City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Municipal Alliance for Adaptive Management, 23 Jun 2022

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From YouTube: 6.23.2022 Municipal Alliance for Adaptive Management

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6.23.2022 Municipal Alliance for Adaptive Management

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I'm just curious because I know gretchen, you do a great job and I'm sure you've got the message out.

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And the same with you melissa carla, what would you do differently to try and you know get that.

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Audience because it is a harder audience than our technical people would. How do you target that.

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We had we had some discussion about that um afterwards in the dover.

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Event and whether it would be say connecting with rotary or chamber of commerce or another.

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Civic organization that also might want to co-sponsor an event like this.

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And then has built a built audience and membership, maybe partner with the conservation commission.

C

That was great, but it might be the kind of thing that maybe at a library again, you would be able to.

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Promote it to through the municipal library, or something like that, so I I think there are ways.

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But I think connecting it to other organizations um would be helpful and I'll be honest. I could.

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Have done that I definitely could have done better. I was a little hesitant, but you know.

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So I I made main street aware, but did I go and say like this is an event I really want you to.

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Make sure you outreach to all of your people, you know what I didn't mean like did. No, I didn't so.

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I could have done a better job with that rotary. I did sort of make them aware, but um I do have.

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Connections at rotary, so if I were to do it again, maybe I would go to a reuters meeting and say like.

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Hey, please come, you know. Next wednesday night we have appetizers down by the water like calm down.

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And I think we would have gotten more so um it was our first run um it. You know. I was disappointed.

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That you, because I also invited people that had been indicating that they wanted something.

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Like this, and so I was surprised that none of them came, um but you know you do what you can.

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um But you know we have a lot of people and there were some good connections that were made.

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And I will tell you the most valuable thing. This is true. Almost anytime. I talk to a group.

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Of residents is that even common stuff, they don't know how much we're doing um so. You know- and I put.

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Together a slideshow- and it was you know long, but not that long and it talked about stuff. We were.

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Doing it really just touches the surface, but you know who who what resident sees the street sweeper.

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Go by and thinks of water quality, or you know your catchphrase, your catchphrase and cleaning.

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And really thinks of water quality, or you know so many things that we're doing um you know. Salt all.

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Of it, uh which isn't really great related, so you know the message: is there and it's.

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Always well received um so I have like I said in the email I have my powerpoint deck, that people.

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Can use to sort of supplement your own community's projects, so I don't think it's a huge lift. I mean.

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It's always work, but I don't think it's a huge lift, melissa and kala are just you know. Obviously,.

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Great resources and then that's the other big piece that community or residents always react to.

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Is the fact that we really are all working together, or at least trying to work together.

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And so you know those, even though we had only a few people there, those were kind of their two.

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Feedbacks and then the other you know maybe we'd go to the schools. Maybe we'd go to a rodeo ring.

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Meeting um we will do that I'd follow up and do it again so well. I appreciate that and I know I'm.

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Interested, but I also know we're short staffed right now, and people are really- and maybe this.

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Isn't the best time you know where it's summer people are off wanting to vacation and get away.

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Maybe in the fall, especially if you can build up a little more support. Well, I think it's a great idea.

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But we are hanging into budget cycle too, and I use that as a platform. To be honest with you, I.

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Do a lot you know explaining to multiple levels, but again it's more of the engaged citizenry. It's.

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The people that volunteer on budget committee and other organizations, so it's trying to get that.

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The general public- that's not necessarily plugged in to.

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The library committee, the rec committee, because they utilized unlocked fox point.

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So in the schools there's one little elementary school, it's good to get that point sort of.

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I just figure- eventually, I will say july and august- are not.

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We only have one.

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All right great any any comments from the remote folks.

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uh Suzanne with the city of portsmouth, I think maybe we could look at something.

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Perhaps in the uh in the fall again get past the summer season and and we can touch base with.

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Melissa and team um also, we should just note for the minutes that I believe.

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uh Chris jacobs from milton has joined us, so we as a member, so that should be noted.

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Chris jacobs and he's from milton- and he is a member.

B

All right, hey, gretchen! Yes, this is jamie from unh. um I just wanted to throw out there that.

E

It seems like there's a pretty uh wonderful opportunity potentially to integrate some of these.

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Outreach and education efforts into the great bay 2030, which is, of course just.

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Starting up- and there is a outreach and education focus group- that's ramping up.

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I I can't remember who exactly was on that, but I know that we did discuss with them.

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On the water quality focus group 2, uniting and kind of creating this more unified method about.

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What everybody's doing to protect and improve the great bay yeah? That's a really good point.

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That's a really good point, jamie I'll make sure I wait. I think about that.

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I I could insert that on coachier. Oh there you go so there's a good linkage there for sure.

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Wants to know more about the prepaid, 2030.

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Yes, I just it's: it's a brainstorming idea. It's throughout there there's another method could be.

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To take to get a booth at events like market square day wednesday, I went to something at.

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The seacoast science center a few weeks ago, where they had folks, do an outreach like this explaining.

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Things like this just an idea: if you're budgeting there will be some calls associated, you need to.

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Volunteer for multiple to staff. Well, dover has done apple harvest day every year and it's raffled.

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Off with steel, dds is set up, and we've grappled up um rain barrels to as a ploy to get people to.

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Engage and that's that has been successful and building on that is a good idea, starting to get.

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In fact, I just sent out the email- I don't know if you guys go to apple harbor state. We pass out.

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A little plastic helmet so we're really trying to be less like environmentally devastating this year.

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um But still have something that gets people to come in and talk to us um and I think actually I.

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Don't know if anyone from summerslam, but I know they have something similar in summer's work.

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B

um Okay, then, I think that kind of leads into the next conversation about.

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Continuing to outreach the other communities um both in the well we'll talk about reaching.

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Out to the other regulated communities, but I think also the hope is that we'll be able to.

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Take these community conversations to communities even outside of the regulated communities so that.

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It's really getting watershed wide, but now I wanted to move on to this item.

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Item number four, um this letter that uh we put together that would be outreach for.

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Other regulated communities and it's building off on the the two correspondents that went from clf.

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To epa and then back from epa to clf, we actually have the authors of both of those here in the room.

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Today, so um certainly you know chime in if you, if you agree with kind of what we were saying, but we.

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Wanted to take this opportunity to reach out to other communities and make sure people recognize.

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That you know, I think, maybe a year ago there was a hesitance to get too involved, because there wasn't.

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Sure, if it was going to be this um collective effort and working together, even though we talked.

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About establishing the stakeholder committee, I think there may be some concerns and it's clear.

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I hope the stakeholder committee, and and by having both epa and um sql committee here at the table.

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And part of all of these conversations, um I hope it's evident that um it is a collaborative effort.

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um And then also you know, we do so much to make sure that all of the communities are keeping up.

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And and not getting left behind you know, we've got some outreach with uh rollinsford we've had. I know.

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I've had a couple meetings with the rollinsford folks, um and I know chris jacobs. You know we're.

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Always there to help you if you guys need it, and so I think, there's a lot to be said for the work.

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That man's doing- and I think we're all all of us that are on it- are pretty proud of the work that.

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We're doing so, I think it's a good opportunity to reach out to those other communities and try and.

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Keep the youth yeah, the retail, are you anticipating sending these letters say.

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To kittery elliott, south berwick, they are part of that estuary. Remember. The big complaint was.

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Why is it just us? There are other entities that don't have for the fact. Well, I have a feeling on.

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That but I know that it's not so, I think that's a good conversation so I'll say I'll, say my my.

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Perspective is that I would encourage everyone, everyone, anyone to participate. I think funding.

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Though, and making funding decisions makes most sense to stay to the regulated communities, because.

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To me, I wouldn't I wasn't talking about funding, I would figure out reach because the bigger.

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Connection is education. You gotta, educate us about what's going on in the estuary by other.

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Communities and maybe at some point some point in the future they decide when and if they get.

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A permanent ga to jump in that's what I thought the intent was. A lot of the complaints are, we need.

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To do more yeah, I'm not critical of what we're doing I'm just going to outreach so that that.

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Makes good sense to me so I think dennis maybe we could tailor. We could have two messages. One sort.

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Of tailored to the police come join, ma'am becoming a voting member becoming a fiscal participant and.

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Then have another one saying: like did you know we were doing this? Please come participate, listen and.

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And stuff, maybe, um but that's just my thoughts, so I don't know if there are other folks.

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Yeah, hey susan yeah, so I think it is two separate messages. There are.

D

Those to the communities that are actually regulated by the permit.

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um And I know you drafted a letter gretchen that you circulated for us to look at um and and yeah.

D

Then it's obviously the wider conversation and education, as dennis mentioned, which is the more.

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The merrier, in terms of understanding how to improve water quality, so I think it is the two.

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Messages but they are somewhat separate because of the nature of the regulated and the unregulated. So.

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Dennis messier recommends sending it to summer square.

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Anything folks think should be included in the letter.

