City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Sustainable Practices, 15 Dec 2022

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From YouTube: 12.15.2022 Sustainable Practices Blue Ribbon Committee

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12.15.2022 Sustainable Practices Blue Ribbon Committee

A

Zoom good to go perfect. Thank you. um So usually we start with the minutes. It sounds like the.

A

Minutes weren't sent through recording in progress right yeah, make a note uh just for next month to.

A

Do two sets meeting. I think that sounds perfect yeah, sorry about that. No! No! No! um So we have two.

A

Items under new business so we'll go in order and I'm not sure who put these on but plastic.

A

Problem sounds like anyone here could weigh in who uh put this on the agenda. That was me so far.

B

um So I asked peter and kate to put this on the agenda, um which, interestingly enough, I don't.

B

Know if any of you caught, but this morning, the environment and public works. um A subcommittee.

B

Of them in washington had the final hearing of 2022, which was about plastic waste solutions.

B

um So it's sort of timing lies very well, but part of the re well. First of all, I just want to give.

B

The caveat that I'm going to focus on plastic. But I don't want us to lose sight of the bigger.

B

Umbrella of waste, so we've spent a lot of time talking about other pieces as far as.

B

Sustainability, but you know I don't want to forget about composting and recycling.

B

And material usage and obviously plastic. I also want to say that I know a lot of people.

B

In this room have spent a lot of time on this, so I apologize if a lot of it is redundant and.

B

Repetitive, but I feel like it's worth repeating and the science is always changing and what we're.

B

Learning is growing, so I just kind of want to make sure that this is on everybody's radar.

B

um So part of the piece of this is that when we were looking at caps in the spring, in my opinion,.

B

Some of the better ones had waste as one of their components. They talked about transportation and.

B

Buildings and efficiency and renewable energies and we've had great conversations about all those.

B

Things in here about community power and tcag and all the work that tori and aubry are doing.

B

But I feels like the waste conversation hasn't really happened yet, and so I just want to make.

B

Sure that's not lost, especially because fossil fuel companies see the writing on.

B

The wall, they know that we are shifting to evs and renewable energy, and so they.

B

Are shifting too and they are shifting to chemicals and what that means is plastic.

B

um And I also don't want to discredit all plastic. There is a roll that plastic has it's important.

B

For health care, it's important to help make our cars more efficient. It's important for safety.

B

Bike, helmet ski helmets, those applications, but really what I'm talking is single-use plastic.

B

And you guys all know examples of that. You know straws plastic utensils, k-cups, take out.

B

Your containers, personal care products, packaging alone, is 40 of all the plastic we used, which is.

B

Just completely unnecessary plastic, it's just somebody shared the other day. They bought a.

B

Hammer wrapped in plastic, I'm like: why do you need to buy a hammer wrap in plastic.

B

um Switch legs, so what does this mean if we were to consider the plastic industry and kind of rank.

B

It like we do as far as countries and our impact their impact on greenhouse gas emitters. It would.

B

Be number five in the world. um It is anticipated that if the plastic industry continues on its.

B

Current course it will actually exceed coal in greenhouse gas emissions within the next decade.

B

And over half the plastic, they estimate that we've ever made. You know so we started producing plastic.

B

Somewhere in the 50s, but over half of all that's ever been made has been made in the last 18 years.

B

Or so, and that's anticipated to double again in the next 20. If we continue on this current track,.

B

So right now you know it's just growing exponentially.

C

um I'm sorry jessica. Can we look at that slide? A second yeah. It looks like it really has a.

C

Lot on it because it says primary ways, always incinerated and recycled. So just the top line.

C

Include all the under categories- yes, okay and we'll I'll kind of talk about all those.

B

Pieces in general, but uh just to kind of show you how much plastic production has increased.

B

And therefore, plastic waste has increased as well and specifically really in the last 20 years or so.

D

And sorry, one more clarification: what does cap stand for a climate action plan? Okay, great yeah,.

B

So portsmouth is currently working on ours. That that'll be part of our discussion. We're looking.

B

For a consultant now, but we've been doing a lot of back work to get ready for that.

B

um So this has a lot of information going on, but essentially the point of it is that there are.

B

Issues with plastic from the production which it is created by cracking oil and actually one.

B

Of the products that they're using most these days is ethane, which is a byproduct of fracking.

B

So they take that ethane bipract byproduct and then they put it into another facility where.

B

They crack it and make ethylene or polyethylene, and these facilities are. You know those big giant.

B

uh Smokestacks kind of facilities, they are not nice clean facilities by any means, so.

B

It's issues from just the process of how it's extracted and what they do to convert it to.

