Agenda for September 13, 2019
Presentations: (Beginning at 9:00 a.m.) Ken Webb, TC Landfill Manager and Kim Corum, Moving to Conservers: “Community collaboration toward zero waste” (Peter)
A note on littering: Littering is an illegal activity, whether intentional or not. The law on littering may be found at: bit.ly/2umms7y. To report littering, call the Sherriff’s non-emergency number (828-884-3168) and provide as much information as possible. Also, the public may report those who litter to NCDOT’s Litter Management Section (Swat-a-Litterbug) by filling out an online form or calling NCDOT Customer Service Office at (877) 368-4968.
Business Meeting (Approximately 10:30 a.m.)
Minutes from April 2019 (attached)
Future Programs:
October 11th – Tom Tribble: Birds and Climate Change-canaries in the coal mine. (Bart)
November 8th – (10-12:00) David Brown, USA Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Specialist/Geologist, “U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program – Permitting Authority & Jurisdictional Areas” and Terry Foxx, Risk Management Specialist, “Floodplain Management Regulations: From a Ground Level Perspective” (Mark)

December 14th – Mitch Woodward, NC State University, Storm Water Management (Bart)
January 2020 –
February 2020 – River Keepers “What do they do?” Jennifer Kafsy
March 2020 –
April/May 2020 – Maria Wise, Director Mills River Partnership: Monetizing Riparian Zones (Possible field trip)

New Business:
Accepting program suggestions for 2020 beginning January (John Wayne Hardison: Kudzu?)
Forest Plan Revision Topics of Local Interest (Message attached).
Old Business:
Should we do more big presentations? Quarterly? This will take an energetic project coordinator/team of TNRC and partner members.
Consideration of resolution supporting voluntary discontinuance of single-use plastic bags, plastic straws, and foam food containers (as drafted by RK Young and revised). (Attached)
Updates from subcommittees, public land managers, and others:
Subcommittee on Significant Natural Areas, management recommendations (Kent, David, Dan, Mark Tooley, Torry Nergart).
Landslide Committee (Davis W-C, Gray Jernigan, Aaron Bland)
Public Land Managers
Others
Announcements:
Next meeting: October 11, 2019

Resolution supporting a voluntary reduction in the use of single-use products

Whereas the North Carolina Outdoor Recreation Industry Office has identified outdoor recreation as a significant source of jobs and revenue for Transylvania County, and
Whereas Transylvania County is the headwaters of the French Broad River, its waters feeding our economic development, infrastructure needs, agriculture, local wildlife, recreational opportunities, and health needs, and
Whereas the quality of these waters and all other waters in Transylvania County is decreased by contamination with single-use products, especially plastics and foam containers, and
Whereas the cleanup of this contamination requires investment of county resources, landfill space, paid and volunteer hours, and tax dollars, and
Whereas the presence of litter along our roads and trails, clinging to our bushes and trees, killing our forest animals and fish is not compatible with our emerging best source of county jobs and income from outdoor recreation, and
Whereas the presence of litter would be greatly reduced by decreased consumption of single-use products;
Be it therefore noted that the Transylvania Natural Resource Council finds that:
a) The use of single-use carryout bags, foam food containers, and straws by consumers at retail establishments is detrimental to the environment, wildlife, public health, and welfare.
b) Single-use carryout bags, foam food containers, and plastic straws contribute to environmental problems, including litter in storm drains, along rivers and streams, and alongside our roads and trails.
c) Single-use carryout bags, foam food containers, and plastic straws impose unseen costs on consumers, local governments, and taxpayers and constitute a public nuisance.

Therefore, be it resolved that the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners recommends voluntary reduction of single-use carryout bags, foam food containers, and plastic straws by replacing such items with compostable or recyclable items of the same purposes, and

Be it further resolved that merchants continuing to offer single-use plastic bags are encouraged to offer recycling or recycling information and to offer alternatives of paper bags or reusable bags, and

Be it further resolved that foodservice businesses are asked to discontinue the use of foam food containers, using compostable, reusable, or recyclable containers for carry-out orders, and

Be it further resolved that foodservice businesses should offer straws, either compostable (encouraged) or plastic, only at customers’ request, and

Be it further resolved that expanded public and private pursuit of recycling partnerships and a public relation campaigns to promote voluntary reduction and recycling efforts is highly recommended.