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Or melissa, if you.

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Agree with the way that kind of the wording was being pulled out of the letters that you.

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All both wrote yeah comment. um Well, first of all, thanks for sharing the letter, I appreciate that.

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What it says um support you all sending the letter. I would amplify sort of.

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I do want to be clear when you talk about regular communities, I mean there's regulated under the.

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Total general permit, then there's regulated understand this form. We're specifically talking.

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About under the tfgp here, so it's the twelve missile permatease and just to again kind of.

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uh Remind folks that none of this is required by the permit right. This is entirely voluntary. um Our.

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Letter talks about and it's fine we do cite our letter and and quote it in terms of encouraging.

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Them we can't require we would require, but that's that's clear, that it's encouraging.

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um I understand there is: there, are dues associated with participating in math.

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And that may be, you know a barrier for some smaller community to recognize that I think.

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um Obviously, with the forces requiring to do that in part, because of that, um we would do, of course.

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That kind of commitment is a good indication of commitment to the mission.

A

Great so I do want to say one thing to to something that you brought up was the.

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Cost and um I want to make sure that everyone hears the costs are um prorated based on your.

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Regulated flow so portsmouth it carries the the the largest um fiscal contribution.

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And then it gets much much lower for the smaller communities that have the lower flow.

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um I don't have the cost breakdown in front of me, but you know I can't remember milton was maybe a.

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Couple thousand dollars um it was not a huge lift, so uh maybe that's something to remind.

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Folks of as in this letter is that that I think funding is rated yeah. Could you let me know what.

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Is that every year yeah it's an estimate, um but you know we said. Okay, let's say we totally.

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Our total is 300 000 you break that down, and so I can send that I'll resend that to everyone.

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After this meeting of what those breakdowns are um that obviously changes depending on the number of.

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Participants but, um but for me fields it's relatively low, so yes, I can do that.

B

And and direction to that point in the letter it says says we're committed to providing funding.

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Training public health updates is that those funds support those types of activities essentially.

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uh Do those funds support which type the dues the base? Oh yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, so yeah worth.

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Saying that right now, um we've funded ptap to go: um do uh technical assistance for every community.

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Including new fields, you do not need to be paying at this point. This was really valuable, so.

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um So we're finding technical assistance for that. um Obviously, a large portion of the funding goes.

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Towards the monitoring and continued um scientific research, but then we also do projects um all sorts.

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Of different things, so that's kind of what the funding goes for, yes, melissa. um I I made.

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Two comments I would make on the letter yep not towards this, but um just technically speaking,.

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It says that clf um expressed concern with some of the great day communities minimal, work toward.

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Compliance with the general permit and technically I guess that really would be incorrect because, as.

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Long as they're complying with their point source um hold the load or eight milligrams they're in.

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Compliance technically with the permit, and so our concern is that there some communities may not be.

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Progressing with the intent of the permit.

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To advance non-point source and storm water management activities.

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Enabled by this flexible permit you know so I I I you can. I can get you some language, but I think.

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That would be more correct, yeah um and then um you know our larger point as we uh discussed as I've.

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Discussed in the past here was to make sure that municipalities obvious about us understand this.

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Provision you know in the settlement agreement that enables us to petition permit status for.

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Communities that are not you know, complying with the um uh you know the intent of the permit and.

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I think the letter does that very well, so I I really appreciate the way that you captured that.

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um My second point would simply be that maybe as a way of um enticing communities, they're not.

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Yet participating in that is to kind of go through some of those, the perks of being part of this.

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um This, you know, collaborative, uh like you know, shared all the things that you you've listed. You.

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Know there's a lot of reasons why this is a a great benefit to communities and maybe.

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A better selling job yeah yeah yeah- I I completely agree with this, so that was the one thing I I.

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Flagged was just making sure that we can identify those collaborative opportunities and kind of.

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You know making sure these other communities are specifically aware of what it is that we've.

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Been accomplishing and are looking towards um accomplishing and just that you know the power of.

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um The numbers right, you know it's great- for a smaller community to be able to align with.

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The larger communities and learn from that and determine decide what is best.

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For their community, but the opportunity to just learn sitting in here is is great.

B

A

Any discussion from remote folks uh suzanne with the city of portsmouth, uh I would just I would.

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Entertain them, I would motion to um authorize uh gretchen young to take the comments that.

D

She's heard today and finalize a letter to the other communities who are not yet members of man.

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Okay, have a second all right, dennis any more discussion.

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Okay, then I'm going to do a roll, paul roll call vote, suzanne, woodland, yes, uh paul.

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To twist I'm so sorry, it's two singing and yes, yes and I've got. uh Where are you chris jacobs, yes and.

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uh That's mess here: yes mike bizanson, yes and jennifer; perry, yes and gretchen young! Yes,.

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Excellent, um I would could I entertain a motion to move item number six up to above.

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Item number five, because we do have somebody here that from usda all right dennis move so.

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Jennifer second, all right, quick roll, full uh roll call vote, says suzanne woodland, yes paul to saint.

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Yes, chris jacobs, yes, young, yes, dennis mascara, yeah, yes, michael yes and jennifer, perry.

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Yes, all right great, then I'm gonna move to item number six. um This is some opportunities for.

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Funding and collaborators this isn't going to be super long, but we do have matt brown from the usda.

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And I had the opportunity to meet with him last week and and I thought it was really interesting.

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Some of the work that they're doing so, I invited him here to come talk to the larger group, so.

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Matt, unless you've got more intro, I'm going to turn it over to you. Yeah thanks gretchen.

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Hi everybody, my name is matt brown and I am the state conservation engineer with nrcs.

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Which is the old soil conservation service? Part of usda? And I just wanted to mention to the group.

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That we do have watershed planning funds that are available over 500 million was allocated in the.

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Bipartisan infrastructure legislation that went through congress last year, early parts of this.

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Year and, um and so what we are offering and reaching out to communities for is.

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um We're looking for potential partnerships um to implement our watershed plan, where it would.

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Coincide with your needs in nutrient reduction flood damage reduction. We have.

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We have several purposes along those lines, but what I spoke with dover about last week is.

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You know nutrient management, of course, is a big concern amongst this group. Habitat restoration.

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And ecosystem restoration, such as like shellfish oysters, could be salt marsh. It could be eelgrass.

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As well as things up more in the watershed, like culvert replacement, fish passage, dam removal.

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A lot of those things seem to be important to. I think some of the people in this group.

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Many of us in the great bay watershed, so I just wanted to mention that we do have a.

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Program, I'm the local contact in new hampshire. The way this program rolls out is that a town.

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Or municipality has got to be a sponsor, it's got to be a unit of government with.

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um With taxation, ability with eminent domain ability and operation and maintenance.

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Responsibilities and abilities to maintain structures to clean them out.

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Our watershed plans are typically long-term plans 50 to 100 years.

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Is what the service life of a lot of the practices are that we put in the plans? Some may be shorter.

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But historically these these were flood control systems. um They were flood conveyance systems.

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Channels, dams, things of that nature. The pro the program has morphed to where now we're.

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Looking at other purposes and we're um obviously focusing less on building dams and controlling.

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Flood waters and more on flood resiliency and ecosystem restoration, so we're seeing a lot.

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More applications along those lines to address fish and wildlife, habitat watershed protection.

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We are department of agriculture, so the bias is rural and it's farm related. So in some cases the.

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Programs reach out into land treatment, you know buffering and on-site disposal things like that.

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That um we didn't, we haven't typically um partnered with communities on, but that's.

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Something that this new funding and this and this new effort is, I think, targeting um with towns.

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To um foreign partnerships, identify a watershed and then identify those things in your town or in.

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Your watershed that could be addressed to improve ecosystem health, water quality things like that. So.

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I talked with dover last week and we may have something there. We've reached out to several.

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Towns that have expressed some interest- the first step in the process, is to send some kind of a.

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Letter of request to us and I sent a template of that gretchen last week- you'd send that back.

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Saying hey here are the items we've identified in this watershed? Call it the bellamy, river or the.

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Oyster river or whatever the river might be this watershed, and here are some of the main objectives.

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That we'd like to put this funding toward and do the analysis of you'd send in a letter like that.

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We do a feasibility um no cost to the town. We have a consultant, that's kind.

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Of taking this collecting data and um and then we, we kind of sift it and find out.

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Which projects meet our program objectives? You know they still meet the agricultural.

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Requirement of 20 of the benefits have to be rural or agricultural. So that's that's.

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One of the requirements- it can't be strictly an urban benefit. It's got to be attributed to.

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Other parts of the watershed- let's just call it that and that consultant does that work.

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Typically takes a year and then we roll into if you're, if you qualify into a watershed plan,.

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That has an environmental document with it kind of think of an environmental impact statement.

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But of a smaller nature, so we try to follow all you know: federal rules, around water resource.

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Allocations um so anyway, that's kind of my I don't know. If there's any questions gretchen, I don't.