B

Plastic then, obviously, in the production process, shipping they ship, the ethane around the world for.

B

Other countries to produce plastic, then they also obviously ship the plastic all over the.

B

World and then obviously in its end life, we all know about this. um You know there's discussion of.

B

Recycling but that's a piece we'll talk about further, it's land filled or it's me.

B

You know which oftentimes it gets mismanaged when it's landfilled intentionally or not.

B

Or it's incinerated, so there's really there's no clean line here when you're talking about plastic.

B

um So if we talk about recycling specifically.

B

Sorry, I just lost my place. um I think that we need to really think about.

B

That it's important to keep recycling metal, glass, cardboard and aluminum. But if you're.

B

Looking at plastic, specifically, we really only recycle about five to six percent of it.

B

There are so many issues with recycling. A lot of it is the type of plastic. You can really only.

B

Recycle ones and twos there's contamination issues. So if it's not clean, it can't be recycled. If films.

B

Or plastic bags wind up in the recycling process that just gums up the recycling.

B

Machines so then that doesn't really work and the one of the biggest things that I.

B

Think people need to understand about when you say plastic being recycled, is that it's really.

B

Down cycled, so there's a limited life on how many times plastic can be recycled. You know some of.

B

Those other materials you can recycle them over and over and over again endlessly. Every time you.

B

Recycle plastic: it deteriorates a little bit and degrades a little bit, so it's ultimately being.

B

Recycled, but into a less or an inferior product and so oftentimes you can't like you can't make.

B

Food grade items out of recycled plastic, it's often cheaper to use version material and actually.

B

Today I heard one of the senators talk about the three b's instead of the three r's as far.

B

As what happens to recycled again, it's usually either buried burned or it winds up out at sea.

B

And the other piece that I would add to that is you know: we've all seen those trash um islands out.

B

In the middle of the oceans and the gyres and all the things they talk about, that is actually very.

B

Little of the plastic: that's in the ocean, most of it sinks to the bottom, so you're literally kind of.

B

Talking about tip of the iceberg kind of scenario for what's happening to plastic in the ocean.

B

The other piece about recycling um is you'll, also hear about advanced.

B

Recycling or chemical recycling or pyrolysis: this is something that the plastic industry.

B

Is really advocating for right now and suggesting is a source of fuel for us.

B

Essentially, they're burning plastic. So there are some major concerns about that in general.

B

I've read some things that I've said from some of the initial plants and things that.

B

They've done around these the amount of energy it takes to ran the run the plant they couldn't.

B

Keep up with how much plastic they needed to burn to recycle, to, to make it profitable to.

B

Actually sell any energy to anybody else. It was just enough to sort of sustain the plant.

B

um So I think- and I would also add to this- that some recent new hampshire.

B

Legislation has kind of opened the door for this for us, and particularly a lot of the surrounding.

B

States have said no to this, but we've provided them a doorway in so it's likely that we could.

B

Have a site at some point: what legislation are you talking about? I can't remember specifically, but I.

B

Know some of the des stuff that just happened? Okay; that that some of the um things that they.

B

Talked about in there that sort of it didn't say they could do it, but it didn't say they couldn't.

B

Did it do it, so it's sort of allowed for this gotcha, so it's not a no, which is yeah surroundings.

E

Exactly I got you yeah, so this would be like clean incineration. Yeah I mean I don't even know if they.

B

Would call it that, but I know I'm just kind of putting air quotes, I'm joking of it yeah it's and.

F

I think that's what you were referring to also is that burning of plastics really, I mean there's no.

F

Value and there's probably negative side effects of doing that anyway, right exactly yeah verified.

D

Question what direction are you seeing most of the corporations start to move in because there.

D

Are obviously a lot of it's incorporated in the design process and what's chosen in sourcing, but.

D

Then a lot of the times, at least when I've worked with corporates, it's been: where do they save the.

D

Most money: how can they increase their value uh value proposition or reduce their overall.

D

Cost which directions are you seeing most of the corporates moving? Are they like trying to figure.

D

Out how to like down cycle and overmold over it, I mean: what do you, what are you kind of seeing.

B

So it's a bit of a mix, I mean there are major corporations like coca-cola who are committed.

B

To using recyclable bottles by 2030, at least 25 percent of the stuff they put out will be that way.

B

um But again it's you know it's sort of this give and take. Obviously the fossil fuel company is.

B

Really strong and some of those bigger companies like that are invested in petrochemicals as well.

B

So you know, I think it's still still hard to see at this point yeah most from what.

A

I read: a lot of those companies have pledged to be x, whatever in x years, are behind, where.

