WPCNR SUSTAINABLE TIMES. By Dan Seidel. April 15, 2010 UPDATED APRIL 17 WITH MAY AGENDA AND PRIORITIES: I was present from the beginning of the Sustainable Committee meeting to the end. The group broke down into 6 or 7 tables, each handling a different aspect of “green”, the matrices developed being the type the County Global Warming task Force used, so we are not reinventing the wheel.
The ideas deduced from the first session, which were written on 3×5 cards and handed in to the Steering Committee, were all listed, and each table went over what was listed and what should be included – so the macro version was increased – now we have to scale down exactitudes.
Bice made the statement at the beginning that the commissioners should be involved at these meetings to comment on what is being done or not, so if we come up with the same “solutions” that are ALREADY being done, we should go on to something else instead of wasting time and effort on something that is being done already. Sue Habel kind of squashed that and said let’s see what concerns the community and then we’ll comment on it.
I completely disagreed. Dennis Power stated that this was being done in tandem with our meetings – Well, if Bud and Sue are really the only two people with jurisdiction to comment on what is or not being done right now, and they were both there last night (Bud came in late) why not do it now?
So Bud sat with the energy Table and that was my table and we went thru the short term and long term goals and Bud , from his head, came up with pretty much many things being done, but he did not offer to write them all down, which is what we need if we are to see what is being done and what needs improvements, etc.
This is not to second guess the Commissioners, but maybe we have some additional ideas that were not/have not been considered, like the Energy Bank Units (capacitor devices) that can show instant electrical usage bringdown and verifiable CO2 tonnage/carbon offsets which can be sold as credits on the carbon exch in Chicago – make an income stream from carbon (verifiable as per Kyoto Treaty Stands on the UN Website – EcoSecurities of Wall Street will but the tonnage at $5-7 per ton – need to come up with 20,000-30,000 tons displaced annually – its can be a steady $$ producer) so since Rick Ammirato had a reach out with EB Unit guy/area rep (last week?) maybe we can do this now, to get ready for the July 8 event of Clean and Green. Other things were done.
The group is kind of adrift however – need Commissioners to put together a brief outline of what initiatives have been undertaken already, what is happening now, and with the Rx’s of our group, where we can go.
I think I am more optimistic now that the “energy group” knows each other, have similar contacts and “a can do attitude”, regardless of what is happening at the very top.
NYPA, NYSERDA, Reckson, WP Housing, Lou bruno, myself, a few others were in Energy. I can fax the matrices – I will try for a scan – colored headings with short term and long term goals and ideas. Trying for no/low $$ loads in the beginning (budget) and trying to use other’s money where the energy savings will initially pay for loans and then it’s free sailing after 1.5 years on the EB Unit at least.
Sustainability & Environmental Enhancement Committee (SEEC)
Committee Meeting – April 14, 2010, 7:30 – 9:00pm
AGENDA
1. Welcome new SEEC members
2. Minutes from March 10th Formation Meeting
3. Purpose of tonight’s meeting: review and refine the suggestions for sustainability Initiatives made at our initial meeting on March 10, 2010 which have been sorted into the areas of study outlined in the SEEC Mission Statement:
ENERGY
WASTE REDUCTION
TRANSPORTATION
LAND USE
WATER MANAGEMENT
GENERAL
a. Members of the Committee are asked to join a PROJECT TEAM for one or even two of these subject areas to discuss the list of proposed initiatives supplement them as appropriate and begin the process of preparing a formal recommendation to the Mayor and Common Council. A Member of the Steering Committee will moderate the PROJECT TEAM discussions and request the project team to document the results of their discussions.
b. By the May 12, 2010 SEEC Committee Meeting, it is requested that each of the PROJECT TEAMS be prepared to finalize their recommendations to the full Committee so all suggestions can be incorporated into a DRAFT recommendation to the Mayor and Council by the June 9, 2010 meeting as described in the SEEC Mission Statement which is partially excerpted below.
“Develop prioritized and cost effective short and long-term recommendations for presentation to the Mayor and Common Council on ways to make White Plains a healthier, safer, more sustainable and more livable community”
2. Wrap-up discussion on how to proceed with Project Team assignments
3. Announcement about local EARTH WEEK events
4. Next SEEC Meeting: Wednesday, May 12th, 7:30-9:00pm
