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Environmental Minutes | February 2, 2022

TOWNSHIP OF MONROE

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 

February 2, 2022

  1. CALL TO ORDER- Chairwoman Karen Polidoro

                                          Pledge to Flag

  1. Sunshine Law- Read into the record
  2. Roll Call – (Commissioners and Associates)

                            Karen Polidoro (Chair)

                            Rupa Siegal (Council Liaison)

                            Renee Haider

                            Roger Dreyling

                            Ken Konya

                           Joe Slomian

                          Giada Schwam (Student Liaison)

                          Daria Ludas

                          Mihir Majmudar

                          John Riggs

                          Lucille di Pasquale

                          Surabhi Agarwal

                          Irene Goldberg

                         Theresa Zamorski (Seceretary)

Adoption of Minutes:  Karen Polidoro motion to approve February minutes, Roger Dreyling first approved, Joe Slomian second approval, All in favor yes.               

  1. Applications: Automann, INC.

      Applicant seeking approval to install roof top solar panels to the existing warehouse located          at 251 docks Corner Road.

  1. Speaker: John Michalski-Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLC

                  Bill Hamilton-Bowman Solar

                  Richard Dobbins-Sepi Solar

  b. The commission had the following concerns:

  • The Environmental Commission understands that the solar panel system was designed to offset on site electricity usage.
  • The Environmental Commission recommends that any future approval requests incorporate EV vehicle charging stations.
  • The solar panels should be installed so that they are not seen by the residents of the adjacent planned retirement community known as The Venue
  • The Environmental Commission is encouraging all applicants to landscape and create buffers between development, equipment, neighboring properties, and the roadways with as many native flowering plants/bushes as possible to encourage pollinators (bees, birds, insects, mammals, etc.) to thrive, including a mixture of annual and perennial plantings. All planting beds should be inspected and approved by the Monroe Township Forester and Planning Board Engineer before final planting.
  • The Monroe Township Environmental Commission is encouraging all applicants to schedule meetings with and seek recommendations from, the Monroe Township Environmental Commission prior to seeking Zoning Board Approval in al future.
  1. Committee Reports:

a. High School Student Liaison- Giada Schwam-

  • The EAC members have stayed after school to begin crocheting the plastic bags together to create mats. Although we have made a lot of progress during the past month, we are planning to extend the plarning dates into February.
  • The Monroe Township Green Team began to plan out the logistics of the School Culture and Climate Needs Assessment action and updated the rest of the committee about the first Safe Driving Awareness subcommittee meeting. We also reviewed and started assigning tasks towards the completion of the Sustainable Jersey Grant.
  • The 3rd Annual Eco Night will be a virtual event that will take place sometime after spring break in April. We plan to create a website that will display all the member’s projects, host a zoom meeting during launch day where the exhibitors will present their exhibits and the even will conclude with an environmental panel. Every club member is required to take part in this event; either creating an exhibit or being on the Eco Night Event Team. This committee will consist of the marketing team, participant relations team, environmental panel team, and technology team, who will aid the executives planning the logistics of the event.
  • Preschool Collaboration will be a 3-day event held in conjunction with the Falcon’s Nest preschool and the Shade Tree Commission to create an activity to educate the students in environmental concepts and sustainability. As of right now, this event is pending approval from the Falcon’s Nest Preschool teachers and school administration, so we are still finalizing all the details.

b. Trails and Bike Paths Committee- Coordinator Karen Polidoro -Nothing to report

c. Storm Water & Streams Committee- Coordinator Joe Slomian – Karen Polidoro advised us the Stream Clean Up will held on April 23rd, 2022. Shade Tree Commission will be giving out tree seedlings at the Monroe Township Library that day also. We will give them out at the stream clean up if they have extra. Roger Dreyling advised us that the Middlesex County will be hiring an engineer to do an evaluation of Wigwam Brook.     

d. Energy Committee – Coordinator Ken Konya- Nothing to report

e. Open Space- Coordinator John Riggs-No Status on Masterplan.

f. Education Committee Report- Coordinator Renee Haider –

  • Getting application for scholarship this month. The Next Green Team meeting will be 2/16/22, volunteers needed on the different actions. Meeting with Alan Weinberg on 2/10/22 with some questions that we have.

g. Sustainable New Jersey – Coordinator Renee Haider-Nothing to report.

h. Green Fair Committee Report – Coordinator Mihir Majmudar- Nothing to report

  1. Planning Board – Nothing to report
  2. Old Business – New Business – Nothing to report
  3. Open to Public –Yvette Viasus from Solar Landscape joined the meeting to discuss Supporting a Community Solar Project in Municipality.
  • Local, clean power generation, support for active participation in the program by low- and moderate-income families, reduction of energy bills for all participants, job training, certification support, and job placement in the solar industry. Minimum of 51% of the overall solar generation of the project to be reserved for low-and moderate- income residents. Minimum 25% discount on the electricity from the community solar project Municipality residents that qualify as low- to- moderate income. Minimum 20% discount on the electricity from the community solar project for Municipality residents that don’t qualify as low- to moderate income provide additional benefits to the community through free job training opportunities. 
  1. Adjournment 8:57 pm MOTION: Renee Haider                  Second:  Karen Polidoro
  2. NEXT MEETING DATE: March 2, 2022