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Know if you want to kind of help me translate this to the group, what you might feel is most pertinent.

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But um that's kind of what we talked about last week, um getting a letter of request from a.

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Sponsor that may have identified a watershed, need and then we'll do a feasibility study.

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And collect the studies and the reports you already have on the shelf into a into a kind.

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Of a comprehensive checklist uh package where we go through and identify primary purposes,.

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Maybe some of the obstacles, one of the things that we talked about in dover last week as an obstacle.

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Sometimes superfund sites or brownfield sites can be, can be a real obstacle and wouldn't probably.

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Score high in our ranking of projects to fund- and I know that might not be great news, because those.

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Are some of the sites you really want to treat and some of the bigger sources of pollution, but.

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um Again, that's not really been the focus of this um of this program, so I'm happy to take.

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Any questions I don't want to bore anybody with any more details around this watershed program, but.

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And I can't speak to exactly how much funding remains. There's been a lot of interest nationwide.

B

We are one of new hampshire is one of only I think, 12 or 13 states that haven't.

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Submitted any kind of application from any town, so we're still reaching out to towns trying to get.

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Some interest most other new england states even have some level of interest from towns.

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So we're still kind of we're reaching out to folks in up in the saco watershed.

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Different watersheds all over the state trying to get some um some traction. A question from jamie.

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Do would the nrcs plans intersect or integrate with existing watershed management plans.

F

Yeah, that's a great question. My feeling is that it would address a lot of the same issues. We would.

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Look at taking those plans and picking out pieces of it that'll fit under our practice. Standards.

F

But we probably couldn't do things like wastewater treatment, upgrades things like that. There's.

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A couple of caveats in the program where sanitary, sewers and storm water, sewers.

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Are the responsibility of the sponsor 100? So if some of those are included in watershed plans.

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That you already have you'd get to keep those and we would try to fund those other pieces that fit.

F

Under our programs, I don't know if that answers your questions at all. Well, I think it's worth like.

A

Building on that, because I think what we talked about in dover is maybe doing something just.

A

For the bellamy river and when we talk about the water shed for the bellamy river, it's sort of.

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Smaller, you can think about it and we could, you know, have somebody take a year to look at.

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And develop a watershed plan for that. But if we're talking about the great bay watershed.

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I mean the idea of hiring someone for a year to you know, make a plan. I mean, we've been doing this.

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So I think you I would, I would hope, or I guess I was hoping out of this conversation. We could.

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Collaboratively work together and really build on some of the watershed plans that have been.

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Put together um and then start tackling some of those projects, areas and you you had talked about.

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Aquaculture as being potentially something you all would be interested in, certainly something that.

A

We're interested in um so I think, there's some good potential there or I was hoping that there.

A

Would be yeah right, I'm not really sure um about how we would um all coordinate that under one.

F

Plan, it may be some separate plans at this point. I know connecticut's done four or five different.

F

um Submittals for different watersheds, um it's a good question is how I know we can have multiple.

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Towns sign on to the same plan, the cape cod example that I shared had you know all 17 towns.

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Sign on to that plan, and they recently funded, I think a 30 million dollar bridge replacement to.

F

Help with salt marsh restoration um down there, but it's been a long process. It's you know this thing.

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Started in 2004, I believe, was when their plan was um kind of put together. They identified close to.

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200 sites where there was a pollution occurring or salt marsh degradation occurring over 200, they.

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Prioritize those to like the top 96 sites and now they've got that on the shelf. They're trying to.

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Put funding on those top 96, so that's kind of where um that's the only precedent. I've got.

F

In new england for one, that's kind of been like this, where they've funded ecosystem, restoration,.

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And they funded, you know: aquatic organism passage, fish passage.

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Culvert enhancement bridge a bridge to replace a few culverts that sort of thing, but it hasn't been.

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A quick process, but there's a lot of flexibility in the program. In that case they had a few.

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They had a conservation district and a state agency that kind of kind of brought the group.

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Together and was also a sponsor, so think of, like I don't know what you guys can think of.

F

The different agencies that may be able to help coordinate, but there's some potential there for.

F

A larger looking at a larger watershed- and I see susan you've got your hand raised yeah, I'm just.

D

Wondering if maybe um either gretchen or matthew could post a link to maybe where this program.

D

You know we could easily read up and share with other staff and maybe have some side conversations.

D

With some of our more rural members, you know there might be, uh you know a watershed that covers you.

D

Know part of dover and rawlingsburg, you know so there might be a nice synergy somewhere that we.

D

Could take a offline kind of conversation, so I just wondered if there was an easy way to um you.

D

Know if there's a link somewhere, so we could just follow up easily to get background on this. Yes,.

A

Go ahead, oh, I said yeah. Certainly after after I talk here I'll post in the chat.

F

The link to the watershed operations and um there's also the national watershed coalition is a.

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Group that um has been very active and they've got a nice page on what's happening in the different.

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Watersheds throughout the country- and they highlight the cape cod project as as an example, it.

F

May not be, um you know exactly comparable to what we're talking about, but at least it's new england.

F

Based and has a lot of these practices that are different than irrigation and flood control, which.

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Has been history of the vast majority of our funding has gone toward those two things you.

F

Know irrigation out, west and and flood control kind of in the in the midwest and west dams and.

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Flood control structures so um I'll definitely post something in the chat here in just a moment.

A

Great, thank you so much for coming and talking to us thanks for having me and I'll also post, my.

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Contact information. If anyone wants to follow up my email phone number, I'm here in dover.

F

On locust street, I'm not not too far from where um the dover public works office is there, but.

F

Anyway, I'm happy to talk with any of you at any time and I'll put that information in the chat.

A

Great, thank you. Thank you now, uh the other one I was hoping somebody and I.

A

Don't know who I'm gonna put on the spot here, but if anyone wants to spend like.

A

Two minutes just talking about the great bay 2030 initiative. um It's about funding.

B

Anyone I'm happy to do so. We can let yeah you want to nope melissa's going to do it just two minutes.

C

um The um there's been for about eight or nine years, there's been a group of organizations and.

C

Agencies working together to formulate a shared vision for great bay uh investment.

C

uh This was a request of the new hampshire charitable foundation back by 2015., um so.

C

The groups that have been part of this initiative- our conservation law foundation, the fiscal region.

C

Estuars partnership, new hampshire des the nature, conservancy and the great bay national estuarine.

C

Research reserve in greenland, which is run by new hampshire, fish and game and.

C

These organizations have been working together, for, as I say, for about seven years, eight years.

C

Initially came up with a vision, called great bay 2020 and um hope that that vision would lead to.

C

You know more investment from the nature, charitable and efforts to restore and protect.

C

The health of the estuary, the groups revisited that vision and reformulated the great bay 2030.

C

um Division to stay current and new hampshire charitable was very successful in finding a donor.

C

Who wants to who has committed 12 million dollars over a five-year period to.

C

Bring that vision um to reality, and so it's a very uh a massive and exciting opportunity.

C

To to gather again, all the stakeholders and organizations that are working around.

C

The estuary in different ways and to have a very bottom up for identifying priorities for funding.

C

Across five different focus areas and those focus areas are habitat restoration, a lot of the work.

C

That's already underway with organizations that have been focused on a shared conservation plan.

C

Around coastal resilience and the work group called the cod custom adaptations, work group.

C

Has already has a process for sharing uh projects and work around that space. The new areas that.

C

We'll be focused on are, um are water quality and quantity issues, and I believe jamie cool is going.

C

To take a leadership role in that working group, another working group is on habitat restoration, so.

C

Our work around eelgrass and oysters and salt marsh and other kinds of restoration work will be.

C

Chaired by rihanna group at the nature, conservancy and trevor matera from prep.

C

And then the last is around building a culture of stewardship and community engagement and that's.

C

This you know kind of general idea of how do we increase awareness, appreciation and engagement.

C

With these issues- and I will be sharing that working group with lynn vaccaro from.

C

The great bay national estuary research reserve, so the process is just getting underway.

C

A coordinator of break break 2030 will be hired to kind of coordinate all this work.

C

Because there's different we're going to say all these work groups and priorities.

C

And so on and we're interviewing candidates for that position now that position will be housed.

C

At conservation law foundation, but that will not be an advocacy position, it will be really to serve.

C

Greatly 2030 and all of these stakeholders and priorities, um but it's an amazing opportunity and.

C

We welcome anyone to be involved in any of the working groups. Topics are of interest and.

C

Great. Thank you all right. Any questions on that.

B

I have a question because I think I might have missed one. um I heard habit that restoration.

B

Coastal resilience, water quality and quantity and the stewardship of building the culture.

C

uh Habitat restoration, did you get that habitat coastal resilience, water quality, land conservation.

B

Jim, did you have something uh not on this? No okay, sorry.

A

All right, thank you, melissa, any other funding or collaborators.

A

Anyone else yeah, I just want to give a quick update on the the noaa application for eelgrass.

