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01/16/2008 .. ~ ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD. CITY OF CLEARWATER WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 in the MSB Conference # 130@ 4:00pm Present: D. Michael Flanery Richard Packman Joseph A. Calio Ron Gregory Ed Chesney Nan Bennett Veronica Josef Anna Fusari Chair Board Member Board Member Board Member Also Present: Environmental Manager ' Asst. Director Public Utilities Senior Staff Assistant Citizen Absent : Leslie Dougall Sides Asst. City Attorney II APPROVED Ed Chesney, Environmental Manager called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. in the MSB Building, Conference Room # 130. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 1. CITIZENS COMMENTS None 2. Utility Presentation - Nan Bennett, Assistant Director of Public Utilities Nan Bennett gave a brief talk on the "Declaration of Cooperation" with the Tampa Bay Nitrogen Management Consortium. The Nitrogen Consortium Group is working on discharge levels and trying to come up with reasonable assurances for the FDEP and EPA. They are asking all the cities and municipalities support their approach.The following are some reasons why do we need to reduce nitrogen level in Tampa bay: Restoration of Seagrass Restoration of seagrass habitat a top priority and goal of the Estuary Program. Environmental scientist agree that submerged seagrass is among the most important habitats as it serves as shelter, nursery and food source for a diverse variety of species and stabilizes the bay bottom. The key to restoring sea grass is improving and then maintaining adequate water quality and clarity that allows light to penetrate into the shallow waters of the bay where seagrasses grow. Maintain Water Clarity The key to maintaining water clarity is preventing excessive nitrogen a nutrient necessary for plant growth from entering the bay and stimulating the growth of microscopic algae that clouds the water and prevents light from reaching the seagrasses. Over the last 50 years algae blooms and fish kills were common and 50% of the seagrass in the bay died as a result of insufficient light. Unregulated dredge and fill operations contributed to the problem by further clouding the water. Environmental Advisory 1.16.08 , . .. Stormwater and waste water treatment systems both attempt to remove nitrogen. We have limits on how many pounds of nitrogen can be discharged per day. In 2002 FDEP concluded that Tampa Bay Estuary Program's nitrogen management strategy provided reasonable assurance that the state water quality for nutrients would be met. Both FDEP's reasonable assurance determination and the total maximum nitrogen recognized by EPA are based on statically modeling and data analyses done by the Estuary Program and its partners. EPA is still requiring FDEP to take steps to further allocate individual point and non point permitted discharge sources and to allocate what portion can be given to every single permit tee. This particular effort supports the Declaration of Cooperation. Nan Bennett stated that Public Utilities work cooperatively to help provide those allocations to FDEP. For the next 18 months the Nitrogen Management Consortium is producing a reasonable assurance document that will be based on assessment and allocation report. The partners further commit to develop an equitable allocation of responsibility for achieving nitrogen reduction target. The members further agree in the Declaration of Cooperation that after the nitrogen loads are accepted in final form by FDEP and EPA which will be the basis of our permitting of discharges for both industrial and municipal facilities. To ensure recovery of vital seagrass habitat and the successful nitrogen management strategy that makes it possible, local governments, agencies and industry members of the Nitrogen Management Consortium declare their intent to work together over the next 18 months to provide FDEP with an updated reasonable assurance document, ensuring that state water quality criteria for nutrients will continue to be met by the bay. 3. USF Evaluation Ed Chesney stated that Sandra Kling from USF is now officially working as an intern with the City of Clearwater and working on Greenhouse Gas Inventory which is directly to the US Mayors Conference. EPA has developed a software that Cities can use. An action plan will be written based on the Greenhouse Gas Inventory. 4. UPDATE ON ALTERNATE MEMBER FOR THE EAB Ed Chesney announced that Member Sandra Jamieson has officially resigned from the Environmental Advisory Board and will have Veronica Josef to contact Official Records to proceed with the process for Citizen Anna Fusari's application to be appointed as a new EAB board member. 5. DISCUSSION ITEMS Member Joe Calio suggested that the following items EAB needs to focus for 2008 a. City Council directions given on December 6th 2007 The EAB was asked to go over the USF recommendations and evaluate projects that would benefit the city. Council Work Session to be scheduled for the EAB to go over the recommendations. EAB has decided to dedicate the next two meetings to go over the USF report and would present the recommendations to the City Council. Recommendations tie into the US Conference of Mayors initiatives in which the EAB is involved. In June 2007, EAB recommended the Mayor to sign the "US Conference of Mayors" with the following recommendation" Upon review of the environmental aspects of the "U.S Conference of Mayors Best Practice Guide" EAB is developing a Work Plan for the City of Clearwater, and supports the City of Clearwater signing the "U.S. Mayor Climate Protection Agreement". Environmental Advisory 1.16-08 2 . , b. Environmental Website At the request of the EAB, Public Communications gave a presentation and what they could do for the EAB. Content for the website Name for the webpage Topics and postings This webpage will be managed and built by the City, but its content and updating is to be done by the EAB. Discussion took place on prioritizing USF initiatives and how EAB can help to expedite a plan for the City on the following: I. Green City a. Inventory Sustainable Initiatives b. Florida Green City Certification (Job in progress by Sara Josuns, Environmental Specialist) c. Stake Holder Engagement d. Role of Education II. Innovation of New Projects a. Solar Park b. Community Gardens c. Adopt a Pond d. Sustainable Wastewater Residuals III. Transportation a. Vehicle, Ecology & Economics Member Ron Gregory stated that the City's Head of Vehicle Maintenance has been conducting a detailed study on fuel efficiency and have the results on the analysis and maintenance costs for various preliminary utility car hybrids and police cars hybrids. b. Sustainable options for traveling c. Bicycle sharing IV. Energy & Buildings a. Energy Management b. Sustainable Buildings c. Green House Gas - Inventory (Job in progress by USF Student Sandra Kling) d. Benchmark to judge Kyoto Attainment V. Pinellas County Green Initiatives a. Green Building Coalition - Can City implement b. Recommend adoption by City c. LEEDS to indicate incentives by City to "head on line" Member Ron Gregory suggested that recommendations be made to: Citywide department to place priority on partnership with Pinellas County in developing and supporting green sustainable developments with incentives and flexible development principals. Identify key people Recommendations to be made to Parks & Recreation on Community Gardens Environmental Advisory 1-16-08 3 6 ' Establish Agenda Prepare a presentation to City Council ",. Date of next meeting The next EAB meeting will be a Work Session, Wednesday, January 23rd , 2008 at 4:00 pm. q. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 6:00 p.m. 2/70/0 Y . D. Ichael Flannery. Chair Environmental Advisory Board Dated Attest: VW()(\J\'~ 1:o~~ Veronica Josef Senior Staff Assistant d- \ ~oloR- Dated Environmental Advisory 1-16-08 4