to Town Planning Board members’questions about PFAS, according to his own research summary,is yes: ●Yes,artificial turf products do contain at least 18-22 identified PFAS compounds, including non-polymer PFAS,as well as an unknown quantity of other potential PFAS compounds.Most PFAS levels tested exceed EPA limits for drinking water,often hundreds or thousands of times over. ●Yes,the product will contribute to environmental PFAS contamination more generally,including measurable amounts of PFAS discharge into stormwater. Given his research summary,it is inexplicable that Mr.Peters told the Planning Board that “there’s no reason to believe”that (non-polymer?)PFAS would be present in turf,or that the manufacturing and use of artificial turf fields will not contribute to environmental PFAS contamination. Further,Mr.Peters provided internally contradictory spoken statements during the meeting.He conceded that (a)artificial turf contains PVDF (a PFAS compound),and (b)that he/the applicant have not asked their manufacturer about PFAS used in the manufacturing process.Nonetheless,he confidently asserted that “there is no reason to believe”that artificial turf will contain (non-polymer?)PFAS,that it will not contribute to environmental PFAS contamination,and that it will meet the New York Carpet Law by containing no PFAS.7 It seems impossible to issue these guarantees if turf does contain PVDF and Cornell has not asked their manufacturer about the use of PFAS –not to mention that Mr.Peters’own research cites tests detecting many PFAS in turf. Enclosed,please find (A)explanations of each misstatement based on the consultant's own research materials and spoken testimony,(B)summary tables of test results cited in that summary,(C)a conflict of interest note,and (D)transcription of the relevant portion of the meeting. 7 On the surface,it would seem that artificial turf would not meet this criteria,unless there are loopholes in the law. 6 As noted later on,there is debate on this point. 5 The June 25,2024 City Planning Board meeting does not yet appear to be available on the YouTube channel, or Mr.Peters’statements to the City PB would be quoted here directly.However,Mr.Peters’statements on this point were cited in a public comment by Professor Emeritus of Soil Chemistry Murray McBride:“Mr.J.Peters, the risk assessor representing Haley and Aldrich,acknowledged in the 6/25 Ithaca city planning board meeting that the synthetic turf also contains PFAS polymers,claiming that these polymers are not the lower molecular weight ('bad")PFAS that have received so much attention for their toxicity,but instead are completely inert and non-toxic.That is,Mr.Peters appears to be assuming that the more toxic forms of PFAS will never be released into the environment from the artificial turf field.”Yet Mr.Peters’research summary cites tests on artificial turf detecting multiple non-polymer PFAS. 3 I believe this matter requires urgent attention because the Town Planning Board determined on July 2 that the project did not rise to the level of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)partly on the basis of false statements provided by the applicant and consultant.Those false statements bear directly on adverse environmental impacts expected for groundwater and surface water,among other impacts.These are serious enough that New York Assembly Bill A7158 is calling for a moratorium on the installation of synthetic turf “pending a comprehensive environmental and public health study”and it would require a “site-specific environmental impact statement”for each installation of synthetic turf.That is exactly what Ithaca area citizens and scientists are requesting:a credible scientific review of artificial turf ’s impacts,and a positive declaration of environmental significance. The Planning Boards deserve an expert who can be trusted to interpret the science correctly,to use the appropriate caution when making claims,and to provide sound responses to your well-formulated questions.The public deserves research that is not compromised by a conflict of interest (see Enclosure C).Providing false testimony undermines deliberations on behalf of the public good and severely compromises the ability to ensure a meritorious outcome that is protective of human and environmental health. Thank you for addressing this correction to the public record.Please share with all interested parties. Sincerely, bethany ojalehto mays,PhD Enclosures: A.Detailed explanations of false statements: (1)PFAS are present in artificial turf,according to the consultant’s own research and testimony. (2)The product will therefore contribute to environmental PFAS contamination,according to the consultant’s own research and testimony. B.Results tables with summaries (from testing cited in the consultant’s research summary) C.Conflict of interest in relying on Haley &Aldrich for research on this topic D.Transcription of relevant portions of meeting 4 Another Planning Board’s evaluation of some of the research currently under review by the Ithaca Planning Boards: “The Planning Board read and listened to a number of experts and testimony on both sides of the issue;however,it is clear that the weight of the evidence –and indeed,the applicant’s own consultant –shows that PFAS will leach off the [proposed artificial turf]field and contaminate the groundwater and aquifer.The Planning Board considered all of the evidence,and finds the scientists warning of the PFAS contamination more credible.” -Town of Oak Bluffs Massachusetts,Office of the Planning Board,Notice of Decision,May 2,2022,p.10 5 Enclosure A:Detailed explanations of false statements (1)PFAS are present in artificial turf products according to the consultant’s own research and testimony,but the applicant and consultant falsely claimed that their product will “absolutely not”contain PFAS,and/or “there’s no reason to believe they would be there.” Town Planning Board member Caitlin Cameron asked,“Does this product