B

And oyster restoration, so last year we had applied for a congressionally directed spending.

F

Allocation of two million dollars in march, we were awarded a million dollars towards eelgrass and.

B

Oyster restoration noah had reached out to us to submit a updated funding, grant application.

B

uh Which we did working with katie dr burdick, dr grizzle brianna group, kristen ward trevor matters.

B

And others to put together the grant application which was submitted initially on.

B

June 10th and then we submitted updated information after feedback from noaa on.

B

June 17th, so uh the deadline for the submissions was july 1st, so hopefully.

B

uh We got all the information they need. It's a big thank you to all the project partners for.

B

Getting that together on a short notice, so we'll definitely keep you posted with any updates. But I.

B

Just want to give you a quick update on that great thank you and okay, huge thanks. I said it last time.

A

Too, but huge thanks, jim and rochester for taking such a big lead on that yeah two thumbs up.

A

All right, then, I think, unless anyone else has anything, I think it's time to.

A

Head into item number five, which is the discussion of the adapted management plan after year, one.

A

So we're about one year into this and.

A

As as um outlined in our adaptive management plan, we have agreed to update and resubmit.

A

One year, or within one year of our last submission, which josh informed me was.

A

September, excuse me july 30th, so we don't even have to the end of the month. We have to the 30th.

A

To submit um so we, so you know we're going to take some time to go through.

A

And update anything that needs to be updated, we'll make revisions if there's major revisions and.

A

We'll have to have another meeting for a vote if it's uh editorial and relatively minor, I'm hoping.

A

That we'll be able to just approve with those and and uh we'll take care of doing the submission.

A

um And, as I noted in the email, the appendix d right, appendix d, is the source reduction plans.

A

And those we are per our clf settlement agreement, the three largest communities.

A

Are reviewing those um plans annually in september? So that's not the focus of what we're doing here.

A

That said, if some of the smaller communities or really any community wants to update theirs as.

A

Part of this resubmission um feel free to pass that along. um But if it's not done that, that.

A

Is okay uh but make sure that we're on track to do a full update in uh september and that.

A

Oh, we just decided that because it aligned with the ms4 updates or annual reports, so maybe in.

A

Future years, we'll get all of this lined up to be at the same time, but for right now those are.

A

Kind of the commitments that we've established so with that any questions before we dive in.

A

All right, so then, let's head to um the first pieces, I think the background and all of that.

A

Is going to stay the same, so the first piece is going to be um a depth of your your commitment.

A

Number, a or letter a assuming the monitor ambient water quality in the great bay and uh kala. This.

A

Was largely you all working on this, um and so I do I'm hoping you can speak to if you've reviewed.

A

It if we have any updates any pieces that we aren't on target with that we need to correct, etc.

G

Yeah, I'm just uh looking over my notes uh from this morning.

G

So no there are no. um This is the.

G

The top row of the excel sheet that you sent out is that correct, gretchen.

A

Yes, yes, it's gonna be the top row. It's it's. The.

A

Writing that is in section a of the adapter's management plan.

A

Right here section eight and then yes, it is the top row as well. So stakeholder engagement, p, prmc.

A

Participation recommendations from prep tax um and committee convened by clf, so it's a continually.

G

Yeah, I would say overall, I think you get some of the subsequent rows get into some specifics, which.

G

I can address, but overall we are on track and um there are no. uh There are no uh significant.

G

Problems to report and everything is, is on progressing on track.

A

I guess it's worth okay, so then we will start. We can update this, so the skeptical.

A

Regional estuaries partnership, um part of the school of marine science and ocean engineering.

A

At the university of new hampshire is expected to be the organization relied upon by ma'am.

A

And presumably other agencies um for amber ambient water quality monitor. So I would say.

A

That statement is still correct through the mam the members intend to address.

A

Part 3-1, a of the general apartment by funding an equitable and proportional amount.

A

Of the prep ambient monitoring in the estuary that is still correct, yep.

A

um To date, ma'am has funded 175 000, and so we can update that number. I don't have that with me, but.

A

We can update that to reflect the additional funds that were um funded through this year towards.

A

The funding towards the work and committed to continuing funding monitoring efforts through.

A

The five-year permit term so other than the the cost update that's correct. Ma'am is also funding.

A

The work of its consultants, brown and caldwell- that's true, who have been working with prep team.

A

On continued development of the monitoring program, see appendix e and f of this amp for mam agreement.

A

And authorization to fund work, so all of that is still correct. With the exception of the update.

A

So then, moving on into the summary of plan, so the this plan covers water, ambient.

A

Water quality monitoring, including potential physical and biological stressors that may be.

A

Affecting eelgrass health in the estuary, including, but not limited to nitrogen, all monitoring data.

A

Described in this section, including the underlying information used to calculate future flows,.

A

Will be made publicly available, so all of that still holds true correct.

B

Correct probably available so data collection, nutrient load, estimating calculated for.

A

Point and nonpoint sources on an annual basis, so is that still true? Yes, that is true and in fact.

G

Part of the state of our estuaries report, um which you know the the next report, is 2023.

G

We calculate annual load through 2020., the last one went through 2015. I believe.

G

So we have a five-year update on that and the preliminary numbers are actually.

G

um Have just been reviewed through the technical advisory committee as of yesterday, so.

G

Those numbers are now available both in terms of point source and non-point source. um So that's.

G

Exciting and that's um progressing very much on track, so carla, would you ever be able to just.

A

Give me a blur, you know, progressing on track, etc, and then I'll add that to this.

B

Camp sure I can do that, just um in fact why don't I just take some notes and then I'll.

G

I'll send all of this to you through an email later that would be perfect, yep all right. All.

A

Right, water quality monitoring, dissolved oxygen, nutrient concentrations total suspended solids.

A

um Chrome homemorphic dissolved oxygen, carbon, etc and eight tributaries to the great bay.

A

Estuary, um so are we still doing water bottle.

A

Monitoring for all of us absolutely everything's on track samples are taken between march and.

A

December of each year of the permit period, results are generally available by the summer.

G

Yep, that's right exactly the following: the following summer: that's correct.

A

I don't think they're all going to take this long, but I appreciate that's going through this because I'm going to make sure we're doing the right thing. So water quality monitoring.

A

At approximately 12 stations in the great bay estuary, including same parameters, monitored in.

A

The rivers, as well as light penetration plankton and I c h- l dash a chlorophyll chlorophyll, a.

G

Which is a a proxy for phytoplankton yep, um so are you you're still on track with uh samples.

A

Being taken april and december between april and december, absolutely in addition, okay, cool.

A

The eelgrass uh distribution, or we okay- here we go so teal tier one burial monitoring is currently.

A

Assessed every two years: next assessment is 2021.. So what is the update on that yeah? So, with your.

G

Funding we're actually not doing every two years we're doing every year, yeah and so um last year,.

G

We did it 2021 and we're going to be doing it again in 2022 and that work has already begun.

G

Cool, I can tell you that 2021, the uh it was about the same amount of total acreage.

G

But there were some really big gains in the portsmouth harbor and rye area.

G

Like pretty significant gains in the portsmouth harbor and rye area, but then that was sort of.

G

Negatively compensated for by some losses in other areas, uh little bay, upper piscataqua.

G

And great bay, so in the end it didn't really change from the previous measurement.

G

But um there are some changes within that and our evidence is that the health, so the acreage.

G

Just tells you where the grass is, it doesn't tell you anything about the health of the grass.

G

Our evidence is that the health is improving in those in those specific places where we.

G

Monitor so we're getting, the density seems to be going up, as does biomass over the last three or.

G

Two or three years, so that's good news.

A

Great okay, so um any of the.

A

Okay, measures of the breast abundance and health, so we just talked about that.

A

Starting in 2021 a new program, tier 2, will assess the parameters at 50 sites throughout the estuary.

G

That is, um that was last year and we've already started this year. If people- I you probably tight.

G

On time, but if you want to see some quick video, I have that ready for you, but um just so you know.

G

That that work is progressing as we speak. I think we have divers out currently in the water right.

G

Now and uh we've had a number of sampling days already, maybe as many as seven or eight and that.

G

Work is going well great, so call I'll ask you to show the video, maybe at the end of the meeting.

A

Because I would love to see it, but I'm going to keep people moving sure um all right, water.

A

Quality and sediment monitoring associated with teal tier 2 yep is, as described in appendix c.

A

Which was uh resilience and positive feedbacks water quality.

A

Management and eelgrass health in the great bay estuary that was a whole long report.

G

uh I think you may be referring to the eelgrass resilience project, which was funded by noaa and.

G

um The field work for that started last week, so we have two field seasons one this year and one next.

G

Year, the field season, the field work started uh last week and um it's going well, although.

G

There are the usual um lessons learned, the first time you get into the field and try to do a new.

G

Experiment you know gosh this. This water is really wet gosh. This water is really cold. You know really.

G

Surprising things like that um and some other stuff, but overall it's going very well.

