HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-11-20 ENR Minutes
MINUTES
CITY OF MAPLEWOOD
ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION
Monday, November 20, 2023
7:00 P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Bryan called a meeting of the Environmental and Natural Resources
Commission to order at 7:07 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Emma Broadnax, Commissioner Present
Rebecca Bryan, Chairperson Present
Nancy Edwards, Commissioner Present
Benjamin Guell, Commissioner Absent
David Lates, Commissioner Present
Ted Redmond, Commissioner Present
Staff Present
Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Environmental Planner Finwall requested that the New Business Item, Food Scraps
Pickup Program, be moved after Unfinished Business to allow the representative from
Ramsey County time to arrive to the meeting. Commissioner Lates moved to approve
the amended November 20, 2023, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission
meeting agenda.
Seconded by Commissioner Redmond Ayes – All
The motion passed.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a. September 18, 2023
Commissioner Lates moved to approve the September 18, 2023, Environmental
and Natural Resources Commission meeting minutes as written.
Seconded by Commissioner Redmond Ayes – All
The motion passed.
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5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program
Environmental Planner Finwall presented the Energy Efficiency and
Conservation Block Grant Program and the proposed City Fleet Electrification
grant outline. The deadline for the grant submittals has been extended to
April 30, 2024.
The Commission reviewed the eligible activities outlined in the Department of
Energy’s document guides including improvement of energy efficiency of
government vehicle fleets, geomapping for ideal placement of electric vehicle
charging stations and infrastructure, purchase and installation electric vehicle
charging stations and equipment, and implementing planning measures to
improve transportation efficiency. .
Commissioner Lates moved to approve the EECBG City Fleet Electrification
grant submittal proposal.
Seconded by Commissioner Broadnax Ayes – All
The motion passed.
b. Climate Mitigation Planning
Environmental Planner Finwall presented the Climate Mitigation Planning
including the Northern Illinois University student group’s final Climate Mitigation
Engagement Plan recommendations.
The Environmental Commission gave the following feedback:
The City should continue to do outreach to all demographic groups in the next
phase of Climate Mitigation Planning, in addition to Hmong and Spanish
speaking.
The City should consider coordinating outreach with organizations doing
community education, including the University of Minnesota Extension
Services.
The City should consider paying for advertisement on social media sites to
promote the Climate Mitigation survey in the translated languages. The
organizations outlined in the student group study can then share that post.
The Commission expressed their gratitude for the work the student group put
into the engagement plan.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Food Scraps Pickup Program
Environmental Planner Finwall reported that the Ramsey County representative
e-mailed her during the meeting indicating that they were unable to attend.
Environmental Planner Finwall then updated the Commission on the Food
Scraps Pickup Program.
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The Commission had the following comments and questions for the County:
The food scraps pickup program is very innovative.
It will be beneficial for the City to have access to the Food Scraps program
metrics for the City’s greenhouse gas assessment.
It would be interesting to see the participation rates of food scrap collection
programs that use carts vs. durable compostable bags that are placed in the
trash.
Can you recycle the exact same items in the curbside collection as the drop
off sites?
Is the compost available at the yard waste sites the same compost that will
be available from the food scraps program?
Do residents have to buy the compost from the food scraps program, or will
that be available for free?
The durable compostable bags are amazing; they hold all food scraps
including any type of wet product or product with liquid.
The purpose of the Food Scraps Pickup Program is to ensure food is being
recycled, but it is also to reduce waste and save money. If people have to
place the food scraps back into their trash cart how can they convert to
smaller trash carts to save money?
7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
8. COMMISSIONER PRESENTATIONS
9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS
Environmental Planner Finwall updated the Environmental and Natural Resources
Commission on the following:
a. Prairie Farm Neighborhood Preserve LEAP Award: Ramsey-Washington Metro
Watershed District awarded the City of Maplewood with a Landscape Ecology
award for their work on the restoration of the Prairie Farm Neighborhood
Preserve.
b. Free Mattress Recycling Throughout November: The Ramsey Washington
Recycling and Energy Center is coordinating free curbside collection of
mattresses and box spring in Maplewood throughout November. All portions of
the mattresses and box springs will be recycled through Second Chance
Recycling.
c. Green Building Code: The Green Building Code discussions will be continued
throughout 2024.
d. Reschedule ENR Commission Meetings: The January and February 2024 ENR
Commission meetings need to be rescheduled due to holidays. Proposed dates
for January are 1/18, 1/23, 1/24, 1/29, and 1/30. Proposed dates for February
are 2/15, 2/22, 2/27, 2/28, and 2/29. Staff will send the proposed dates to the
ENR Commission in a doodle poll.
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10. ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Edwards made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Seconded by Chairperson Bryan Ayes – All
The motion passed.
Chairperson Bryan adjourned the meeting at 8:01 p.m.
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