Minutes - Environmental Policy Board - 07/23/2007

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be instructed to remove that portion of it, skip the collection, or call dispatch to make record of it. The onus is on the hauler because they can be reprimanded or fined. Chairperson McDilda stated the.only risk is that they can refuse to haul it. There is a fine or fee to dispose of electronics in regular garbage pickup. Board Member Olds suggested making composting a service that is friendly for the homeowner to use without repercussion. Chairperson McDilda stated that people don't always use recycling bins for their intended purpose, but. garbage bins are overflowing with things that should be recycled. Board Member Sibilski stated he has had difficulty in obtaining a larger recycling bin. Mr. Bruce Bacon stated it might seem prudent to estimate the need, given the building permits and grading. He asked if there was a possibility of excavating the filled in wetlands as a source of black dirt. He noted that it is important to educate people about the scale of organic waste matter that is generated. One way for people to understand the scale is to represent it on the ground close to home in a way that makes sense to them. Board Member Bentz stated that development involves parking lots, roads, and a sandy base. He asked if it was important to understand what is causing water to not run off. Environmental Coordinator Anderson stated that he wouldn't call topsoil or organic matter less pervious, but rather that it has a better ability to hold moisture for a longer period of time. Board Member Bentz stated that a sponge will hold water but once there's a heavy rain it's saturated. Environmental Coordinator Anderson explained the way percolation works. He explained that as water hits an area that is dry, it pulls the moisture out of the saturated area. Board Member Max stated that it depends on how fast the rains come down. Chairperson McDilda stated it doesn't have everything to do with rainfall. While 6.5 million gallons of water usage seems like a large number to the EPB, putting it in perspective with other cities may be either reasonable use or significant use. He stated that as developers look at different areas, it becomes necessary to ask how this impacts them. Part of the baseline principal is that another well may impact the aquifer. If it is costing additional money to use surface water to get drinking water, there may be cheaper ways to get water. Board Member Bentz asked if the water runoff could be prevented from going back into the ground, and whether things could be done with the landscaping rather than running into the street. Environmental Policy Board/July 23, 2007 Page 11 of 16