G

Great okay and then the green crabs. The green crab data is continuing to be collected.

G

We are going to be able to provide people with an assessment of that in the online version of the.

G

State of our estuaries report coming out, 2023. and then anything you want to add to data collection.

G

uh Just that we're having really great meetings continue to have great meetings with brown and.

G

Caldwell we had one a couple of weeks ago, we'll probably talk more about that at the.

G

Prmc piscataqua region, monitoring collaborative acronym for that is prmc. Our next meeting is july.

G

14Th at 10 30 a.m and that's primarily a really a budgetary conversation. It ends up being about.

G

Our plans for science and monitoring and how that affects budgets and in preparation.

G

For that we've had some good meetings. We have some interesting changes in the works, such as.

G

You mentioned before gretchen we monitor from april through december, but folks are realizing.

G

That we really need to have some data in those winter months. So that's going to be a thing. We're.

G

Probably going to put some, we have taken some stations offline because we had no money for them.

G

Like lower piscataqua river salmon falls, those are going to be put back online, hopefully in.

G

2023 because we have more money than we did a couple years ago, so all that work is going.

G

Really well and really appreciate, continuing to really appreciate working with brown and caldwell.

A

Great. Thank you.

A

All right, then, uh next we're gonna move on to the river discharge.

A

Measurements there are no river discharge measurements for three of eight of the rivers.

A

That are used to estimate the contaminant loads entering great bay estuary.

A

Consider coordinating with the u.s gs or exploring other options for estimating or measuring.

A

River flow near existing water quality sampling locations to improve contaminant load estimates.

A

And provide input data for the hydrodynamic model, any update on that. Actually, um that is something.

G

That hasn't been on my radar that there this, uh what you just said about a gap in the discharge.

G

Information, if you could give me that page number, I'm gonna get together with michelle shattuck.

G

Discuss that specifically, okay, that's page number 10 out of our adaptive management plan and it.

A

Yeah, okay, I will um discuss with her and be able to report back to you on that great okay seaweed.

A

um Measure of abundance uh incorporated into the tier two as mentioned, and you just said that that.

A

Is correct, yep that is happening and sediment, and that is also happening as part of tier two. I will.

G

Just give people a little bit of so far. What we're finding in the tier two work is that.

G

Most of the seaweed seems to be in the great bay little bay area um that, while, while there.

G

Is some seaweed in the piscataqua river and in portsmouth harbor? It doesn't seem to be.

G

As abundant and sort of interfering with eelgrass as it is in great bay and little bay.

G

So, just giving you that little anecdotal tidbit there but yeah the seaweed work is.

G

Progressing exactly as it should with tier two, and I just wanna make sure you've got a couple.

A

Of places where we're talking about you know, for example, the seaweed at all 50 sites, the.

A

um Sediment at 25 sites- I just want to make sure those numbers, because they're.

A

So specific are correct when we resubmit yeah they're. Actually, um it's we'll have.

G

To correct those, because right now it's um 25 sites it. Initially we were going to do 50.

G

And then, as often happens, you get out in the field and you realize stuff takes a lot.

G

Longer than you thought, so we were going to have this sort of tiered system where.

G

Some stations were going to get more treatments than others, but now what's happened is we're.

G

Doing 25 sites throughout the estuary and every station gets the same treatment. Okay, I think all.

A

That makes good sense it. I just want to make sure if you don't mind reading through this section of.

A

The adaptive management plan so that what we submit reflects what is happening you got it.

G

I will do that awesome. Thank you. Okay data, any other questions for carla on um data collection.

A

Got him in the hot seat here guys all right: data analysis and accessibility, data analysis.

G

um Yep, so data analysis is progressing, we're working with um statisticians at unh to do.

G

More and more sophisticated analyses and some of those will be in the state of our estuaries.

G

And that's going to continue for the next few years and in terms of data accessibility, I've.

G

Talked about this before, but we have a new, publicly accessible database.

G

That some stakeholders have already started to play with and found very interesting.

G

And that's another thing that whenever you want gretchen, I can give you a quick demo. um It's the.

G

User interface is still being improved, but um it's pretty great considering we had nothing.

G

Like this a couple years ago, and now anybody can just access this data and download it to work on.

G

Whereas before you would have to go to des- and um it was a little bit more arduous to get this data.

A

So where we say it says um intends that all data will be accessible.

A

um And it says this system is currently in the beta phase. Is it worth? Is it time to update that.

A

But it is accessible and it's past beta phase or we still yeah, um I mean I want to make it.

G

Clear that this has actually been shared, the website has been shared with, and it is.

G

As part of the beta phase, we're basically asking everybody to try it out and give us feedback.

G

So that's another thing that I can update if you'd like as I go through. Thank you.

A

Okay and then on to stakeholder engagement.

B

And it's has to do with macro algae, recognizing that it.

B

I believe it's one of one of the compliance of the evidence that des uses for its impaired water list.

B

Through a 3d water quality assessments, is there any thought or discussion about.

B

And also recognizing that I don't think there are any real proven methods right, whether there's.

B

Any thought given to exploring whether um doing some sort of macro algae assessment of abundance.

B

In in the future, yeah thanks mel, um so as part of tier two 25 sites throughout the estuary.

G

Macro algae abundance is assessed, um so whenever we go down, we look at.

G

Percent cover and then we also do um we remove the material from some of the quadrats.

G

And we bring it back and we measure biomass and we also.

G

Identified a species, so we can track how the actual species are changing.

G

It's important to note that probably the most problematic seaweeds are invasive.

G

And so they are doing really well in high temperatures and as long as there's enough.

G

Nutrients which there there have been, although nutrient load, is going down.

G

um So abundance is being assessed um and that's something that we feel is super important.

G

Because phytoplankton gets washed out pretty you know after a few days.

G

But the seaweed oftentimes doesn't so in some respects. It's a really important.

G

Variable in our system, more so than other systems that don't have as much flushing.

G

The other thing is that phytoplankton gets captured a little bit in your light measurements.

G

um Along with total, suspended solids and and color dissolved organic matter, but seaweed.

G

Doesn't right, you could have really a terrible seaweed problem and you would never know it.

G

By just measuring light, because you're never going to put a light meter underneath a bunch of seaweed.

G

So it's a really tricky thing and so we're very happy that, with you know, funding from.

G

The mam and other communities we've been able to start this new tier 2 monitoring program.

G

And we've added this seaweed component that a lot of people don't do because it's a really important.

G

Variable in our system and mel, I will also add that this eelgrass resilience project is taking.

G

It a step further and not just looking at seaweed abundance, but it's looking at seaweed. Growth rates.

G

So I'm going to get some good information there as well. Thank you.

A

Okay, all right then, moving on into stakeholder engagement, um I don't think we have to go through.

A

All of this, but there haven't been any changes. We can still say that jennifer perry is the co-chair.

A

Ted dears, are you still the co-chair of the prmc? I was hoping it wasn't a life sentence, um but.

F

But uh I don't know if we have selected another another co-chair yet or not. um Carla have.

F

We we have not yet really had that discussion um right. So there are a couple announcements.

G

uh If not official sort of preliminary, I think we were talking about steve kutcher.

G

um Taking over that role for you ted, although I don't know if that's where.

G

We had that thought, yeah, yeah yeah and then I don't know if jennifer perry had an update as well.

B

um Yeah I've been meaning if the greater group doesn't know most of you do that I have announced.

B

That I will be retiring by the end of this year. Oh yes, this is true, so we will be needing to find.

B

A municipal representative to co-chair the prmc as long as you want to continue with.

B

That kind of structure I I feel like it's worked really well, so I would like to continue that.

A

Okay, well, we won't dive into that today, but we'll we'll.

A

We'll make note that we'll continue that structure of a des rep and a municipal rep as co-chair.

E

I would just note that it's a fairly light lift for a municipal, co-chair prep does most the work.

E

And we're there really as a sounding board to help to formulate that from our various perspectives.

A

Jennifer, just for the record, I did know that I did have a more reaction when I first heard it, but.

A

You know now, I'm just kind of ignoring it. We get you to the end of the year.

A

ah um Okay, great and then ma'am has hired brian caldwell, so that is all staying on track.

A

A stakeholder committee has been convened with clf, provide insight so that stays on track.

A

um Ma'am and the respective municipalities invite and encourage broad participation.

A

So all of that is the same, so college is going through. It looked like there were some.

A

Modifications but no major changes to the adaptive management plan to you that.

A

Section of the adaptive management plan yeah, I agree with that characterization and I will.

G

Go through and get you all this, can you give me a sense of when you would need that by in terms of.

G

These sort of minor corrections- um if you can get it to me in the next few weeks, it is due.

A

Fully packaged due back to um epa by july 30 and we'll have a discussion by the the.

A

Voting members as to whether we want to have a uh review and um approval ahead of that submission.

A

Or if the modifications are minor enough, that folks feel comfortable approving.