A

They should be right and so exactly it's a promise. But as of now, it's not looking too.

A

Right right exactly and a lot of it, I think, which is another piece we'll talk about- is that a lot.

B

Of this stuff, ultimately they try to. It falls to us to be proactive. You know, like starbucks, will.

B

Encourage you to bring your own travel, mug or those kind of things, but they are still.

B

Need to work on their processes internally to really ship some of those pieces.

B

Yeah- and I will say by no means am I an expert like just for them. You know I own a little way.

B

Store this is personally very important to me, but again, there's a wealth of information out there.

B

There's so much so I'm just doing my best to keep up as best. I can part of the reason I was asking.

D

I was, I was working with covestra, which is a big material supplier and they were saying that they.

D

Know that the push is coming to switch over but they're saying their corporations are not willing.

D

To pay the extra for the ver uh for upcycled versus right, I mean it's tough to upcycle. It.

D

Yeah but they want to do more, but they don't necessarily know how and they're not getting.

D

That demand so that's kind of where the money money goes, the focus flows very nice, yep, yeah.

G

Right, okay, yeah, um so I've started to touch on these pieces a little bit um but sort of how it.

B

Relates to us more specifically, I know this is a really bad graph. You can't see it clearly at all.

B

It's on portsmouth's dpw website. It's called the historical mixed recycling tip fee for per ton.

B

It's not super complete for me, but the point that I was trying to make at least from a fiscal.

B

Perspective is that you know we know the majority of what we are trying to recycle is plastic. We.

B

Know that there are major issues with recycling with contamination and that the the second line.

B

Is actually a sentence, that's right above this graph when you go to dpw's website, so it says.

B

That the entire load might be labeled as trashed and then it leads to increased processing costs.

B

So what that graph actually shows is from roughly it starts at january 2013. we were paying about.

B

Twenty dollars a tip fee per ton and in 2020 we are paying almost a hundred and forty dollars.

B

For a ton, that's because of this contamination and that's the piece that I'm not clear about, but my.

B

Consideration would be that it's probably contamination, it's probably that there's.

B

More plastic there. You know that I'm sure there's a piece of it that cost just went.

B

Up in general, if anybody can speak it better yeah, so why is there a jump in plastic contamination.

B

I don't necessarily think it's a jump. I think it's just part of the issue is that we are producing.

B

More plastic, we keep thinking, you know we keep being told. Oh yeah, you can recycle it. You can.

B

Recycle it you can recycle it, but in actuality, there's very little that can be recycled and.

B

Contamination is one of the pieces of why there's so little. um I think a big part of the jump in.

H

Fees was because china was absorbing most of the recycling stream and they stopped doing.

H

That so, then, the market just dropped out for actually buying it. Foreign landfill fees have.

A

Also gone up as well aside from recycling, so in general, landfills are finding tighter space.

A

To right so, like both of those have gone up, um recycling has gone up commiserably more so than.

A

They're both increases. I can sort of vote for that having seen firsthand at the dpw when the.

I

When china stopped taking the recycling, the tipping fees jumped from like, like what was it.

I

Like 20 bucks to like 80 bucks, a ton or something like that just instantly and uh as far as the the.

I

Contamination of lows, that's something we've kind of dealt with. I mean we deal with that, even in the.

I

uh In the compost pile because people just don't seem to know where to put their trash, they don't.

I

Seem to know where to put their compost, they don't seem interested. They just throw whatever, wherever.

I

So that's kind of a public education issue, but yeah it's it's almost at the point where.

I

It's cheaper for the city just to call it trash than it is to recycle. They recycle because.

I

They're mandated too, and it is the right thing to do, but if it comes down to dollars and cents.

I

It's cheaper to get rid of trash at this point in time, which is unfortunate, but now one question: I.

H

Have for the city is at least the last time I checked the website, which wasn't that long ago,.

H

In the last year on plastics, they still say in the single stream, you can do one through five. I think.

H

It is right, but if only one and two are actually recyclable, why why? Why am I bothering to clean.

H

Out the stonyfield farm number fives and throw them in there. I don't know, that's a good question.

B

That's and I would say I think that deep adobe does a good job. You know we have. We do have mr fox.

B

There they offer lots of opportunities to recycle things, so this is not an attack on db dpw by any.

B

Means I think it's just the broader picture of what's happening so, and I was I'm gonna. Add that.

J

There's an advantage to being able to tell people that you can recycle all these containers, even if.

J

They're not ultimately recyclable, if it's okay for them to go into the bin and not contaminate.

J

Everything else right, so they may get separated out later. You know three, four five. They get.

J

Separated out later, um but if one and two are still recyclable, we can get people to participate.

