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2010 Annual Report

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STAFF REPORT
Town Council, September 16, 2010

Environmental Advisory Board Annual Report (AD11-004)
Consideration of the annual report from the Environmental Advisory Board
Speaker:  Mr. Oliver Pau

Prepared by:  Environmental Advisory Board, Chair Oliver Pau, and Staff Liaison Emily Barrett, Sustainability Manager
Approved by:  Benjamin T. Shivar, Town Manager
Approved by:  Michael J. Bajorek, Assistant Town Manager

Executive Summary:  Council requested that all Town boards and commissions make an annual report to the Town Council.  This report details the activities of the Environmental Advisory Board (EAB).

Background:  Council established the EAB on March 13, 2008.  The Environmental Advisory Board is made up of nine members.  Members are appointed from the community at large, technical/professional and affiliate partner institutions.  Current members, along with their appointment category, interest and/or expertise and personal and/or professional affiliations are listed below:

Name Appt Type
 Interest/Technical Expertise
 Personal/Professional Affiliation
Elizabeth Adams
At large
Air quality, watershed protection, and reducing sprawl  UNC Institute for the Environment, Black Creek Watershed Association 
Judith Analco, Vice Chair  Technical Expert
Human exposure and infectious disease outbreaks  EnviroKey, LLP 
Ed Clayton  Partner
Recycling and waste reduction  IBM Project Manager/ Electrical Engineer (retired), Sierra Club 
Stephen Johnston  Technical Expert
Energy and public utility economics  Veritas Economic Consulting, LLC 
Dan McFarland  Technical Expert   Energy efficient building  Southern Energy Management 
Kellie Milam  Technical Expert   Agricultural biotech  Bayer Crop Science 
Robert Myer  Partner
Landscape architect/ green contracting  Skanska USA Building 
Oliver Pau, Chair   At large
 Brownfield redevelopment  Cherokee 
Amanda Zidek-Vanega   At large
 Energy policy  The North Carolina Solar Center 

Council Liaison: Julie Robison
Staff Liaison: Emily Barrett

The Environmental Advisory Board (EAB) was established to provide feedback and advice to council on policies, ordinances and administrative procedures regarding environmental protection and conservation of energy and natural resources.  The board meets monthly, typically the first Tuesday of the month, with the exception of no meeting in July and December.

The Environmental Advisory Board established a guiding principle that the Town of Cary should lead by example.  Increasing the environmental stewardship of the community will enhance the quality of life of all who live and work in the Town by making it cleaner, more pleasant and healthier.  The Town of Cary must ensure that its own projects, initiatives and operations are sustainable – environmentally, economically and socially – as it encourages and regulates such sustainable actions throughout the community.

Highlights of the board’s activities over the past year include:

1. Responded and gave advice to council and staff on the following items:

  1. Downtown Stormwater
  2. Stream Restoration
  3. Fire Station #8, LEED and green building input
  4. Water Conservation Outreach Material
  5. Edited federal – level grant proposal

2. EAB Initiatives:

  1. Per EAB recommendation, a Sustainability Manager was hired (3/2010), a greenhouse gas emissions inventory was initiated (7/2010), an application for a NCLM Green Challenge Advanced designation was submitted (8/2010), and an environmental management system is planned.
  2. Evaluated different environmental programs for Town participation (included recommending NCLM Green Challenge Advanced Level, and further exploring ICLEI programs like the CACP greenhouse gas emissions inventory protocol and the STAR Community Index).
  3. Pharmaceutical Prescription Take Back
  4. Sustainability Awards Program Concept

3. Community Engagements:

  1. Black Creek Watershed Association presentation
  2. SAS Solar Farm trip
  3. LEED Neighborhood Development Tour as part of the joint Chatham-Cary Land Use Task Force

4. Evaluated Governance of Board to enable board progress and knowledge transfer for future boards:

  1. Issues Index
  2. Collective document Storage

5. Identification of emerging environmental issues in the town

Fiscal Impact:  N/A

Staff Recommendation:  Staff recommends that Council accept the report of the Environmental Advisory Board.