that’s being speced for this application include PFAS in it?Does it have PFAS compounds in the product?” The applicant Kim Michaels answered:“Absolutely not.And Jay,can you please speak to that?” The consultant Jay Peters stated:“Right.It,it,(ahem)it,it,it likely has PVDF,[that] fluorinated polymer,because that is used to,um,I think help strengthen the blades.8 But, but,the PFAS,um,coatings,that I talked about,the non-polymers,they are not added to synthetic turf.So there’s no reason to believe they would be there.” The correct answer to Ms.Cameron’s question is yes,the product does include PFAS.At the moment of questioning,Mr.Peters conceded that the product “likely”contains PVDF,which falls under the fluoropolymer class of PFAS,but then immediately concluded,“there’s no reason to believe they would be there.”Perhaps he is claiming there’s no reason to believe that “non-polymer”PFAS would be there –but his own research cites testing to show that many non-polymer PFAS are detected in artificial turf (see Enclosure B).More to the point,Ms.Cameron asked whether PFAS would be present in the turf,not whether non-polymer PFAS would be present in the turf.PVDF is a PFAS compound.Thus,there is every reason to believe that PFAS will be present in the turf.On that basis alone,the consultant should have corrected Ms.Michael’s false claim (rather than saying “right”) and clarified for the public record that the answer to Ms.Cameron’s question is yes,the product contains PFAS. (As an aside:Some peer-reviewed scientific research challenges the consultant’s claim that PVDF is a “safer”PFAS because it is a “polymer.”This has also been noted in a public comment submitted to the Planning Board by Cornell’s Dr.Murray McBride,Emeritus Professor of Soil Chemistry.) 8 Other sources note that PVDF is used as the extrusion agent in the machinery during the manufacturing process.As Graham Peaslee,a professor of nuclear physics who studies PFAS compounds,explains in a 2019 article for The Intercept:“‘When you extrude plastic,it’s like a cookie cutter.’Without the PFAS,the rigid plastic used to make the turf durable clogged up the extruding machines that make the turf.‘So they added fluorochemicals and now it runs through the extruders just fine.’While other chemicals can also ease the turf-making process,“the fluorinated ones work the best,”said Peaslee,who likened the PFAS in turf to “chemical hitchhikers”that are left over from the processing rather than used as ingredients.”(See also scientists quoted in the 2022 Oak Bluffs Planning Board Decision on artificial turf.) 6 But the misstatement goes further than that.According to the consultant’s own research submission,the correct answer to Ms.Cameron’s question is yes,artificial turf includes at the very least 18-21 identified PFAS compounds,including non-polymers.Mr.Peters’own research summary cites two sets of tests,one by Tetratech and one by TRC Companies,that together report the presence of at least 21 separate PFAS compounds in artificial turf components from brand new materials,including both pre-and post-oxidizing treatments (oxidizing conditions are designed to simulate turf degradation under environmental conditions over time).Because they tested brand new materials,the results cannot be explained away through “general environmental contamination”or atmospheric deposition of PFAS,as Mr.Peters suggests at points in his testimony. Further deepening the confusion,the applicant and consultant provided internally contradictory responses to the Planning Board members’questions on PFAS.After asserting that their product would “absolutely not”include PFAS,Attorney Susan Brock asked whether the product would be manufactured using PFAS to extrude the plastics.Mr.Peters answered,“I can’t speak to the specifics of the machinery used and whether they’re using anything PFAS-related in that specific aspect of the manufacturing process.”This admission that Cornell University has not asked their manufacturer whether or not PFAS are used in the manufacturing process indicates that they cannot assert that their product will be PFAS-free. Understanding the limitations of cited test results Summaries of PFAS compounds detected in the Tetratech report and TRC Companies report cited in the Haley &Aldrich “research summary”co-authored by Mr.Peters are given in Enclosure B. Importantly,these tests were only able to measure a small portion of PFAS compounds (29 and 70, respectively,of nearly 15,000 PFAS compounds),so they could not prove the absence of other PFAS compounds.To address this,each study employed additional methods to estimate other compounds.Both showed positive results indicating the potential presence of other PFAS compounds.In any case,given that both sets of tests detected 25%of the PFAS compounds they were able to test,it strains credulity to assume that artificial turf would contain 0%of the thousands of other untested PFAS compounds. A further limitation is that some of the tests had high detection or reporting thresholds for PFAS.9 This is not a trivial point.Some of the TetraTech tests used detection thresholds that many would consider grossly inadequate for determinations of environmental significance. Even given these limitations,the testing reveals the presence of PFAS compounds in brand new products –a fact irreconcilable with Mr.Peters’testimony that “there is no reason to believe”that Cornell’s turf product would contain PFAS.A scientifically appropriate answer to Ms.Cameron’s 9 Many TetraTech reporting limits for PFAS compounds were hundreds or thousands of times higher than the EPA’s maximum contaminant levels of 4 or 10 ppt (for six regulated PFAS)–and recall that the EPA has declared the safe level of exposure to two of those compounds in drinking water as ZERO.Thus,many of the TetraTech results may be inadequate to speak to public health dangers of PFAS in artificial turf that could leach into water supplies.They also cannot prove that undetected PFAS