J

More, if they don't have to make those decisions in their household, they look at whether it's one or.

J

Two yeah just three make it clean, put it in the bin. Just don't put in you, know plastic bags and.

J

Don't put in you know, plastic wraps yeah exactly right and is that what advanced, recycling and caps.

K

Is meant to go to is the ability to automate these the sorting and keep the streams clean.

B

I mean so from you know some of the caps that we read. I think it was really looking about.

B

Usage and some of the other pieces of it and maybe trying to make sure.

B

That their current recycling systems were more effective and education to.

B

To residence was better about, you know what can actually be recycled and things.

B

um But you know clearly just from this discussion we're all pretty knowledgeable and we all still.

B

Have lots of questions so that again is another piece? Why I just don't want this to get lost in.

B

The conversation, I think one point that I think it's interesting is so there's people are always.

A

Going to misbehave and not know what to do, but I do think there is a chance to improve.

A

The enablement um in that like, if you look at the city's website, there's like four different.

A

Pages for recycling there's like standard, um you know: recycling, there's the um uh the whatever the.

A

Special chemicals day, then they redirect you outside it's like a waste management site. So.

A

I think one consolidating that into one master page would make it easier for people, because you.

A

Really do need to play around and understand where you're looking um and I think secondarily, I think.

A

Adding just [ __ ]! On that note, if you look at the same parts of the website of the facebook group.

A

There's always these interesting people things where people like. Can you.

A

um Recycle the paper milk cartons right and there was like a hundred comments, and so I think people.

A

Want to do the right thing, they just don't know and- and I think as of now the state website, maybe.

A

Doesn't call those things out right, pizza boxes for a while those weren't recyclable, but now some.

A

Recycling stations are taking those right, so if that is ultimately where our recycling is.

A

Going let's put on the website and that's like a very small win, but it just helps, educate people.

A

um So I think that is one very small project that might be interesting to try to change.

A

Behaviors and then secondarily something we talked about a little while ago was.

A

Putting in resources put in non-city resources to dispose of waste, so if you have large appliances.

A

Where do you go city takes them? That's why I will take them. You know good. Will.

A

Take them if they're like good, like how do we kind of push people to those resources that.

A

Divert stuff from ultimately going to the city, whether it's for trash or recycling, right like.

A

Where do people donate old books, and sometimes they have, I think, the container at bbw sometimes.

A

They don't, there are places around town that do take some of that stuff, and I think we can.

A

So I think it'd be interesting to create this like large, matrix here's what the city does.

A

Here's when they do it, here's the you know price but then secondarily like hey all these other.

A

Things like you can get rid of stuff, because I think people are want to help a lot of people do.

A

Want to do the right thing and ultimately, that hopefully saves some stuff from just getting.

A

Dropped off at the recycling station and maybe in the wrong place yeah, it reduces the strain on.

K

The infrastructure and get for use right and the city has in the capital improvement plan last year.

C

A free cycle shop to be at the transfer station yeah I've seen other cities that have that yeah.

K

I think one of the things I'm sorry no go ahead. Let's just say one of the takeaways.

K

From that is in an apple, it comes up a lot. It's about education right, maybe it's education with.

K

A city site, maybe some cooperation with the facebook administrators, but the information.

K

Is out there, but we need to make it more digestible and more consolidated.

I

Yeah you you're. First, I was just going to say what's happening with the mixed plastics, because.

D

A lot of times, plastic components are they're, they're kind of they're module, they're modular.

D

Right, you're able to pull the components apart, but most of the time they're, not just one plastic.

D

So when that comes in to the waste stream, are those just discarded or what's happening.

B

Yeah again, another good question, I believe yeah, I'm not sure. Do you mean locally here, yeah.

F

So, just listening to the comments here about education, I'm curious, it's just a thought is.

F

uh It might be justified the city to put together what I call a placemat, I'm in the I.t space and.

F

We we talk about placemats, being you know, all this great information, that's in one spot, maybe.

F

It's laminated and handing that out to citizens. I battle constantly with my wife, no matter how many.

F

Times I tell her, she always seems to put stuff on the recycling bin that I have to pull out and.

F

No, you can't recycle this dog food bag or I mean there's all sorts of things. She shoves everything.

F

And the recycling bin thinking she's doing the right thing. But then I'm wondering yeah, but I'm.

B

Cycling, it's called wish cycling recycling yeah, but what I'm wondering is if we could clean up.

F

um Or put the right items in the recycling bin that really are recyclable and don't connect.

F

Would that lead to cost efficiencies for the city better for the environment, and we could justify.

F

The cost of say, printing out something that people could keep right next to the recycling.

