KWIC Meetings
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KEUKA WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT COOPERATIVE (KWIC) MEETING
Monday, January 25, 2010 at Town of Pulteney
Prior to the official start of the meeting at 7:10p.m. Vice Chair Weber called to order a public open comment period concerning developments on Chesapeake Gas Company’s request to inject hydrofracking waste water from PA into a depleted gas well in the Town of Pulteney. Approximately 50 guests were in attendence (Not all were there only from this issue). Guests were Al Wahlig , Wilbur Dowdle, Cathy Cummings , Teresa Snyder, Janet Stone, Ruth Davis, Bob Davis, Nancy Cole, Donald Patoine, Katrine Romaily, Bill Feinstein, Dave Graham, Bob Worden, Ray Emery, MGLac, Monica and Ray Sommerville, Vaughn Baker, Bill Laffin, Bob Corcoran, Holly and Robin Plourde, Deb Yastremski, Janet and Rodgers Williams, Dennis Carlson, Joseph Campbell , Linda Rothfuss, Vera Van Alta, Mike and Mary Jo Hanna, Art and Joyce Hunt, Jane Russell, Pat Halpen, David and Marcia English , Cathy and Paul Danielson, Peter and Mary Beth Gamba, Melanie Steinberg, Dennis Karalow.
Generally the remarks addressed great concern with the waste water being injected into the ground so close to Keuka Lake, just what would be in the waste water, even if the company had bonding to pay for any damage, no money could repair the damage if the Lake water became unusable for a period of time in terms of drinking water and recreation. Issues were also brought up as to the weight of the trucks which would transport the waste through the region and who in the area deals with hazardous waste truck roll overs. Concern was expressed that the EPA and DEC had first review of the project and although the initial fillings were done last fall EPA has not seen fit to rule against the project. If the EPA approves the project then DEC (who at this point is SEQR) reviews it. If DEC passes it, then the town of Pulteney’s Planning Board will review. There is a file at the Town of Pulteney of all correspondence concerning this matter. The EPA filing’s is “The Underground Injection Control Program, Class IID Injection Well Permit Application by Chesapeake to the US Environmental Protection Administration” For the Bergstresser Well in Pulteney. It appeared that the majority of the group wanted KWIC to take the lead in opposing this project.
At 8:05PM Vice Chair Weber called the meeting to order. The Board Members present were: Stephen Butchko (Wayne), Gordon Lanphere (Urbana), John Socha (Milo), William Weber (Pulteny), Fred Wright (Barrington) Anne Green (Hammondsport), and Daryl Jones (Jerusalem). Paul Bauter KWIC Manager, and Ken Christiansen (Barrington Alternate) were also present.
The first order of business was the reorganization of KWIC since there were two new members (Wayne and Barrington). Vice Chair Weber (by virtue of being Chair of KLOC) offered to chair until after the elections in Penn Yan and Hammondsport March 16th. A motion to permit this was not passed. Wayne representative Steven Butchko offered to chair, upon motion of Socha and second by Green this was agreed to. We decided to continue having Jack Snow continue as
Bookkeeper with Daryl Jones of Jerusalem to continue as Treasurer - meeting with Jack and approving bills to be paid.
The minutes of November 23, 2009 were approved as mailed upon motion of Jones and second by Socha; Wayne abstained from the vote.
The treasurer’s report as mailed was approved (both year end December 31, 2009 and an update through 1/25/10).
It was agreed that Chair Butchko would construct a draft letter outlining our concerns about the deep injection of the waste water to the EPA. The other Municipalities were urged to express their concerns directly to the EPA ( The Towns of Milo and Jerusalem and the County of Yates have already sent letters).
Manager’s Report.
The Board received the Manager’s written report of activities, the year end inspections report,the list of inspection concerns that inspectors need to more particular about in future reports and the Zone One and Zone 1 Holding Tanks Inspection goals for 2010.
Manager Bauter suggested that a training session on the waste water regulations be arranged for Engineers and Contractors since it has been two years since one was held. Upon motion by Green and Second by Wright this was passed.
A Policy Review Committee was named to include Steve Butchko, Paul Bauter, and one inspector. It is hoped that language will be developed to clarify when KWIC involvement is required versus only the Town Inspection. Butchko brought up the issue of the approve versus permit language issue again. Since these things are all tied to the Department of Health Waiver Kwic is issued we need to finalized it all.
The Manager reported that there is a townhouse development being reviewed in Branchport.
Keuka Lake Association _ Bill Laffin President Elect reported that the on line booklet on Keuka Lake has had a chapter added on invasive species.
Software Update: Via email January 26th .... In an email sent January 21, Scott Demmin said “we have the database to the point where we have all the relationships established and we are nearly complete with the back-end. I hope to begin with the user interface shortly and this is where we will begin to have something to show for our efforts. I will be out of town from Jan 26th to Feb 8th. I am hoping to have a functional front-end user interface by the end of February that will allow us to begin to test the initial scripts and database structure.” Testing and training may be able to be started by May or earlier.
The meeting recessed at 9:10 to executive Session to discuss personnel issues. At 9:30 The regular meeting was resumed. Steve Butchko and John Socha agreed to serve on a Personnel Committee to work with the Manager and were so appointed by motion of Weber and second by Wright. The meeting was adjourned at 9:31pm.
KWIC 2010 MEETING CALENDAR:
FEBRUARY 22 - Milo
MARCH 22 - JERUSALEM ( BRANCHPORT FIREHALL)
APRIL 26 - PENN YAN
MAY 24 - BARRINGTON
JUNE 28 - WAYNE
JULY 26 - URBANA
AUGUST 23 -HAMMONDSPORT
SEPTEMBER 27 - PULTENEY
OCTOBER 25 - JERUSALEM (BRANCHPORT)
NOVEMBER 22 - MILO
DECEMBER 27 - PENN YAN
