Committee reports for tonight's Green Acton Meetng
Jim Snyder-Grant
For Sep 10 Green Acton Meeting
Energy Committee Update
Gas Leaf Blower Phase-Out - Marketing Approach
Five landscapers willing to work in Acton with BLBs are on GA website and posted on various FB sites, thanks to Debra. Marketing plan needs work
Select Board listening session scheduled for 9/23. Ned Daniel will speak; Jim will contact other landscapers.
Karen RW says she is still working on getting electric lawn care section on Energize Acton
Solar Project Update
Contacted CEO of Auto Auction twice but no reply
Purchase of Acton Plaza by REIT Brixmor Property Group is promising because they promote environmental stewardship by reducing energy usage, water consumption, & waste. They’ve committed to net zero carbon emissions for their properties by 2045.
Revision Energy is interested in doing a PPA for town ballpark and schools. Kyran will ask Andrea & Kate if the town and schools would be open to a PPA, and if so, how can we help.
Grid congestion - Richard will provide updates in future
Hanscom expansion - Climate bill Amendment #105 aligns the Massport charter with state climate goals. House & Senate versions need to be reconciled. Full climate bill still in limbo.
Materials Committee Update
Agenda
1. Our first Fixit Clinic of the new season is Saturday, 9-14-24, at 10 AM. We have ten volunteers and coaches (thanks Chris, Terra, and Debby!) and two “Maybes.” We need at least four more. Unfortunately, we did not receive the “Library of Things” Fixit tools micro-grant. MassRecycle was also rejected. It was a very competitive field, according to the MassDEP. We will be advertising the event on Acton Community Forum, Green Acton Announcements (thanks for both of these listings Debra!), Action Unlimited, and Beth’s List.
2. Free invasive plant disposal opportunity at Acton Transfer Station: We have abundant orange “Official Bags” from Acton Clean-up Week. How to distribute? We will be giving them away at the Green Acton table at Acton Farmer’s Market this coming Sunday.
3. Staff Green Acton table at Acton Farmer’s Market, Sunday 9-15-24 from 9:30-1 PM. Rob will staff from at least 9:30-11:30. Chris will also be there.
4. Battery disposal: Rob met with Chief Anita Arnum of Acton Fire Department to discuss battery safety and recycling options. She told Rob that in the past three years, there have been two fires started by stored batteries. The Mass Product Stewardship Council is gearing up this legislative session to promote battery recycling and save disposal. Three factors:
—Recover and recycle metals that are mined at great cost to workers and the environment.
—Prevent battery fires.
—Reduce release of toxic metals into ground water and the air.
Rob has been asked to write an article for the Acton Exchange about Acton’s battery disposal options for the Acton Exchange. Staples will now accept all batteries, even single-use. In order to reduce the likelihood of fires from short circuits, Chief Arnum urges residents to tape or bag each battery separately.
Water Committee Update:
A new article from the Water Committee has been published on the Green Acton Website: Nashoba Brook has been growing saltier for 50 years. Based on measurements of specific conductance going back to 1973, the article makes the case that over the last 50 years, the "saltiness" of the river has risen from a level that is safe for aquatic ecosystems to a level that is marginal, most likely as a result of road salt. The work of ABRHS volunteer and co-author Katarina Spasojevic showed that the scatter in the data is largely due to dilution during high flow events following rainstorms, and that in the absence of dilution-impacted samples the upward trend in specific conductance is steep and unambiguous.
Green Acton Water Committee met on September 9, in hybrid format, with eight people in attendance, including five committee members plus guests Peter Severance from RiverMerrimack Project, Elissa Brown from the Wild & Scenic River Stewardship Council, and John Petersen from the Acton Water District Finance Committee.
With respect to surface waters: we puzzled over a newly noticed diurnal signal in stream dischange at Nashoba Brook, only discernible when the water level is low, and hypothesized that it is due to nighttime irrigation withdrawals upstream of the Wheeler Lane gaging station. ABRHS volunteer Shankar Rao presented his work on historical phosphate data from Nashoba Brook; the scatter in that data does not seem to be attributable to high discharge events. Elissa Brown told us about the work of the Stewardship Council in general, and more specifically on eutrophication of Warner's Pond (which is fed by the phosphate-containing water of Nashoba Brook.) During July/August, ABRHS volunteer Kyran Vig and Kim Kastens replaced the aged TidBit sensor measuring temperature in Nagog Brook, and Kim Kastens and Land Steward Dale Chayes redeployed OARS' continuously recording conductivity sensor in Nashoba Brook for a 3-month deployment during low-flow conditions.
With respect to planning and policy: We went methodically through the Recommendations section of the Town's draft Hazard Mitigation Plan, noting twelve water-related recommendations that we will want to keep an eye on in coming years to make sure they are acted upon. In the Brushfire hazard category, we thought that perhaps there should be a recommendation to assess the adequacy of water supply for brush fire fighting as climate warms and droughts become more common. Given the short time before the deadline for public comments, Kim will submit this suggestion as an individual comment. We heard a report out on the kick off meeting between Town staff and environmental engineering consultants Woodard & Curran about the possible pathway to establishing a Stormwater Utility District for Acton, as a way to achieve a reliable income for maintaining and improving stormwater infrastructure in the face of increasing flood risk.