F

Bin because you can put on a website, but I tell you when somebody goes to throw something in the.

F

Recycling bin they're not pulling up their cell phone to look at the city's website. But I think.

A

It's twofold right, like I think you know, whatever we create, whether it's a matrix or you know.

A

However, you described it I think, having that is the first piece it should be listed on a website.

A

It you know should be handed out when people get the recycling bins. It should be. I think the.

A

The signage at the transfer station eventually could be improved right, like I think um it's fine.

A

It says glass, does you know uh what like? What exactly does that mean like? Can you have wood.

A

Glass, I think, trying to call it out, so I think all of that would help um yeah. Sorry, oh um just going.

L

Off the education piece at the high school we've been um trying right now we're working a lot with.

L

Composting and recycling, but with recycling we've run into the issue with people don't even know.

L

That we recycle at the high school um like and that's being teachers, and I mean they're the ones.

L

Dealing with probably the most amount of paper and like um students aren't really even using like.

L

I'll walk by like originally like that and they'll, be like random thing. Like I mean things that.

L

Should not be in a recycling bin, so that's also part of it is like we've been trying to implement.

L

It into the school like our school, but um we're having a bit of a difficult time with that, because.

L

Either people aren't cooperating with it or people just have no clue that we even do it at the school.

K

Sounds like the same problem on a smaller scale right.

K

Potential research resetters know what it should be done. Yeah.

A

So I just one more points I do think there's potential value in a small project, maybe for.

A

A subset of people maybe like this at a table not to volunteer. I think I think that the plastic bag.

A

Recycling, I think, is again: plastic stinks we're all trying to get rid of it and you know hopefully.

A

People aren't using plastic shopping bags, but the plastic shopping bag. Recycling at the grocery.

A

Stores has again no signs in terms of what they take right, so I think most people expect that you.

A

Can get rid of the regular grocery bags, but if you look at, I believe all that goes like tracks.

A

The company that makes like the plastic, decking, chairs and stuff, if you look at what they take.

A

And I believe it's that same program, they take um bread bags, they take other things like that and.

A

So like it's almost anything film plastic, I think right, but I I I would guess a lot of people don't.

A

Expect that they could recycle a bread bag because that bread bags just go in the trash right and.

A

So like killed wee or some like, could we come up with like signage, for these grocery stores.

A

You know knowing what they take and just like put on those boxes and like does that improve.

A

The you know: plastic bag recycling rate by one or two percent. I don't know maybe, but.

A

Like it's it's better than nothing, so hopefully that gets recycled and hopefully it doesn't get.

A

You know contaminating, uh or you know, ruining like real real recycling, so.

A

I I'd be interested to see how we could kind of I've tried calling grocery stores here and there.

A

um Maybe they would have a better response to some willful youth, but I don't know.

A

uh Do you have more slides, or I do just a couple more okay, then I'll make my comments after that.

B

Okay, um I think the only other piece I would say on specific to us is that it feels that.

B

You know any community should be concerned about plastic, but being a coastal community. We have an.

B

Added piece not only to be clear and sure about what is happening to our waste, since we have such.

B

Direct access to maine water streams, but also, what's going to be washing up on our shores,.

B

um So that is another reason for me: why it's just so important that we keep this on our radar.

B

um So we talk a lot about social justice when it comes to plastic in the plastic industry and.

B

Plastic production, more than 90 of all the climate pollution that plastics currently.

B

uh Reports to epa is just 18 communities, mostly along the coastline of texas and louisiana, and.

B

Those who live within the three miles of these facilities earn, I mean you, can read the slide.

B

I will also add, though, that that is shifting a little bit because they are building pipelines.

B

And new facilities in ohio- um and as I mentioned, you know right now as a state, we haven't really.

B

Done anything to close our doors, so there is the potential that we might be having some piece of.

B

This, in you know a surrounding community or somewhere here in new hampshire as well.

B

And then the other piece of the social justice thing is, you know aubry mentioned that china.

B

Closed the door a few years ago, we are still shipping a lot of our waste overseas to countries.

B

Who do not have the infrastructure to handle or manage it? So they are just living among mountains.

B

Of western world trash and essentially burning it in really rustic facilities, so.

B

B

um So a plea, a piece that you know my pt side kicks in and the piece of me that is a mom of.

B

Young kids is plastic in our it's estimated at this point that we all consume in one way.

B

Or another about a credit card worth of plastic a week, so that means either it's.

B

Coming in through the food you eat the water you drink, possibly even the air you breathe.

B

um It's been found in our blood, our urine living lung tissue, breast milk on both sides.

