WASHINGTON  CONSERVATION COMMISSION

 

 

Minutes- June 6, 2002

 

 

1.0  Assembly:  Time  7:00 p.m.

1.1  Present: Sandy Robinson, Carol Andrews, Marv Jager, Don Richard, Lionel Chute.

 

2.0  Approval of Minutes:  Marv moved that we approve the minutes as printed.  Don 2nd.  Motion passed.

 

3.0  Old Business: 

3.1  Dredge and Fill Committee report:  Marv reported that 3 members of the committee went out to inspect the Liotta property for an Expedited Minimum Impact Wetlands permit.  Permit was signed on 6/5.

3.2   Bylaws:  Expedited Minimum Impact was changed to one member of the Dredge and Fill Committee.  Don brought up that the bylaws should include the actions of the applicant at the beginning of the process.  Lionel moved that we accept the bylaws for Expedited permits with changes (amended document attached).  Second by Marv.  Motion passed.

Seasonal Dock Notification:  Marv moved that we accept the bylaws for Seasonal Dock Notification with changes (amended document attached).  Second by Lionel.  Motion passed.

3.3   Road Salt:  Jed Schwartz sent an e-mail on this issue.  He spoke with Ed Thayer recently.  Ed is acutely aware of this issue, consequently a computer controlled auger was recently fitted to the salt truck to monitor and control the quantity of salt dispersed over a given lane mile of road.  There are also very clear guidelines outlined by the State and Federal governments regarding the use of highway salt.  The Town of Washington is in compliance with these regulations.

Don also did some research at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on the road salt issue.  NRCS does not publish any ÒBest Management PracticesÓ on the subject.  Don  searched the web for alternative recommendations.  Sandy stated that she had also tried to research the issue.  Carol will send a follow up letter to Natalie Jurson; the Selectmen and Road Agent will be copied.

3.4   Adopt a Highway:  we have received the application form from the Department of Transportation.  Carol suggested the need to have a coordinator for this program.  We have many commission volunteers for the actual cleanup days, but we still need someone to run the program.  This would involve a short safety-training program, pick up of the vests and signs before the cleanup day, and filling out reports for the 4 cleanup days.  We will discuss this topic again at the next meeting.  Lionel will check with John Paseika to see if he is willing to help with this program.

 

4.0  Natural Resource Inventory:

4.1  Mike submitted a map of the Conservation Lands in Washington. 

4.2  Don added subheadings to the NRI binder.  He suggested that we use the Town Forests as sampling sites for data collection. 

4.3   Lionel reported on an EPA funded project at Natural Heritage.  This involves a multi-year study of wetlands in 11 towns.  Washington is one of the towns that they will be looking for study locations.  Bill Nichols is in charge of the project.  Every Commission member should be looking for unusual wetlands in town.  Lionel is going to take Bill to 2 town owned properties, but he needs more candidates for study sites.  If you know of a wetland that might have unusual plants please e-mail the information to Lionel.  A tax map number and name of the owner would be helpful as well.  The owner of the property will also need to be contacted and asked whether a conservation study project would be of interest to him/her.  Beaver impoundments are low on the list of priorities.  Permanent wetlands are more desirable for this study.  Lionel needs this list as soon as possible, but definitely by the next meeting date.  This program may provide money for land protection in the future, so it is very important that we provide several good possibilities for study locations!

4.4   Don brought a map of the different land use types in Washington. 

 

5.0 New Business:

5.1   Don brought in a copy of a fish advisory from NH Fish and Game which warned about the high levels of mercury in the fish in Ashuelot and May Pond.  In fact the Department of Health and Human Services now advises everyone to avoid eating all bass and pickerel from these ponds.  Carol will make copies to post at various locations in town.  The document may be accessed at www.wildlife.state.nh.us/fishconsumption.htm.

5.2   The fish advisory brought up questions about the history of the hurricane of 1938.  It is said that logs were painted with a mercury-based paint and submerged in some of the lakes in town in order to preserve them for sawing at a later date.  Lionel stated that Ken Desmarais at Fox State Forest and Sarah Smith a wood product specialist at Cooperative Extension would both have information on the subject.  Don volunteered to do further research.

 

6.0 Correspondence:

á       Cooperative Extension Re: Coverts Project

á       NH Lakes Association  Re:  NH Lakes Congress 6/22

á       UVLSRPC Re: Workshop on open space preservation 6/27

á       DES Re: WLA Beach Replenishment

á       NE Wildflower Society Re:  Invasive species workshop 6/8

á       NH Lakes Association Re: Invasive Aquatic Plants

á       NH Road Agents Association Re: Power Tool Safety Workshops

 

 

7.0   Adjournment:  9:00 p.m.                   

 

7.1  Next Meeting Date:  Due to the Independence Day Holiday the next meeting will be July 1st 2002 at 7:00 p.m. at the Town Hall. 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Carol K. Andrews

Secretary

 

cc:  Board of Selectmen

       Planning Board

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bylaws

 

 

A.            Seasonal Dock Notification

Applicant receives the appropriate form from the Town Clerk, fills it out and returns 5 copies to the Town Clerk.

 

1.     The Commission receives five(5) copies of the completed Seasonal Dock Notification from the Town Clerk.

2.     Chairman, or Vice Chairman if the Chairman is not available, shall review the application for completeness.  If errors or omissions are too complex to be resolved by a phone call, the application shall be returned to the applicant.

3.     If the application is complete and the size of the dock and location comply with the requirements set forth by the NH DES Wetlands Bureau for Seasonal Docks, the Chairman or Vice Chairman shall sign the Seasonal Dock Notification and forward the five copies to the Town Clerk.

4.     A site visit is not required.

 

Approved 6/6/02

 

 

B.             Expedited Minimum Impact Application to the NH Wetlands Bureau

Applicant receives the appropriate form from the Town Clerk, fills it out and returns 5 copies to the Town Clerk.

1.     The Commission receives five (5) copies of the completed application from the Town Clerk.

2.     The Chairman, or Vice Chairman if the Chairman is not available, shall check that the landowner/contractor has filed the correct application for the work to be done, and that the application is correctly and completely filled out. (Ensure that the copies match the original).  If errors or omissions are too complex to be resolved by a phone call, the application shall be returned to the applicant.

3.     The Chairman or Vice Chairman shall review the application to make sure the work as outlined is in compliance with the regulations and meets all specifications.

4.     The Chairman or Vice Chairman shall schedule a site visit with at least one member of the Dredge and Fill Committee to see the local conditions.  Arrangements should be made with the applicant before making the site visit unless it is known that the landowner is not in residence.

5.     If the Chairman or Vice Chairman and the Committee are satisfied that the project as proposed should be approved by the Wetlands Bureau, the Chairman or Vice Chairman shall sign the application.  The Chair or Vice-Chair shall then submit five (5) copies of the signed application to the Town Clerk.

6.     If there are any issues or disputes with the landowner/contractor that cannot be resolved by the Committee, it shall refer the matter to the full Commission.

 

Approved 6/6/02