compounds are not present in turf. 7 question would interpret the reports cited in the Haley &Aldrich research summary thus: “Yes,artificial turf products contain PFAS.The cited testing from TetraTech and TRC Companies confirmed the presence of at least 18-21 PFAS compounds at the detection limits specified.Only a small subset of PFAS compounds are currently able to be tested,so we cannot guarantee that turf does not contain other PFAS compounds.In fact,additional lines of testing pointed to the potential presence of other PFAS compounds.Also,due to elevated reporting levels in some cases,the results do not prove the absence of PFAS compounds that didn’t reach detection levels.”10 Interpreting the significance of PFAS contamination in artificial turf Perhaps the consultant and applicant would submit that they misspoke:perhaps what they meant to say was that their artificial turf product will “absolutely not”contain PFAS at levels above “background”soil contamination or at levels that their sources deem dangerous.In their testimony to the Portsmouth County Council,that was how FieldTurf interpreted the results of the very same TRC study cited here:“FieldTurf cited the TRC testing and emphasized their conclusion that ‘a limited number of PFAS in the synthetic turf components does not represent a human health risk.’” Note the contrast with Mr.Peters’claim that there are no (non-polymer?)PFAS in artificial turf. If so,their misstatements still require public correction.But it is wholly inadequate and dangerous to argue that PFAS pollution from turf should be considered negligible because it is similar to “background”levels of contamination.First,true background levels of PFAS are zero:PFAS are human-made.Second,background contamination levels are unsafe.11 Remember:In 2024,the EPA declared that the safe level of PFOA and PFOS in water is ZERO,not “whatever the background levels of pollution are.”Finally,this logic takes prior industry pollution as evidence that further industry pollution is warranted.Such a standard locks us into a positive feedback loop: the more that industry pollutes our land,the higher the “background levels”will be,and the more industries will be allowed to pollute.One should not rely on such faulty pro-industry reasoning when considering the risk of further PFAS contamination in an already polluted world. While the narrative given in each report consistently dismisses PFAS compounds in turf as negligible,this depends upon the interpreter and the standard of safety used.Both the existing (now outdated)NY State standards for surface water and the new EPA standards for drinking water would treat these findings as very relevant indeed:all PFAS compounds detected in the TRC Companies report exceeded both sets of water protection limits,as did several of the PFAS compounds detected in the TetraTech report.Once again:the EPA has declared the safe level of exposure to PFOA and PFOS in drinking water as ZERO.If New York State follows the new science 11 It would be informative to gather baseline information on PFAS contamination in Ithaca’s own soils and waters. 10 Unlike Mr.Peters,the authors of the Tetratech report make all these points:“PFAS may be present in the synthetic turf components,but at concentrations below the MDLs (method detection limits)achieved by the laboratory.”They cite another limitation:“The detection limits achieved by the laboratory were elevated” (problematic)because of characteristics of the sample materials (p.8).Also,“there are many PFAS compounds,and laboratory analysis can only be performed on a small subset of PFAS compounds”(p.8). 8 by the EPA that there is no safe level,it follows that the State and Ithaca should not add any additional PFAS to our environment. The EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs)for PFAS could have implications for projects that may compromise ground and surface water.Mr.Peters himself points out in an industry explainer that “many states and the EPA apply MCLs as groundwater protection standards…This means that even if the groundwater at a site undergoing remedial investigation is not used as a public water supply,regulators may evaluate PFAS in groundwater relative to the MCLs —and then expect response actions if the MCLs are exceeded.”The EPA recently issued MCLs for six PFAS compounds at 4 or 10 ppt,meaning that those levels could become the basis for groundwater protection screening limits and regulatory action.(Currently,New York’s screening levels for PFOS and PFOA in surface water are both lower than 10 ppt but higher than the EPA standards –New York’s levels are considered outdated in light of the EPA’s 2024 guidance.) While the authors of the TetraTech and TRC Companies reports consistently interpret their PFAS findings as negligible,others find them of significant concern.Other municipalities (such as Oak Bluffs in Martha’s Vineyard)who reviewed these same reports decided not to install artificial turfs. These boards did not buy an interpretation that dismissed as negligible (for instance)a finding of PFOS in artificial turf 34 times higher than the EPA maximum contaminant level for drinking water. Citing extensive public comments submitted by independent experts and scientists,the Oaks Bluff Board of Health concluded that PFAS will leach off the fields,degrading drinking water,and that this will become more pronounced over time.The Board decided to ban artificial turf to protect water quality from harmful,long-lasting PFAS chemicals.One board member stated:“It was basically all about water quality.” In the specific case of Cornell:The applicant has given us no reason to expect that PFAS profiles like the ones detected by TetraTech and TRC Companies will not be present in Cornell’s specified materials.Indeed,PFAS compounds were detected in every AT component tested:plastic grass blades,infill,shock pad,and bonding agents.It would be surprising –to say the least –if Cornell University had managed to specify