B

Of the placenta, so it's really it's everywhere. um Plastic companies are not required to notify us.

B

About what components or chemicals are in plastic, and most chemicals in plastic didn't have not been.

B

Tested for their safety standards, um somebody did some research and some sort of testing and found.

B

That 75 percent of plastics tested right off the shelves have some sort of toxic component.

B

And even if epa is trying to, you know manage this and look out for us. They have over 85.

B

000 chemicals on their inventory list for the toxic substance control act, so there's no way.

B

That they're going to be able to keep track of all these things and, what's around us, the big thing.

B

With plastics is, are that they are known- endocrine disruptors, which means they're, essentially hacking.

B

Into our hormone system, which pretty much impacts every action, your body takes so there's growing.

B

Evidence that plastic can be linked and a factor to breast cancer, prostate cancer, immune disorders.

B

um Potentially adhd and autism, just to name a few things and one of the doctors who spoke um he's.

B

A leading dr john peterson myers, he reported today and one of the things that he said was.

B

That they are seeing declines in sperm count in men and if the trends that they're seeing.

B

Right now, they made projections that, as soon as by 2040, men can have like zero sperm count.

B

From these endocrine disruptors and what it's doing to our bodies uh and that's an.

B

Old picture of my son with a clean credit card in his mouth yeah wow um and he had other alarming.

B

Statistics, I can't remember if it was 20 40 or later, but he there was a projection about.

B

Ever one in every two children could be diagnosed with being on the autism spectrum as well.

B

um So I don't want to be all doom and gloom, I mean plastic is not fun, but I just again.

B

Really want to make sure you know we have the opportunity, as we work on our cap, to really.

B

Think about plastic, not just from the recycling piece, um but really how we make our cap and what.

B

We're thinking about building materials- and you know water treatment things and even just talking.

B

About distributing pamphlets and stuff, what are we printing those things on? How are we shipping.

B

Stuff, there's just really so many ways that we can really if we are thoughtful about it, make change.

B

And from a community engagement piece, I think these are actions that might get people on.

B

Board and are a little easier to take if nothing else, from a fiscal place. You know if you start.

B

Suggesting to people buy an ev car or replace your heater or those kinds of things that might feel.

B

Really hard initially, but if you ask them, hey just bring your travel mug. Every time you go to the.

B

Coffee shop just say: note: plastic utensils just really work on remembering your tote bags, even.

B

Things like I didn't hear the button up thing, but I would love if they had suggested people.

B

Wrapping their windows in plastic, but maybe buying something that costs a little more, that they could.

B

Reuse for several years, instead of just buying the cheapest plastic, stick that they can, that.

B

Is going to fall apart as soon as they try to take it off in the spring? So if we can just be.

B

Thoughtful about some of those people, those things, and I think that could be another way for people.

B

To feel like, they can make change now, while they save up for their electric car, um and I also want.

B

To mention that there are so many groups who are already working on this issue: blue ocean society,.

B

They do beach cleanups all the time. They are very involved in fishing gear and do recycling.

B

A fishing line they are studying, microplastics on our beaches and what's happening, we have red the.

B

Waste reduction and diversion group- the gondola- I know they do a lot of education, conservation law.

B

Foundation is really involved at the state level, and the new hampshire network has a super active.

B

Plastic working group and they've been taking a ton of action to educate and create initiatives.

B

Around the states to get towns on board about eliminating and cutting back on plastic use.

B

um Here in portsmouth, we have our own, christina dubin, who now works for a non-profit beyond.

B

Plastic and then we have the eco club and the seacoast students for sustainability, who have.

B

Worked on this issue for years- and I just think that's really important to make sure.

B

We keep all those groups in mind as resources, and um you know partners in our efforts for.

B

Not only just plastic but waste and as we move forward with our cap and those kinds of things.

B

H

Another non-doom and gloom story you may have heard is canada just banned.

H

Single-Use plastic nationwide wow immediately in sale by the end of next year and england.

B

And that they are banning more single-use plastics right in canada's goal is by 2030.

H

No plastic waste, so they have a pretty impressive uh and ambitious country watch.

H

Yeah, I mean really, that's probably the answer is we need legislation and you.

B

Know this needs to be a systemic change, but also, I feel like we are a motivated.

B

Community and so every little piece helps and having everybody on board also helps.

G

Yeah, I think you had a player. uh I just wanted to thank you for bringing this. uh What occurs to.

G

Me is that, as a sustainability committee, we want to work at every level of intervention.

G

And the banning on the higher level is the traction we need to get in the short.

G

Period of time that we have, uh and on a personal level you I just want to say this kind of thing.

