Charlestown Township
Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC)
Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 11, 2024

Armstrong opened the meeting at 7:03.

Attendees:
Carol Armstrong (Chair), Dan Walker (Vice-chair), Meg Solomon (Secretary), Jill Green, Anu Soundararajan, Pete Goodman

October Minutes approved.

Place Holders

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

New Business

  1. Social Media Subcommittee of EAC - Green working on formats and listing the events and activities we have scheduled to date.
  2. The EAC as an organization -who are we? what should we be doing? Are we protecting Charlestown Township’s natural resources? Bring ideas to December meeting. Armstrong suggested more focus on HOAs.

Ongoing Business

  1. Composting in Chester County – Rachel Griffith from the CC Planning Commission (Sustainability Director) is working on a grant application with the CC Solid Waste Authority. They are planning to apply to the USDA’s Compost and Food Waste Reduction Program, along with Delaware County, to establish a series of food waste drop off stations across the county, as well as to expand. She asked about the possibility of having drop off locations in Charlestown but the EAC feels that the township is too small. We recommended West Chester. Rachel said they considered that option however they received push back from private composting companies who have a decent amount of business in West Chester. Will follow up again with Rachel in the spring to get a status on t
  2. Adoption of Charlestown Road, cleanup for PennDOT – we got the Adopt-a-Highway signs and they were placed at the endpoints of our cleanup area on Charlestown Road. The road is getting cleaner. Takes 2 hours to walk the cleanup distance of Charlestown Road.
  3. Creation of EAC Events calendar, review of BoS, PC, P&R meeting highlights – Armstrong has been going to meetings and events. Ashley McKinley is going to post on Facebook a schedule of EAC events. Green will send the EAC a draft for review.
  4. Swiss Pines Update – Committee meeting in 2 weeks - no update.
  5. Kwiamwis SiputSignage – need to mockup content and get it reviewed. Armstrong will send out the write-up again and we need to review for content. Need to decide if we want a historical marker or an Interpretive sign. We need to submit in 2025.
  6. Beech Tree Leaf Disease – A local arborist company with experience in identification and treatment of BLD will provide input for Armstrong to write an article for the April 2025 newsletter when residents will be able to examine the leaves on their trees.
  7. Single Use Plastics Ban Ordinance – In the hands of the Charlestown legal team. BoS planning to approve as of January 2025.
  8. Status of EAC membership in WeConservePA. They need support and hosts for future events.
  9. EAC Membership Recruitment – Faith Talnac very nature oriented. Would be good member. Armstrong will contact her. Rebecca Curin is also interested in getting information.
  10. EAC Logo – no decision yet.
  11. Nature News topic for October – sustainable holidays.
  12. Bird Town programs – Bird Town Summit Nov. 7
  13. Township Newsletters – (due dates are 1/15, 4/15, 7/15, 10/15.) Armstrong to write an article about Beech Leaf Disease (April, 2025). Soundararajan will contact Csete about the possibility of writing an article about the single use plastic ordinance.
  14. Riparian buffer maintenance at Brightside and Charlestown Parks – someone needs to direct the high school volunteers. Want them to get blueberry plants in cages - targeted for spring pending weather.
  15. Battery Collection – no update.
  16. Stream Warming – temperature of our streams is increasing. Armstrong is working on an extractof the data from the Delaware River Basin Policy and Practice Workgroup, which was written by community scientists under the aegis of the Stroud Water Research Center. The purpose is to present to the Charlestown Planning Commission for consideration. Update - Progressing.
  17. Community Education – no update.
Meeting Adjourned at 7:50