singularly unique materials that are uniformly free of PFAS, unlike the materials tested by the reports cited in their own consultants’research summary submitted to Planning Boards in support of their project.Furthermore,Cornell has not yet decided whether they will use tire crumb or virgin rubber infill,nor have they asked whether their own manufacturer uses PFAS. (2)The product will contribute to environmental PFAS contamination. Town PB member Caitlin Cameron:“Okay.Does the uh,installation of more artificial turf contribute to the PFAS issue in,within the environment generally?I mean,you talked about how it’s already there in the environment,in the air,in the water.Does artificial turf generally,not just this project,contribute to that environmental PFAS?” 9 Jay Peters:“No.” Kim Michaels:[*“Go ahead Jay”*] Jay Peters:“No it does not.” It follows that the consultant’s response to Mr.Cameron’s next question was also false.First, the consultant conceded that turf contains PVDF,a PFAS compound.Second,his own cited test results show that turf contains many other PFAS compounds,including non-polymers.It is indisputable that artificial turf fields shed many tons of materials into the environment.On that basis alone,artificial turf will contribute to the PFAS issue within the environment. Beyond that,the TetraTech results cited in Mr.Peters’own research summary tested for theoretical stormwater loading of PFAS from one proposed artificial turf field,in order to calculate “the total mass of these compounds that may be released to the environment with stormwater flows over time”(p.11).Assuming a 2.42 acre turf field and 45 inches of total precipitation per year,they found a stormwater loading for PFAS of 12 ppt for the six regulated PFAS compounds in Massachusetts (see TetraTech Appendix C,p.280 of 281).This corresponds to an estimated leakage of .000295 pounds of PFAS per year (see TetraTech Table,p.25 of 281).Analytical chemist Dr.Mello explained to the Planning Board that these results “clearly indicate that the components of this proposed artificial turf field installation are likely to discharge measurable amounts of PFAS into stormwater…it is likely that UV exposed samples would yield higher PFAS results to these same tests.Based on their own [the applicant’s consultants’]testing,it is essentially known that at least some significantly measurable PFAS will leach off these brand new artificial turf field components into stormwater and into your aquifer.What is unknown is how much PFAS will leach off the field components after they are exposed to sunlight for years and the PVDF-HFP coating increasingly degrades”(p.9 of 32,emphasis added). Further,the manufacturing of artificial turf fields uses PFAS compounds including PVDF,as alluded to by Mr.Peters.The production of PVDF is well known for causing environmental PFAS contamination.As the author of two recent explainers on PFAS regulation risks to industry,Mr. Peters may be aware that “a well-known case where this occurs is the release of processing aids during the manufacture of some fluoropolymers (such as PTFE,FEP,PFA,PVDF,and some fluoroelastomers).”Artificial turf fields do contribute to environmental PFAS contamination during the manufacturing process.It would also contribute to PFAS contamination during disposal in landfills or alleged “recycling.”As Jay Peters himself goes on to explain in response to Ms.Cameron’s next question,major sources of PFAS contamination include industry release of PFAS chemicals in manufacturing,recycling,and from landfills.Artificial turf would be included in all those sources across its life cycle. According to his own research summary and spoken testimony,then,the correct answer to the Planning Board member’s question is that artificial turf will introduce PFAS into the environment during its manufacturing,use,and disposal.Jay Peters may dispute whether that PFAS 10 contamination reaches hazardous levels,as he does in his research summary,but he cannot claim that artificial turf will not contribute to PFAS in the environment. Summary To summarize,the applicant and the consultant contradicted their own research summary by claiming that their product will “absolutely not”contain any PFAS and/or that there is “no reason to believe they would be there,”and that therefore their product will not contribute to PFAS environmental contamination.According to the consultant’s own research summary,the artificial turf product will contain known quantities of at least 18-21 tested PFAS compounds,and could contain unknown quantities of other PFAS compounds that were either not tested,or did not exceed industry’s chosen detection thresholds.The consultant conceded that they have not interrogated their manufacturer’s PFAS practices.Neither has the applicant decided which infill to use.Because the consultant’s own research summary demonstrates PFAS in artificial turf,and because his testimony concedes that major sources of environmental PFAS come from landfills and manufacturing facilities that use PFAS (both include artificial turf),the reasonable conclusion is that artificial turf will also contribute to PFAS environmental pollution. Beyond this,the applicant cannot yet provide definitive estimates of the amount of PFAS compounds in their product or extent of environmental PFAS contamination,because they have not decided which infill they will use (recycled tire crumb or virgin rubber infill),have not announced which product brands they will use,nor have they asked their manufacturer about the use of PFAS in the manufacturing process. In closing:The accurate answer to Ms.Cameron’s questions,according to the consultant’s own research summary,is yes: Yes,the product does contain PFAS. Yes,the product will contribute to environmental PFAS more generally. 