Charlestown Township Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) Meeting Minutes Monday, October 9, 2023

Meeting was held at Township Office 11 General Warren Blvd., Suite 1. Armstrong opened the meeting at 7:03pm

September EAC meeting minutes approved.

Place Holders

(Reminder of EAC-initiated projects for next 6+ months):

• 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 fields in Charlestown Park
  • We sent a research review report
• Naming of creeks and tributaries in Charlestown Township.
• Bird Town
• Buckeye Pipeline
• ChesCo planning natural resources maps: www.chescoplanning.org/Resources/MapGallery.cfm
• Riparian buffer for Charlestown park pending grant application status from Stroud.

New Business

1. 2024 EAC budget planning - Armstrong sent out 2023 budget for comparison.
   • Budget planning done
   • Pete to send updated 2024 budget numbers to the group for review
2. Chester County Composting Meeting summary - Deferred until next month’s discussion.
3. EAC membership - people from Charlestown day are interested and Armstrong provided information on the activities of the EAC and options to apply as member or alternates. Need to contact them to see if they want to join the EAC. Armstrong has the contact information and Goodman will be reaching out to them. Armstrong to send the EAC application form out to the group.

Ongoing Business

1. WeConservePA - Fall gathering is on Oct 21. info and registration:
   weconservepa.org/eac/eac-network-fall-gathering/
   1. Interested members can check this out - Gathering of EAC members in PA.
   2. Armstrong is presenting with John Jackson on Water Quality and Local Actions.
2. Riparian Tree Planting proposed for Pickering Creek
   1. On hold for now until information is received from the Stroud Water Research Ctr.
3. PA Dept. of Transportation Road Adoption Program
   1. Walker sent information to the township on the # of bags filled (40) and other items collected as part of the cleanup.
   2. Walker to provide updates on this.
4. Stream Naming of headwater tributary at Charlestown Park
   • Received signed letter of support from the Board of Supervisors
   • Armstrong is waiting for the County Commissioners to review a request for a letter of support.
     • Armstrong requested a Letter of support requested from East Pikeland (tributary flows into their township as well)
5. Single Use Plastic bags/items ban
   1. We are naming this initiative “Plastics Pollution Prevention” and will not be calling it the “Single Use Plastics ban” anymore.
   2. Anu to send an email to the Planning Commission on amendments required to the items included in the Uwchlan ordinance that was sent to them as a sample.
   3. Armstrong handed out maps of the township with businesses listed. Goodman, Anu and Green will split up and conduct a door-to-door survey to get the pulse of the local businesses with respect to this proposed ordinance. ETA 10/31/23.
   4. Anu to send out updated draft ordinance to the group for review. Will probably need a separate meeting to discuss.
6. Nature News topic for October - definition of Sustainability, possibility to focus on one area of sustainability. Solomon is working on finishing this by end of the month October.
7. Battery Collection Program
   1. Decided to keep 2 boxes for the remainder of the year - One in the Charlestown township office and other at the Devault post office.
   2. We also discussed continuing to place boxes for collection at Devault (collection so far exceeded estimated amount at that location). Also discussed the problem of residents dropping off severely fouled batteries and non-alkaline batteries.
8. Invasives Replacement Project - Solomon responded to all who qualified and has taken care of them.
9. Township Newsletters - (due dates are 1/15, 4/15, 7/15, 10/15).
   1. Goodman’s article to be sent out for publishing in the next edition of the newsletter.
   2. Armstrong will be writing up an article on the Charlestown Day event.
10. Community Education - Ideas include:
    1. Bird Town programs
    2. Tour of invasive species in township
    3. Watershed friendly property certification - have meet-up in a restaurant or pub
11. Riparian buffer maintenance - mowing of lanes between trees and shrubs in riparian field below community garden planned for late winter increasing access of fruit trees by public. Armstrong will work with Walker and Goodman to go to Brightside and cage the Riperian shrubs.

Meeting adjourned at 9:06.