Charlestown Township Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) Meeting Minutes Monday, August 14, 2023

Meeting was held at Township Office 11 General Warren Blvd., Suite 1. Armstrong opened the meeting at 7:08.

July minutes approved.

Place Holders

• Brightside Farm Riparian Buffer Planting, Deerfield Riparian Buffer, Charlestown Park Riparian Buffer
• Battery Collection and Recycling Program
• Education Series
• EAC web page where residents can get information on disposing of household items
• Friends of Charlestown.us website
• Weed Warriors
• Kendig and Jenkins conservation parks
• Synthetic turf in Charlestown Park
• Naming of creeks and tributaries in Charlestown Township.
• Bird Town

New Business

1. Model ordinance to regulate distribution centers - FYI - Planning Commission primarily responsible.
2. Climate Update - Information provided by Green Valleys Watershed Association Executive Director Victoria Laubach is that changes to NOAA’s Atlas of precipitation standards and flood events will be updated and released in 2027 as Atlas 15 (Atlas 14 used data through 2011). Flood event frequencies are expected to greatly increase. Additional information was provided.

Ongoing Business

1. Storage Closet (in township meeting room) Shelving – Shelves are in so people can store things as needed.
2. Riparian Tree Planting in Charlestown Park and Pickering Creek – on hold until we find out if Stroud got their grant. Will be moved next month to Placeholders.
3. PA Dept. of Transportation Road Adoption Program – In township newsletter. Walker will notify Parks and Rec to put on Facebook and will make sure it is on the Charlestown website. Should we notify all impacted Charlestown residents of what we will be doing? Walker to think about this and let us know what he would like to do. We have the money as part of the project to purchase coffee and donuts. Walker to let Csete know to post a notice on the web site and the EAC page of the web site.
4. Naming of headwater tributary at Charlestown Park – perennial stream that starts near Charlestown Park. Jeremy Johnson sent a proposed name, Kwiamwis Siputet (Hawk Creek). Armstrong to go through the USGS process for approval.
5. Single Use Plastic bags/items ban – Anu S. to develop a proposal to present to the township and bring back to the EAC for review and approval. Impact is very important. She will try to get this topic on the supervisor’s agenda for September. When EAC gets any info from Anu we need to review and give her feedback.
6. Nature News topic for October – define Sustainability for next issue.
7. Battery Collection – Walker grabbed the full box in the township building and took it to the FEDEX distribution center. Armstrong will check the Devault box to see if it is full and let Walker know. Walker to take the one currently in Devault to FEDEX when full. We got the new boxes and Armstrong will put the one out in the township building.
8. Invasives Replacement Project – so far 2 nurseries have committed to donate plants for Charlestown Day invasive plant replacement project. Notification is in Charlestown Newsletter. Solomon will send out 2 emails between now and Sept. to our mailing list about qualifying for the give-away. Gardener’s nursery and Sam Brown’s nursery are donating.
9. Township Newsletters – (due dates are 1/15, 4/15, 7/15, 10/15):
   July 15 - article about invasives was in newsletter. The invasive removal project (see #8 above) is our next community focus. We will discuss October update in September.
10. Community Education Other ideas include:
    1. Bird Town programs
    2. Tour of invasive species in township
    3. Watershed friendly property certification
11. Riparian buffer maintenance – Update - mowing of lanes between trees and shrubs in riparian field below community garden planned for late winter.
12. Buckeye Pipeline – update 8/14 - Pipeline is intact and is not in danger of leaking.

Meeting adjourned at 8:40.