11 Enclosure B.Results Tables with Summaries (from testing cited in the consultant’s research summary) Results Table from TRC Companies Technical Memorandum,with summary The table below (Table 2,Comparison of Risk-Based Screening Levels with Detected PFAS Concentrations)shows that 18 individual PFAS compounds were identified in artificial turf components (carpet,pad,infill). Of the 70 individual PFAS compounds that could be tested,over 25%were detected in artificial turf.This includes multiple non-polymer PFAS compounds,such as PFHxA,PFOS,and HFPO-DA. PFAS compounds were detected in every artificial turf component.The testing used materials samples direct from the manufacturer, including pre-and post-oxidation treatment to simulate environmental conditions. Every PFAS compound detected exceeded reference limits for both drinking water (set by the EPA)and surface water (set by NY), often hundreds or thousands of times over.Because not all PFAS are currently regulated,I followed the TRC report’s “conservative method”of using PFOS levels as a surrogate screening level for as-yet-unregulated PFAS.(Results are the same if PFOA [NY surface water] or PFNA [EPA drinking water]is used as the surrogate.) Additionally,two of the 18 PFAS compounds exceed NY’s Guidance on PFAS in soil/groundwater protection.(Results are again the same if PFOA is used as the surrogate instead of PFOS.) Some PFAS compounds were present at extremely high levels.For instance,PPF Acid (or PFPrA)was detected in the infill pre-treatment at 41 ng/g,or 41,000 ppt,thousands of times higher than PFAS regulations for soil and water. Of the six PFAS compounds regulated by the EPA for drinking water,three (50%)were detected in artificial turf,all at levels exceeding maximum contaminant levels (MCLs).After the time of this testing (2022),the EPA (in 2024)established enforceable maximum contaminant levels (MCL)for six PFAS compounds in drinking water.This is a standard that many states may apply as groundwater protection standards.The MCLs are 4 ppt (PFOS,PFOA)or 10 ppt (HFPO-DA,PFNA,PFHxS)(PFBS levels are regulated using a different metric).Three of those six PFAS compounds were detected in artificial turf: ●HFPO-DA was found in the post-treatment carpet and shockpad at .515 ng/g and .526 ng/g,or 515 and 526 ppt,respectively, more than 50 times higher than the EPA’s new enforceable MCL for HFPO-DA in drinking water (which is 10 ppt). 12 ●PNFA was found in the pre-treatment shockpad at .0444 ng/g,or 44 ppt,more than 4 times higher than the EPA’s new enforceable MCL for PFNA in drinking water (which is 10 ppt). ●PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid)was detected in the post-treatment carpet at .135 ng/g,or 135 ppt,nearly 34 times higher than the EPA’s new MCL for PFOS in drinking water.According to TURI in 2020,“PFOS is a long-chain PFAS that is no longer manufactured in the US due to concerns about health and environmental effects”(p.4). The results also show that when summed,six particular PFAS compounds exceed various reference health limits.“Total PFCA” gives a sum of 6 PFAS compounds.Totals in the carpet,pad,and infill ranged from .2 to .37 ng/g,or 200 to 370 ppt.It is unclear why these particular 6 compounds were summed.For loose reference,their sum is 10-18 times higher than the MA limit of 20 ppt (the sum of 6 different PFAS compounds)for drinking water and groundwater cleanup. In addition to the table below,a non-targeted QTOF-MS analysis was used to "determine if 'other'PFAS were present,"given that the only 70 PFAS compounds were tested of thousands that exist.This analysis provided qualitative estimations of presumptive positives for 24 other separate compounds,but only one compound could be identified.(Refer to Tables 2-7 in the TRC Companies Technical Memorandum Appendix.)According to a Cornell University Professor of Chemistry,the description of methodology and results is insufficient to conclude whether the 24 peaks may correspond to PFAS or non-PFAS compounds.Given that the stated purpose of the non-targeted QTOF-MS analysis was to identify other PFAS compounds,it would have been helpful if the memorandum had noted whether or not these 24 peaks could be expected to correspond to PFAS compounds. The combined results from TRC Companies Technical Memorandum allow us to conclude that at least 18 individually identified PFAS compounds are present in artificial turf,including three regulated PFAS compounds that were detected at levels exceeding the new EPA regulations for drinking water,while qualitative estimation techniques reveal 24 peaks that could potentially be “other” unknown PFAS compounds. 13 14 Results Tables from TetraTech,with summary The tables below (Tables 1-3,Laboratory Analytical Data Summaries for three different testing methods)show that 7 individual PFAS compounds were identified in artificial turf components (grass carpet,infill,shock pad,two glue/bonding agents). PFAS compounds were detected in every artificial turf component.Test samples were direct from the manufacturer,including pre- and post-oxidation treatment to simulate environmental conditions. Of the 29 individual PFAS compounds that could be tested,about 25%(7)were detected in artificial turf:PFPeA,6:2FTS,PFHpA, PFOA,PFBA,PFDS,and PFHxA.This includes multiple non-polymer PFAS compounds,such as PFHxA,PFOA,and PFBA. (Three PFAS were additional to those detected in the TRC Companies Study:6:2FTS,PFOA or Perfluorooctanoic acid,and PFDS or perfluorodecane sulfonic acid,bringing the total count of individual PFAS compounds detected across both studies to 21.Additionally, PVDF was noted in Mr.Peters’testimony and other sources,but was not evident in testing results,bringing the total to 22.) Many of these results are limited by high laboratory reporting limits (RL):the testing was not sensitive enough to detect PFAS with high confidence.In both Tables 1 and 3,laboratory reporting limits were much higher than various limits for PFAS in drinking or surface water.For example,laboratory reporting limits for PFOA and PFOS for the turf component in Table 1 were 3.08 ng/g,or 3080 ppt.