G

Makes a difference as presentation I struggle at hannaford's? Should I buy the avocados are in five.

G

Bags of plastic, or should I pay a few more cents and get the other one you've now flipped me over.

G

Every time I'm not going to buy the nectarine for the thing so one little step at a time that makes.

G

Me feel good and motivates, and this committee, when we get to talking about the cap, the climate.

G

Action plan and we hire somebody. This will be an important discussion to see where we can get to.

G

The highest leverage point and maybe influence the state or whatever. So thank you very much.

J

I first off super informative. Thank you so much for uh bringing this and I'm just curious about.

D

A couple things that I knew about to portsmouth so uh have you seen anything in in the local.

D

Restaurants, where there's like reusable uh sugar programs, where it incentivizes for.

D

Customer loyalty, for instance, uh I think there was a company at least there's one in munich.

D

That if you went there and you got their container every time, you brought it back, you get a discount.

D

On the food that was one that I was seeing for a company there's also loop, I think, was another one.

D

Where for your household goods but to incentivize you to brand loyalty to keep coming back and then.

D

The other thing that I've seen a lot of was: why would you when you get a piece of food that lasts.

D

Maybe a week or if you get a food will last a week, why do you need a container that lasts.

D

A thousand years, and so there's I've, seen a big push upstream on right sizing, the packaging for.

D

The duration that the product needs, and so have you been seeing anything like mycelium people.

D

Push in the direction like mycelium, packaging or right timing right timing, the packaging in this.

D

Area uh so the restaurant stuff- and I don't know if anybody else is hurt, seen anything I haven't.

B

Seen any shift yet in portsmouth, I know the new hampshire network group, the plastic working group.

B

That is one of their big efforts. Right now is that they are working on a program that would work that.

B

They could start to implement in towns around the state and just see how it goes. I know there.

B

Are several towns out west and even um I don't know if it's the entire island but a good chunk.

B

Of one of the hawaiian islands, that's now doing that where they have return sites where you can.

B

Bring back your reusable to go to containers and they get sanitized and, however many restaurants.

B

Are participating so I'm hoping that effort is coming this way, but I don't know if it's yeah.

B

um It's made it here just yet and to your other piece, I've again, I feel like that sort of sits.

B

In that same camp, I don't know if it's filtered through to our local businesses yet, but I've I've.

B

Heard of all those things and recommendations- and um that's I mean that's the other piece.

B

About this there's so many you know, bioplastics there's a lot of questions around that and whether.

B

That is actually a good alternative and there are just so many pieces of this that you can kind of.

B

Go down and explore and almost rabbit hole into so yeah. There's a lot to think about.

L

um I actually work in a restaurant, so um I know we're really we're not bad about it. At.

L

My restaurant, um I think it's just across the board, there's a lot that, like customers, aren't.

L

Seeing so like I'm back in the kitchen like when I go back there, I am a hostess, so I'm seeing those.

L

Takeout orders and how much plastic they are. We used to have plots they're called pizza, savers.

L

They go under the pizza in the pizza box and it used to be this like plastic like grid like.

L

I don't know I can. I can't really explain it. um We recently just um switched to paper which.

L

I think is a little I prefer like just not why I don't know why we need them, but they're there and.

L

um We also were using styrofoam at one point, but then I yelled at them and told them that report.

L

So it doesn't, let you do that too. Have we stopped that, but we're using a lot of random plastic like.

L

um When we like everything's in bulk so like I was like, I noticed it yesterday because I was.

L

Refilling like a parmesan cheese and the big thing of parm was and like wrapped in.

L

Plastic wrap and it just those unnecessary things, everything's in plastic, and it's not necessarily.

L

In restaurants, that everybody's, seeing it's like 90 of that plastic is behind the scenes and it's.

L

Like I asked them why we were using like more plastic containers, rather than like.

L

The paper ones and stuff- and they said it was honestly because they couldn't get them.

L

There was a whole issue with they literally could not get them. So that's a whole other.

L

Like as easy, it could be to be like. Oh, like we're, gonna go use all paper yeah.

L

um Or other containers like they're, like we literally could not, we couldn't get them so.

D

Solutions: I've seen you when san francisco, if you go and get a nice smoothie, for instance,.

D

They give it to you, a nice glass jar and they were and then, when you bring it back, you get.

D

Two dollars, for instance, and so you'd collect them and you'd bring them back, and so it brought more.

D

Business back to them, so the restaurants are like. Yes, we want to do that and then, with all.

D

The I mean germany loved beer, and so they would always charge a core charge when you bought your.

D

Beers that are being one year, it would be 125 so that you'd be motivated to bring it back. So it.