A

Today, that'll be at the end of the conversation but yeah I'll get you something in the next two.

G

Weeks then awesome. Thank you. Okay, moving on to um our ptap portion, we're going to come back to.

A

Paula, although I think that was your big piece but we'll come back to you towards the end.

A

um But b is the pollutant, tracking and accounting, um and I I know that you all did read through.

A

um Jamie and sally right through so, if you want to summarize kind of any changes you wanted to make.

A

To this yeah, I don't know if you can see sally's here too.

A

She showed up, she didn't say she said she wasn't going to, but she came.

B

Oh, I still still can't see her. Where is she.

E

Yeah, I can start off if you guys can hear me all right, yep, so um nothing too huge to change um from.

E

The actual document- just some you know positive advancements, I think, and we can work with you.

E

To just kind of um sprinkle that in most of it, is just uh tense. um So as you know that the uh part b.

E

The plan includes uh tracking land use, conversions, new or modified structural stormwater controls new.

E

And modified non-structural controls and the septic systems uh so um as far I'll tackle.

E

The structural and non-structural systems, first, which is couched under what we call accounting.

E

So we've worked with uh our database designers to actually link the ptap tracking tool to the epa's.

E

Bmp, accounting and tracking tool- and this was sort of we we do we did have- I guess what I.

E

Call some interim accountability within the tool itself, um but linking it to the bat allows us to.

E

Use the actual approved performance curves in appendix f, the ms4 permit and the epa approved.

E

You know performance characterization, based on the physical storage capacity of the system, so.

E

We have linked these already and so for the accounting side, I would say we would.

E

Just change the tense of that language to from will to have, or something like that.

E

So that's been very successful as far as the long-term uh tracking of nitrogen loads. We were.

E

Always because the long-term land use changes are very cumbersome in a site-specific tracking.

E

Database, like ptap, we were always envisioning uh working at a at a more regional scale to be.

E

Doing this through gis and I'm happy to see that that mel's there um we wouldn't change any of the.

E

Language or the approach, this is still our intent uh and we have new opportunities now to continue.

E

Doing this so as far as the long term, land use change tracking, we would like to do that through.

E

Some of the regional gis analyses so we have a 2010 data set. We have a 2015 data set, which is.

E

Really, what a lot of the um existing hotspot maps are accessing and then.

E

I'll I'll ask mel to maybe um update us, but we've been in discussion with epa to um possibly pilot.

E

A since we have 20 20 data available pilot, the um kind of processing of we call them hydrologic.

E

Response units, it's really the building blocks of the pollutant load mapping, that's being done.

E

Again with epa land use export rates, and so we have potentially have the ability to update those.

E

With the 2020 data set in collaboration with um epa, so it wouldn't look entirely different than.

E

The hotspot maps from 2015. uh we, we all follow the same general process. The updates would be.

E

A slight shifting, instead of using a parcel layer, we would likely use a meter by meter.

E

Geographic pixel uh to do the analysis, but that could be overlaid with the parcel layer.

E

As well so that there'll be congruency and can can um consistency across the data sets.

E

With that in place, we would then have these five-year increments and our it'd be our intention.

E

To continue that over time, so we'd be able to track long-term land use changes between 2010.

E

2015 and 2020- and this again would be your overall report card, we kind of know, what's going to be.

E

In the data we generally don't see increases in forest. You know the tendency is to see decreases.

E

In open space and increases in residential and commercial properties and therefore impervious.

E

Cover and but just having that tracked over time with these regional efforts would be.

E

um What we'd be shooting for in the next year, and so no real changes necessary in the language.

E

uh But then I'll I'll just toss it over to mel, and maybe I don't I don't know if this is public.

E

Yet it's just been stuff that we've been speaking about uh with epa uh jamie. Are you referring to.

B

um Our strong potential to be working with our office of research and development.

B

On this project that you learned about from mark voorhees, recently, yes yeah. Well, I tell you you.

B

Just described it better than I could, I was hoping I could say: no, could you please update this and.

B

Then get it back to me no and there's really no update necessary again. This is something you know.

E

Even though the permit's been uh relatively new, uh we've been thinking about this for a long time and.

E

We already made our original estimates on the hotspot maps that would that will.

E

Likely utilize, for um you, know the the um the nitrogen source identification reports.

E

um Consistent with these methods, this is just a great opportunity to work with the eapa team.

E

To really consolidate our efforts and make sure we're all on the same page. But.

E

We know generally, we are, there might be a few land use classifications that are different.

E

And all that is is taking the 155 or so land use classifications that we can develop in gis and.

E

Distilling it down to the seven land use types that we have pollutant load, export rates for.

E

So it's really a great opportunity that I'm looking forward to and and.

E

I guess what I'll do mel is publicly. Thank you for coming to the table and yeah, and you know offering.

E

This as a resource to us yeah, I mean it's just something: that's.

B

Come about in the past couple of months um and um we're going to be meeting with des.

B

In a few weeks and to talk more about that- and I think maybe um we could by the september meeting.

B

Possibly, have a it'll be certainly more more well um it'll, be firmer and we'll have a better idea.

B

About the specifics, I think by then maybe a short presentation of the work and what the.

E

Desired outcomes that work would be and how it's applicable to your.

E

That's awesome, yep yeah and I I just think the opportunity really is to to.

E

Track the long-term land use changes on a regional level, as opposed to.

E

Trying to piece it together from site-specific development programs, you know or or applications.

E

So then, the last component is really the municipal participation, and so this is the technical.

E

Assistance and we have been working hard- uh I want to thank jamie mccarty who's really helped along.

E

Our integration of ptap into municipal code and so fort smith and dover and exeter for.

E

That matter that have been really leaders in um realizing the potential. So what we've done is.

E

Is incorporated this into um and maybe jamie you can explain this better than I can but trying to.

E

Incorporate the use of ptap into the uh planning process and the site plan review process so that.

E

The developers are entering in their individual properties and and then what that does. Is it.

E

You know puts the onus on developers to input um private lands into ptab, and so the responsibility.

E

uh That municipalities have are, are really relegated only to your own municipal operations, so.

E

That would be non-structural controls like catch basin, cleaning and street sweeping and things.

E

uh Structural bmps that you're implementing as part of again your your um your plans.

E

And so we've been working with um also uh rollinsford.

E

And uh or through the srpc we've been working with rollinsford and.

E

Also, I'm just drawing a blank sorry, nelson milton! Thank you sorry, chris, I don't know.

E

How I forgot milton, but we've been working as they're updating their site plan to get the same.

E

Language in there so that um through the development and the planning process,.

E

Those engineers that are doing the site plan designs are also entering this information into.

E

Ptap we've had some trainings with individual consultant engineers to just it is a little.

E

Bit different of a process, although, if you've been doing any type of tracking and accounting.

E

It's really just a few minor calculation changes um which I won't go into, but it's very it's very.

E

Easy uh once we can sit down and explain to them how ptap works um to to translate that and we're.

E

Recording these sessions, and also posting them uh on the web for future access. We also work with.

E

So then, the next year, what we'll be trying to do is doing um some reporting. So we will download.

E

Any anybody's inputs into the database and run them through the bat and do.

E

Annual accounting reporting, not as a condition of your permit, obviously, but just as a sort of uh a.

E

Large scale assessment of where you are and who needs additional assistance.

E

So, just like everything else, the outputs are only as good as the quality of the inputs.

E

So um you know the this reporting that we're hoping to do after the end of this year.

E

Or this permit year so by the by uh june 30th uh is, will give us a pretty good idea of who.

E

Needs more technical assistance, july, yeah july july, 30th, oh july, 30th, sorry, so so folks that are.

A

And this falls on me too, make sure your bmp is everything's in there.

A

Because he's going to be running the they're going to be running their um analysis.

A

I'm hoping after july 30th right, yes um and I think that'll be interesting to see and those are.

A

Yeah it'll be interesting to see, and so what we'll end up doing is, after we run those analyses we'll.

E

Convene a um ptap meeting where um you know we can discuss uh general needs, and uh certainly since I.

E

Don't I don't think we're gonna we're gonna turn it into we're. Gonna try to keep it on a learning.

E

uh Level so we'll just report, broad uh outcomes from the analysis about you know where we need.

E

To work and then maybe individually, reach out to communities um to provide technical assistance.

E

Great sally does that sound about right, yeah. Please weigh in and touch on anything I might.

E

Have missed it does. The only thing maybe to mention is that we did go to exeter recently.

A

And we did some one-on-one tech assistance there with um staff and also um consultants.

B

And that was good, so you know we're available to do that kind of stuff for municipalities.

A

And then also work, noting is your credit for growing green initiative, uh which is focusing.

A

On uh sweeping a leaf debris pickup, um but that has made progress and it you know if it just.

A

Shows that folks have an idea of something that they think should be credited through. The ptap.

A

There's a process to go through yeah, so I'll. Just briefly say that you open that door is.

E

It's really exciting, because we've always uh street sweeping and leaf collection is one.