(The method detection limit or MDL is not reported.)By contrast,the EPA’s new MCL for PFOA and PFOS is 4 ppt.That means the test’s reporting limit was 770 times higher than the EPA’s maximum contaminant level for drinking water,a standard that many states may apply as groundwater protection standards.The reporting limits were even higher for Table 3.This means that regulated PFAS may be present at levels that would require regulation for water protection,but simply cannot be detected by the test.The authors note:“PFAS may be present in the synthetic turf components,but at concentrations below the MDLs (method detection limit)achieved by the laboratory”(p. 11).Due to the high reporting limits,many PFAS reported are estimated values. Despite the limitations of the tests,two of the six PFAS compounds regulated by Massachusetts were detected in artificial turf, and one of the six PFAS compounds regulated by the EPA’s new maximum contaminant levels (MCL)for drinking water was detected: 15 ●PFOA was detected in the turf,shockpad,and bond at .471,.403,and .395 ng/l,respectively (1 ng/l =1 ppt),at concentrations below the EPA’s new MCL for drinking water (which is 4 ppt)(See Table 2). ●PFHpA was detected in the turf,shockpad,and infill at .545,1.00,and 5.01 ng/l,respectively (1 ng/l =1 ppt)(Table 2).It was also detected at high concentrations in the post-oxidized infill at 20.4 ng/g,or 20,400 ppt (Table 3).The latter concentrations exceed Massachusetts maximum contaminant levels for PFHpA by more than a thousand times:PFHpA is regulated as one of 6 PFAS compounds whose sum cannot exceed 20 ppt. ●PFBA was detected in all five of the oxidized synthetic turf components at concentrations ranging from 2.11 ng/g to 28.7 ng/g,or 2110 to 28,700 ppt.(See Table 3)These concentrations are thousands of times higher than the new EPA MCLs for other PFAS compounds. ●Other as-yet-unregulated PFAS compounds are reported at high levels.For instance,6:2FTS was detected in the bond at .848 ng/g,or 848 ppt (Table 1).PFPeA was detected in turf and infill at .148 and .455 ng/g,or 148 and 455 ppt,respectively (Table 1). It was also detected in the oxidized bonding agent at 6.08 ng/g,or 6080 ppt (Table 3).These concentrations are hundreds or thousands of times higher than new EPA MCLs for PFAS compounds like PFOA and PFOS. An additional line of evidence from fluorine testing indicated the potential presence of other PFAS compounds from the “larger PFAS universe”(see Table 1).This testing was designed to address the fact that “laboratory analysis can only be performed on a small subset of PFAS compounds”(29 in this case)(p.11).The authors suggest that results from the fluorine test were equivocal,noting either that there may be additional “unregulated PFAS compounds”or that fluorine “may source from non-PFAS components of the materials”(p. 17 of 281).Other authorities such as the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI)and the Ecology Center would interpret the results to mean that other PFAS compounds are present in the turf,interpreting “fluorine atoms as an indicator of the presence of PFAS chemicals”and describing fluorine tests as giving “a total signal for all of the PFAS that are present in products as opposed to just the 30 or so that they are now able to identify and test for individually.”In fact,the Horsley Witten Group reviewed the TetraTech report and clarified the findings: “Given the detection of TOF,it is likely that PFAS related compounds beyond the list of 24 are present in the materials tested”and “indicate a currently unquantifiable potential for PFAS contamination”(p.14,emphases in original). The combined results from this TetraTech’s testing methods allow us to conclude that at least 7 individually identified PFAS compounds are present in artificial turf,including regulated PFAS compounds,and an additional line of evidence suggested the presence of other PFAS compounds.Some of the test results were limited by elevated laboratory reporting limits,so cannot rule out the presence of undetected PFAS. 16 17 18 19 Enclosure C:Conflict of interest in relying on Haley &Aldrich for research on this topic As public commenters including myself have noted,the Haley &Aldrich consultants have a conflict of interest in assessing the health and environmental impacts of artificial turf fields,because they are paid by industry polluters to engage in risk assessment strategies that serve “their operations, their reputation,and their bottom line.”The lead author on the research summary submitted to the Planning Boards advocates for less stringent pollution regulations that favor more “reasonable business responses”in cases such as defending coal ash for the American Coal Ash Association.His biography states that he views “risk assessment as a tool for providing options to manage remedial liabilities”in order “to negotiate better outcomes for his clients.”As a firm,Haley &Aldrich is clear that their goals for business clients are to “[find]ways to reduce costs and lessen environmental liability so the property can ultimately contribute to positive cash flow.” Noting such conflicts of interest involved in paid consultant’s testimony before planning boards, advocates involved in the Portsmouth debate on artificial turf have observed:“The city should seriously consider that the guidance they are getting on these matters is biased toward the synthetic turf and chemical industry and act accordingly.” It is irresponsible for Cornell University and the Ithaca Planning Boards to assume that Haley & Aldrich consultants are well positioned to provide an impartial,credible,and comprehensive review of the health and environmental impacts of artificial turf.It is likewise irresponsible to exclusively cite the Haley &Aldrich consultant in issuing a negative declaration of environmental assessment, on the basis of a Full Environmental Assessment Form that cites Mr.Peters to justify repeated conclusions of no adverse environmental impact.Note that this heavy