Charlestown Township
Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC)
Great Valley Middle School
Minutes of Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Minutes were recorded for the meeting on January 8th, 2020 at the Great Valley Middle School, 225 N. Phoenixville Pike, Malvern, PA 19355. Meeting was held from 6:18 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Attendees were Pete Goodman (Chair), Carol Armstrong (vice Chair), Veda Maany (secretary), Greg Nesspor, Richard Findlay, Daniel Walker, and Meg Solomon

The meeting was opened at 6:18 pm following the organizational meeting.

Minutes as corrected on a motion by Armstrong and seconded by Walker and were approved unanimously.

Review of notices:

All 2020 meetings will be held in the Choral Room #154 at the GV Middle School.

Due to the Schools closing the week of April 6th our monthly meeting will be held on the 15th of April.

Keystone Coldwater Conference sponsored by PA Trout Unlimited. Theme is cold water resource conservation and resiliency. Feb 28/29th in State College.

Wild and scenic film festival in West Chester Feb. 27 and Feb. 28th.

New Business

Armstrong leads discussion on an Energy Audit regarding the new proposed township bldg. (as discussed at last BoS meeting). The EAC may have input about energy efficiency and energy standards for the new building. West Vincent sent Armstrong their outline of their audit. We will await the planned public meetings and look forward to offering our input.

Annual cleanup event per Linda tentatively set for Saturday April 18th and rain date Saturday April 25. EAC members should send Maany suggestions of specific roads to focus on. Maany will contact GV High School environmental enthusiasts. Also, should we arrange other activities that day such as the birdboxes?

Consider adding environmental legislative updates on our agenda particularly relevant to EAC activities. Solomon offers to organize.

Green Business Award: Armstrong has selected a few businesses to approach from master list and is waiting for their responses.

Turnpike Sound Walls: group has been meeting but no formal updates.

Adelphia Gateway: Permits have been issued but no more information about specifics. There is also a possibility of a lawsuit as well.

Riparian Buffer project – Pigeon Run on Brightside Farm Park: Pigeon Run on Brightside Farm Park. Obtained BoS approval. Planting has occurred. Armstrong and Goodman meeting with Vicki Laubach to find out what has been planted. Plan to take pictures of before and after and submit with article to the next newsletter. Also Goodman will look into putting up a sign at the park to advertise the project. It will include a thank you for funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant.

Community Education events: upcoming is Armstrong’s presentation “Impacts of Plastics on Our Environment and our Bodies” to be held on January 28th, 2020 in the Great Valley Middle School Choral room at 7 pm. We discussed arrangements for refreshments and Audiovisual equipment

Charlestown riparian buffer ordinances and consistency with State Code still working through the documents and proposed changes that will be presented to the planning commission. Goodman has invitation from Ed Theurkauf about updating Charlestown ordinances.

Volunteer List Reviewed how to improve our weblink to EAC page from Township website. Our new sign in sheet includes tracking. We should come up with content for our page first and then decide where we want our link to be on township website. Start with posting our mission which we will discuss further at next meeting-. Also research other EAC web content. Also, the meeting section of the township website needs to be updated about when and where for EAC meetings.

DCNR Pollinator Habitat program – Project Wingspan for Brightside Farm. We are still awaiting their response to our application. Could involve seed collection.

Goodman submitted application for PECO Green Region Grant. Awards will be announced in January or February.

Township newsletter articles assignments for January 15 deadline. Findlay has his article on salt. Goodman will also write an update on recent Brightside plantings.

Water Resources Authority in Chester County Goodman has sent out our comments for the questionnaire.

Meeting adjourned at 8 pm.