E

Of the things that has been really intriguing, there's usgs data out of wisconsin. That shows.

E

uh Over, like uh 70 to 80 of the phosphorus load and we're finding that similar trends for nitrogen.

E

uh Occurs during uh the fall season as we get organic material deposition on the leaves, so that.

E

You know currently we're just uh assessing that load um across the entire year and we're not.

E

Differentiating it by season, but we're finding in the fall if we can focus more on leaf collection.

E

Operation, that's a larger bite out of the load reduction apple uh from a non-structural bmp like.

E

Street sweeping for both phosphorus and nitrogen, so we're working with an expert panel right now.

E

To update those credits, and so they will likely be these new credits that will involve a measured.

E

Approach, in addition to a modeling approach for nitrogen reductions from these activities,.

E

Will likely be in the next permit, um and the exciting thing is because we're using common.

E

Accounting metrics: we can automatically and easily integrate that into our processes and update.

E

Everything that's been put in, so it's really a nod to the benefits of doing it all the same way.

E

And such that, when improvements come down the line, we can integrate that into our processes.

E

Very easily and we envision similar things happening for fertilizer control, as you.

E

Know, there's no nitrogen reduction credits right now currently for fertilizer control,.

E

But we know that's the next thing to really address so really exciting times.

A

All right, great good anything else. No, so do you folks, um sally or jamie? Do you think you could.

A

Just take a read through what's written and make sure it reflects where we are.

E

Absolutely- and it's very and like I said it's very minor and really uh very like tense and changing.

E

Will to has or or stuff like that, so nothing substantial is changing and we're kind of.

E

Maybe I should have started with we're on track and uh pause for uh comments or questions.

A

Great, thank you all right. Moving on to c uh overall source reduction, I did mention.

A

At the beginning of this, we're not gonna get into the um specific plans, but uh renee.

A

Joe is here um and renee: I'm hoping are you sticking with us an hour and a half.

A

I'm sorry long meeting. um Do you want to talk about any of the work that uh some of the work.

A

That you've done and some of the potential ideas for some of the smaller communities.

D

Yeah, so thanks gretchen, um so myself and kyle pimentel from the stratford regional.

D

Planning commission, with help from gretchen and sally you know we had a discussion about how we.

D

Might be able to engage some of these smaller communities within mam, who maybe don't have.

D

More developed nitrogen control plans that some of the larger communities have.

D

So, with the most recent clean water srf grant, funding that was released.

D

We submitted two applications, one for the town of milton and one for the town of rollinsford.

D

To create a nitrogen source identification report for each of those communities, um so what that.

D

Would really detail is, would provide sort of more specific projects, locations, um load, reductions.

D

um Schedules for implementation and sort of what their ex what they might be expected.

D

To see for nitrogen removal um over the course of the great bay general perm of the next four years,.

D

um So initially we want to submit them as a joint application and sort of leverage. Those resources.

D

But with the timing of it, we found that it might be a little bit difficult to get buy-in from both.

D

Communities to sort of share resources and how that would look, so we submitted them separate, but.

D

Did put a qualifier in our application that, ideally, um it would make more sense um from.

D

A logistical standpoint to do them at the same time, under under a small and it's under a single.

D

Grant um but you know again, we just submitted the preliminary application and um if it gets.

D

Selected for future funding, we'll work out a lot of the details with specificity on exactly what.

D

That scope of work would look like and how that arrangement would move forward.

A

So great, thank you. So I think that's that's a good! That's something! We've been talking a lot.

A

About- and um you know I know, there's other smaller communities that maybe.

A

Sort of take advantage of the work that they're doing and use it to build your own plans.

A

Any questions for renee uh to whom is the.

B

Grant application being made goes to the state. That's our this! That's yeah! That's our satisfied!.

B

You guys have for planning it's um yeah, there's a there's, a storm water planning component to.

A

And it's one of those things that once it's been conceptualized, you know as other grant.

A

Funding sources become available, um we can maybe uh build on that.

D

For now gretchen I'll just add one additional thing to that um is that you know our intent is.

D

Too, that you know we would have products delivered from that grant. That would be easily adaptable for.

D

Other small communities that are interested in developing nitrogen source identification reports.

D

um So you know our ideal is like we would work with these two communities, but other communities.

D

Like, for instance, newfields who's in the room or something who maybe doesn't have a developed plan.

D

Yet could potentially utilize the tools we have um and develop a plan for themselves.

A

Great, thank you and really thank you for sticking around and talking about that. I think it's a.

A

Really exciting project that you, you guys are taking on and it'll be with the srpc, which is.

A

A regional entity, so um I'm glad that they were able to kind of step in and take on that role.

B

Yeah, I think jennifer did reach out to me about something like that: yep to take the hot spot.

B

Data that we produce and to mine that and then um she would work with you all to figure out.

B

Locations for potential management opportunities and then package it into a plan.

C

From this section, unless you want to, I know I just I I guess I I have a question which.

C

You know one of the elements of the points in our clf letter um to pa was about the you know.

C

Kind of the lack of consistency um in the nitrogen in the appendix d, basically sort.

C

Of how municipalities are um planning their nitrogen reductions, um much less, how they're.

C

Accounting for them, and um so I'm wondering whether there's going to be.

C

You know any additional guidance or effort to kind of make a more consistent um way of you know, going.

C

Forward uh to develop nitrogen control plans so that you know it's a little easier to assess.

C

um You know how communities are progressing against um benchmarks and.

C

You know even like the units of high nitrogen reductions are.

C

Are described and measured but again you know the the appendix d elements are kind of.

C

Laundry lists, but not really in that in some cases not not real nitrogen-controlled plants.

C

But I I throw that question out there. That was one of the developments of.

C

Cos epa which we want, which has been related to municipalities,.

A

It's funny because I I've sort of had my head in the way that we've done it independency.

A

With the way that it was set up, kind of between the three largest communities, so.

A

I can't really take a step back whether that's the best way to do it, which is kind of the the.

A

Project, um I don't have a credibility right for you outlets the project the year.

A

You know and then sort of the total load potential reduction, ivf reduction and then.

A

You know, I think, there's comments about. You know, status, update and things like that. So.

A

That was how I had always envisioned these plans going, but I guess that's definitely.

A

Conversation of like whether it's a different way to set up a nice good production plan.

E

I would just jump in here. This is jamie. um I I think that's a great point and I just uh would say.

E

And I I didn't make a comment because I'm I'm very confident that you'll do this with gretchen and.

E

Sally uh governing this, but we've we've brought the nitrogen source identification reports for.

E

All the permitted communities onto the ms4 to a very, very mature uh place, and I would just say.

E

That we should be building on that to develop this consistency. That melissa is discussing.

E

uh So up till now for the the the communities not within mam that have already committed.

E

These, as gretchen was saying in their cip um and we're talking about just developing a plan. uh We.

E

Have developed um nitrogen source identification reports for municipally owned lands uh and that's.

E

Where we stopped, because that was pretty easy and it's the most actionable areas focusing.

E

On impervious cover on municipality, owned lands just to get the process started, so we didn't get.

E

Into commercial uh property or price, you know any private property for that matter and that really.

E

Stems from a lot of the epa comments on the exeter and new market uh consent orders they challenged.

E

Them to be, you know, to focus on municipally owned lands first, so um I would just add.

E

That it would be great to see future um projects build on the consistency we've already developed.

E

Because we're all using the same methods we're all assessing this in the same way, there's really.

E

No reason that we can't be consistent, that's right and that we use that whole setup to do.

A

A um it's a kind of a less deep dive than what the nitrogen general department requires, but.

A

For the ms4 communities, that's some general nitrogen source identification reports.

A

But yes, that is a good point, we're starting from that. As you say, relatively mature point,.

B

Yeah those reports can be leveraged for this work for sure right and I think, as far as the use of.

B

Measurement tumulus, I mean the p-tap, the wave e-tac quantifies load reductions for nitrogen.

B

Is by using epa's performance curve, so that's.

B

That's a consistent thing, so anyone who's putting their data into ptap is going to be using the same.

B

Quantification method to show reductions for stuff that they've implemented and it's consistent with.

B

What epa has an ms4 permit, so I don't know if that answered your question about even some.

B

Measurement, if that's where you were headed but- and I don't know if jamie you want to add to that.

C

I think that that may be an outcome of a year's worth of maturity of this permit.

C

That you know the adapter manager that was submitted a year ago um was done.

C

Maybe in some cases because of the compressed timeline and that um you know given a year out.

C

There's a way to use those curves and share. You know shared metrics.

C

For identifying reductions from these activities, the other point I would say is.

C

Like, for example, um I believe rochester was uh doing hot spot mapping, which was part of their.

C

Adaptive management plan- you know to what extent does that hot spot mapping now drive. You know the.

C

Nitrogen reduction activities that are going to be that are either um already underway or will be.

C

Part of the next round of commitments under the management plan, so I guess that's sort of the.