reliance on the applicant’s consultant is not the practice of other Planning Boards such as Oak Bluffs in Martha’s Vineyard,who incorporated and acted upon independent scientific expertise. Enclosure D:Transcription of Relevant Portion of Meeting PARTIAL TRANSCRIPTION of THE JULY 2 TOWN PLANNING BOARD MEETING Available on YouTube Transcribed by bethany ojalehto mays,to reasonable level of accuracy [*Inaudible portions of transcript are given in brackets with asterisks,with best guess*] [Sections of discussion that are summarized rather than precisely quoted are also given in brackets] 20 PFAS DISCUSSION Starting at 48:44: Town PB member Caitlin Cameron:“Yes.I have a couple of questions,first related to the PFAS,uh, aspect of things.I guess my first question is,does the –does this product that’s being speced for this application include PFAS in it?Does it have PFAS compounds [*inaudible:involved?*]in the product?” 49:12:Kim Michaels:“Absolutely not.No.And Jay,will you please speak to that?” Jay Peters:“Right.It,it,(ahem)it,it,it likely has PVDF,[*that*]fluorinated polymer,because that is used to,um,I think help strengthen the blades.But,but,the PFAS,um,coatings,that I talked about, the non-polymers,they are not added to synthetic turf.So there’s no reason to believe they would be there.” Town PB member Caitlin Cameron:“Okay.Does the uh,installation of more artificial turf contribute to the PFAS issue in,within the environment generally?I mean,you talked about how it’s already there in the environment,in the air,in the water.Does artificial turf generally,not just this project, contribute to that environmental PFAS?” Jay Peters:“No.” Kim Michaels:[*“Go ahead Jay”*] Jay Peters:“No it does not.” Town PB member Caitlin Cameron:“Where is it coming from then?” Jay Peters:“Where is the PFAS coming from that’s,like,in the environment?” Town PB member Caitlin Cameron:“Yeah.Mmhmm.” Jay Peters:“The PFAS that’s in the environment is,is,well it’s in ground water because it’s coming out of landfills,it’s coming out of septic systems,um,it’s,it’s coming out of releases where industries were specifically using those PFAS chemicals,um,it’s in surface water largely because it’s coming out of wastewater treatment plants,it’s in air because uh,um,places that are using those PFAS surfactants,or manufacturing them are releasing those air emissions.And it’s all over the soil because it’s in the air and thus in the rainwater,and so it’s kind of spread everywhere.” Town PB member Caitlin Cameron:“Okay.So then,my understanding is that there’s some kind of state legislature that was passed related to PFAS that goes into effect 2026…” 21 Attorney Susan Brock:“Yes.So at the very end of 2026,um,it says that,um,so on and after December 31 2026:“No carpet (and the way carpet is defined includes AT)sold or offered for sale in the state shall contain or be treated with PFAS substances for any purpose.” Caitlin Cameron:“Thank you for that.So it sounds like this application,even though that legislation is not currently in effect,this project would meet that law it sounds like.” Kim Michaels:“Yes.And Jay,feel free to…” Jay Peters:“Yes.That,that’s correct.” Caitlin Cameron:“Okay,thank you.” [Summary of discussion:Last question.Some discussion around procedural question:When there is a law that’s been passed but doesn’t go into effect yet,and there’s also NY state legislation active around a moratorium on turf,when there are things pending but not in effect,how should those affect our reasoning?Are we able to consider that level of potential legislation?Attorney Susan Brock mentions a small percentage of laws are passed,and some are vetoed by governor,so unless it’s adopted and goes into effect I don’t think you should base your decision on that.This law that we’re talking about actually is in effect at the end of this year,and there are different kinds of actions because it covers more than just the ban on PFAS,and there are a whole series of dates coming up after this year when various things need to happen,and one of those in the list is this PFAS ban at the end of 2026.So the law itself has been passed,has been signed,and goes into effect at the end of this year.That’s from the DEC website.]Caitlin Cameron pauses her questions. Town Planning Board Chair:“I know something Susan wants to….something that was said…” [55:00]Attorney Susan Brock:“Yeah.So going back to um,Mr.Peters,for a minute,this is a follow up to Caitlin’s questions about whether PFAS is present,um,in the turf.And again,this is based off on something that was in one of the public comments,and I know I made this other comment about a public comment on indoor natural grass,and now this one,I’m not trying to say whether they’re accurate or inaccurate,I don’t know.You know.But I feel it’s important when there’s something that’s been said,that relates,that you know that it be addressed,on the record. “So you said that it’s not added.Just putting aside,my,the fact that it might,um,contain PFAS that comes from rain,water,uh,or soil deposition or whatever,it’s not added.And I think one of the public comments said that PFAS is needed for some of the machinery,so maybe it’s not intentionally added to the blades,the plastic blades,but that it’s on the machinery that’s making the blades so it ends up contaminating the blades basically with PFAS.I believe that was what one of the public comments said.I don’t know if anyone else remembers that? 22 So I just wanted to ask you to address that,whether that is an accurate statement about the manufacturing process.And whether,as Cornell receives these um carpets,or you know artificial turf,before any exposure to the natural environment,whether just purely through the manufacturing process,while added intentionally or not,whether those will contain any PFAS.” Jay Peters:“So I can’t speak to the specifics of,ahem,the machinery used and whether they’re using anything PFAS-related in that specific aspect of the manufacturing process.However, turf that is going to be sent to,if the project is approved,to the university,can be tested before it’s received,to understand if there’s any PFAS in it.” [Silence] Town Planning Board member Caitlin Cameron:“Is that a standard procedure?” Jay Peters:“It is something that increasingly that,um,that institutions that are installing synthetic turf are asking for,basically for laboratory evidence to be provided that there’s no,um,that um,that there’s not a,um,there’s no levels of PFAS in it.” Planning Board member:“Is that something we want to ask to have happen,or recommend that to the City? Planning Board Chair:“It’s our decision” Planning Board member:“My initial reaction is yes,um…” Planning Board chair:“We can certainly add that to,while Chris is writing things up…in terms of our comments to the City. Planning Board member Caitlin Cameron:“It feels like a moot point if it’s going to be in the environment…Yeah,I question how valuable that testing is if if the PFAS is already in the environment.I’d go along and ask for that if that’s important…” Planning Board member:“I guess without doing any research I would suggest that we don’t recommend that they require that there be zero PFAS anywhere,but,testing for sort of above a threshold of what is normally found in the environment,that would indicate…” Planning Board chair:“Also remember,all we’re doing is recommending…We can certainly ask if we think it’s appropriate.” [Discussion ensues on microplastics and water filtration] 1 Chris Balestra From:CJ Randall <cjrandall@townithacany.gov> Sent:Thursday, July 11, 2024 8:37 AM To:Abby Homer; Chris Balestra Subject:Fw: Plastic turf field For PB From: Daniel Keough <danielkeough@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2024 5:18 PM To: TownPlan@town.ithaca.ny.us <TownPlan@town.ithaca.ny.us>; CJ Randall <cjrandall@townithacany.gov> Subject: Plastic turf field **WARNING** This email comes from an outside source. Please verify the from address, any URL links, and/or attachments. Any questions please contact the IT department Please say "no" to the outdoor plastic turf field. *Negative respiratory health impacts on players, coaches *Negative health impacts on joints bodies of players running, falling on the turf *Negative impacts on our water quality, *Negative impacts to our overall environment, including adding significant material to our landfill with turf ripped up and thrown away every 8-10 years in perpetuity in a time where we are no longer in 1970, oblivious to waste. -- Daniel Keough 1 Chris Balestra From:Yayoi Koizumi <yayoi@zerowasteithaca.org> Sent:Wednesday, July 10, 2024 11:12 PM To:Chris Balestra Cc:bethany ojalehto mays Subject:Re: 7-16-2024 Town Planning Board meeting **WARNING** This email comes from an outside source. Please verify the from address, any URL links, and/or attachments. Any questions please contact the IT department Thank you for this, Chris. The town planning board's "draft" decision on the field house is extremely disappointing and pathetic. The board's discussion last time was disappointingly unenlightening. Thankfully, we have a recording of the entire proceeding. Did we hear correctly that the chair referred to our petition with over 1,000 signatures as "a popularity contest"? Now, I noticed the public comments are scheduled at the beginning of the meeting. Should we expect that every single person will be interrupted like in the previous meeting? Yayoi On Wed, Jul 10, 2024 at 12:10 PM Chris Balestra <CBalestra@townithacany.gov> wrote: Hi Bethany and Yayoi, Attached are the agenda and the materials for the July 16, 2024, Town of Ithaca Planning Board agenda. Feel free to call or email me with questions. Cheers, Chris Christine Balestra, Senior Planner Town of Ithaca Planning Department 215 North Tioga Street Ithaca, NY 14850 Ph: (607) 273-1721, ext.121 My name is Joe Wilson. I live in Ellis Hollow and attend outdoor Cornell athletics. I coached football, lacrosse & baseball at the high school, Division I and Division III level for several years before serving as an elected and appointed public office. I practiced law in California for 16 years. I have eight years of current planning board experience in the Town of Dryden. The documents before you from Cornell and the public raise serious questions about the significance of the negative impacts of installing artificial turf fields on the Cornell campus. That is, if the facts are true about the impacts as characterized by the opponents and the apparent contradictions in the Cornell consultant’s report are taken at face value, the magnitude of the potential negative environmental impacts are moderate to large—as the term is used under the State’s Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), their duration is long-term to irreversible and their likelihood is probable to inevitable. In SEQRA terms, these make the potential negative impacts “significant”. Given this, it is your duty to give the installation of artificial turf a Positive Declaration under SEQRA. As you know, that will trigger the Environmental Impact Statement process. The good news is that an EIS outlines the status of the environment in the affected areas, provides a baseline for understanding the potential consequences of the proposal, gives more specificity to the positive and negative effects for the environment, and offers alternative actions to be taken to reduce the potential negative impacts. I happen to know from personal experience with Cornell’s first Maplewood Project that an EIS can result in major improvements to a project. Other good news is that the work on your side can be done by one or more consultants of your own choosing—neither one representing Cornell or the opponents of the project. The consultant’s work will be at Cornell’s expense—not yours. Given the SEQRA significance of the artificial turf installations, a Positive Declaration and an EIS will serve everyone involved well. Thank you for your interest and attention.