C

And I think jamie you've noted that there's a lot of that information available.

C

um But you know: how does that integrate in terms of you know the plan going forward for the next.

C

Four years to your comment about the haste, you're, absolutely right and you've been putting in those.

A

Those um lists that we were doing, I think, you're, absolutely right. We're.

A

Gonna revisit it we're consistent with the metrics that the ptac was using.

A

You know you you've had a year, so you you know or solidify the lists.

A

Use the hotspot data that you have, I think, by virtue of just having that process.

A

Go forward, I think you're going to get the tighter product. I think you're going to get to see clearer.

A

You know where the where the reductions are going to come from and you get you know better sense of.

A

What those reductions are actually going to be? um It is a little bit to be seen. I know, um but.

A

You know, I know at least the three big communities and dennis you've expressed interest in.

A

uh Doing this for newington, as well as really having that that data cleaned up and ready to.

A

Discuss in september and um the three largest communities owe that data uh two weeks prior.

A

To the meeting to be distributed, so you know everyone should be really pulling that together.

A

And tightening it up for that next round does reveal yeah and one last comment from me.

E

This is jamie just just because we have the benefit of mel sitting in the room.

E

In the working group, so between the ms4 communities and the great bay communities.

E

We see the intersections and congruencies between the ms4 permit and the general nitrogen permit.

E

And we're working to integrate those where and when we can so, I think gretchen you had.

E

Mentioned earlier- and I second this as much as we can kind of uh synergize reporting that helps us.

E

uh Communicate the synergies that exist, because there are some ms4 permits that permatease, that.

E

Were are within the watershed that don't fall on the general permit, but we want to get them engaged.

E

As well and so the more we can integrate these um and create common reporting frameworks and.

E

Timelines uh that the easier it is to communicate that we're all talking about the same thing.

A

Yep I'll take over thanks jamie um all right. Well, let's we'll move on. I think that was a.

A

Good conversation um and that'll be that that is going to be the topic of.

A

Our september meetings, all of this so we'll look at the ptap work and we'll look at our.

B

Nitrogen reduction plans and uh and dive through so moving on to item d um process.

A

For comprehensively evaluating scientific and methodological issues and then all right.

A

Yeah, let's do d, so the color! That's you again.

G

Yes, um that is all happening um with regard to uh the estuary, that sort of.

G

Preps purview but there's you know I'm just listening to that statement. Gretchen there's so.

G

Much other science that is um really other people need to be like just you know, listening to jamie.

G

uh Jamie's presentation new science related to how much um nitrogen loading comes in in leaf litter.

G

So it's not all prep, although I'm the one who's speaking right now. I just want to make sure that.

G

That's understood we're really looking at how the estuary is responding to all this. All things.

G

We can cannot control and then the things we can control these best management practices so.

G

uh That's a long way of saying yeah we're on track this. This section you're, absolutely.

A

Right that jamie is doing a lot of science and research on the loading, but this is more. The.

A

Geared towards, ultimately, the goal which is outlined at five, which is getting towards.

A

This tambiel or tmdl alternative- and that is really the science of the the.

A

I don't know how to say it, but the way the bay is reacting so not the not the.

A

Upstream but the the downstream. So I think that's the section not to put it all in, but you know and.

A

Then I just want to make sure we've got like we have names and people doing uh you know judd.

A

Kenworthy- and I was talking about bringing on some additional external experts- I know those.

A

Experts have been selected and brought on, so there is some updating um through here. That could happen.

A

Sorry to cut you off there, I just wanted to.

G

Yeah, no, I I agree with what you've said. I can update all that in the the manual or the the plan.

G

Rather, as I go through on the other topics, we've already discussed, as you've pointed out, we've got.

G

The experts they're very much involved in many different aspects: you're right that one thing.

G

That we're really focusing on, I think, oh nice way to put it gretchen, is the estuarine response.

G

There you go right, so we've got all the things that we're doing and then all the things that.

G

Climate is doing and then they kind of come together, and then we have this estuarine response.

G

And that's what we're trying to keep track of and continue to really figure out. Well,.

G

What can we do about it, um and- um and that's really going to come from a lot of different.

G

Places it's coming from this new project, uh the eelgrass resilience project, it's coming from.

G

Continuing to look at older data and do more sophisticated analyses of older data now that.

G

We keep adding year after year after year, we get more and more able to really look at what's been.

G

Going on in the past and try to understand that as a way to model what could happen in the future so.

G

um Everything is um progressing I'll, just remind folks that, once the eelgrass resilience project is.

G

Done around 2025, late 2024, um you know we're gonna have to put a lot of people are, gonna have to put.

G

Their heads together to say, okay, what's next, uh tmdl, tmdl, alternative and and prep can be part of.

G

That conversations from from a science standpoint, but we tend to be non-regulatory, so it'll- have to.

G

Be other folks who are really leading the charge on taking the science we've done over the last.

G

Well, uh over the next two or three years and um turning that into uh appropriate regulation.

A

Agreed, I know uh section e, I think you guys are not part of, um although you'll be part of.

A

Informing the conversation for sure yeah, um but I just want to make sure it you know, reading through.

A

You're going to talk about like, hopefully it talks about assuming that noah decides to fund.

A

The aforementioned prep proposal, so all of that stuff that just needs to be updated.

A

Yep um but in general, are there any substantial updates that you need to make.

G

uh No not at all.

G

Okay and uh um just a reminder, if folks, uh who have the time, want to stick around and see.

G

Just a couple of quick videos of how things are looking, uh I could show those to you.

A

Yeah that would be awesome. Let's wrap this up. So I know a couple: people have to get going.

A

Next, six minutes, but um all right so um color. If you can take a look at doing that, I'm going to.

A

Review? What, when you make modifications, depending on whether they're, really anything substantive.

A

We can determine whether we need to do another vote before submission of the adapted, revised.

A

Adaptive management things: this is the only piece that I think does have some changes to it.

A

um Just because you've got different funding from different, your projects have sort of had a year's.

A

Worth of development yep, I agree with that any other. You know sorry to wrap this up really.

A

Quickly but any other questions and comments on the review of the adaptive management plan.

A

Okay, so moving on move on to item number, seven stakeholder comment.

B

In the comments there are none I'll move on to um eight, which is public comments.

A

Anyone wishing to speak.

A

Okay, any other business item number nine.

A

Silence, let's schedule next meeting so september, let's definitely put september.

A

On the books and then we'll uh I'll reach out, if we have to have an emergency one too,.

B

Yeah, when does the budget season starts like there's just testing for some small community, so.

B

We're going to have some initial numbers yeah, uh we can do so yeah, so the communities that have not.

A

Put in yet for this year um I don't know if you're like, are you a town meeting yeah, so you would, if.

A

And that's the same thing that I've said to a couple other things chris jacobs, who said.

A

The same thing to do, if you need a number right now, because you're putting together.

A

Budgets or even the chips, sailed on that the numbers that were approved last year.

A

Are fine for for the those communities the conversation for funding really.

A

Goes in in the fall, and then we try to have a vote and in december, um ahead of the new year.

A

So but the communities, especially the smaller ones that are or the ones that are tied to the town.

A

Meeting process um are certainly able to use last year's numbers and we can kind of absorb a lag if.

A

We need to with that, um and you know what I'm I'm rethinking this I apologize. I got a little off.

A

Base, but do we want to have a vote on a submission of the revised adaptive management plan pending.

A

Provided there are no substantial changes to the section date.

A

As discussed today,.

D

So I yep it's suzanne from portsmouth. I would move to authorize um gretchen young from the city of.

D

Dover to draft an updated amp, as discussed today, incorporating the changes that we've.

D

Heard about and talked about and if it and give you a gretchen authority to call another meeting.

D

If, if there's anything substantive beyond what we talked today, thank you for second we'll check on.

B

That all right dennis, thank you. That'll do roll call vote, suzanne woodland, yes, uh chris jacobs,.

A

I'll go to paul jose. Yes, all right! Chris jacobs! Are you there.

A

All right, jenna smith, here, yes, mike bizanson, jennifer perry. Yes, congratulations! Yes! Thank you.

A

All right, then, scheduled next meeting in september.

B

Thursday's at 10.

A

Do any of them the 15th or the 22nd.

A

How about the 15 at 10 o'clock.

D

Right now that works for suzanne and portsmouth, all right who would like to hold post.

B

If you don't mind.

B

B

Great sorry, I have to get brian to figure the tv out, okay,.

B

Okay done and uh motion to adjourn anyone, so jennifer.

A

Oh, my goodness, all right, mike's, second suzanne. Yes, yes, uh paul to saint yeah. Yes, uh chris jacobs,.

A

Not there dennis messier yeah mike byzantine, jennifer perry. Yes, yes,.

A

Thank you. Thank you, cheryl. I know that that wasn't your favorite thing but like she is difficult.

B

I want to make sure.

C

Yeah, who knows.