D

Was creating a financial incentive, so people would actually take action as opposed to we all know. We.

D

Should do more, but it doesn't necessarily happen or which cycling was not with that term. Recycling.

D

I'm sort of thinking of this um coming at it. You know bert you're, talking about like.

M

What's the highest level we can get to then there's the other piece of like to change.

M

Behavior, you start at the earliest level, which is our schools, and it's been a real.

M

Challenge to get those behaviors to change, we we have the recycling at the elementary schools.

M

The kids don't have to rinse any of it out. You know so. They've got the pictures. We've got really.

M

Big pictures so we're teaching them that you have to make choices, what you go, but then it's rushed.

M

So then, they're throwing it in and now since covet were understaffed in all of our kitchens. So we've.

M

Gone to completely plastic, I mean you walk into the portsmouth middle school and it is an entire.

M

Wall of plastic utensils, we had gotten to a point where we were. We had gotten the dishwashers. We.

M

Were going to order the utensils and we have gone so far backwards at the schools, but I.

M

Think when we talk about education and behavior, we have we have to come at it from both sides.

M

Because children can have an incredible impact on family, behaviors and family purchasing and.

M

We there have been many active parents that have tried to get involved. It's been a very frustrating.

M

Process at the school, so I'm open to that. I think there are many people that would like.

M

To say how can we start these behaviors right early consistently so that, as they grow into.

M

Larger adults in our city we've done the hard work early. So it's a massive problem in the schools. The.

M

Waste is out the largest I've seen in my time, so I'm sure at the same at the high school we're so.

M

Understaffed yeah, um you would hope that, like the high school would be a little better about.

L

It because I feel like, like you part one of our graduation requirements, is um what is it called.

L

um It's something ego. It's like yeah, I don't know, I don't know as well. It's some class where you.

L

Talk about it's like all about the environment, I don't know, I can't think of it. um No, it's.

L

Just so it's I can't think of it, but we learn about like everything and how plastic it like.

L

um Like hurts the environment and all these things who think that, like high schoolers, would be better.

L

At it, but like even it just at that point, it's like it's just it's so accessible like all of our.

L

Sandwiches wrapped in plastic, our salads are in plastic are utensils plastic. The utensils come in.

L

Plastic with a napkin, and so it's just it's a lot. It's extensive yeah. So it's it's also just like we.

L

Tried to we got rid of the styrofoam in our lunch rooms, but now it's the plastic in our lunchrooms.

L

And I think at this point it's like the education piece for the younger generation should go to the.

L

Like elementary schools that way, they're growing up with it, rather than when they're in high school.

L

They're, like they don't know any better, so it's hard to ask it's too late to change the behaviors.

M

Actually, you know little harbor did a plastic free lunch. This fall. I don't know if all yes, no they're.

M

Yes, unfortunately, it's like one yeah, so that's the problem and the lessons still the the hope is you.

M

Come home you talk to your parents, about it, and but then there's no follow-up to that. Like okay,.

M

So we did this, what's the goal, what do we hope to get with it? What's the stats like how much.

M

Plastic, do we generate what was today like so and that and it's always parent motivated, which it has.

M

Always been and everybody's understaffed, so not to say, there's not interest in our admin to be green.

M

Schools but like, for example, phil davis, presented to the board the other day. That's our one mainly.

M

Green building well the floor that we put in where they sit for lunch. You can't use water to wash it.

M

So we have to use like a dry chemical to clean it, but that also means that the outside doors that.

M

Come in if they leak at all, there's rot around all of our sustainable floor. So we we have a problem.

M

On all levels, in terms of how we're educating the end goals of the district and how do we get there.

M

And- and I that's, we got to start somewhere you're right, though there's great efforts but they're.

M

Happening in these silos and not close enough together for the education piece, I agree. I agree.

A

I

um Oh so much so much to say I'll, try to keep it short.

I

um Yeah so, first of all, yes, I think, on the individual level, we should all be trying to sort.

I

Of reduce our consumption and usage and that's important. But what like has been pointed out.

I

You're fighting an uphill battle because you go to the lunchroom and your plastic.

I

Forks are wrapped in plastic, you buy a hammer and it's wrapped in plastic, and it's because.

I

The plastic industry has doubled down on their production for the future they're building new.

I

Plants to make more plastic because that's where the money is going to be and so they're wrapping.

I

Everything in plastic and one of the things and I know, and then they put it on the consumer to be.

I

Like well, you sorted out, you know they don't pay for that. That's externalized costs. They don't so.

I

Which is why I like the idea of extended producer responsibility and that legislation, because it it.

I

Puts the cost right on the manufacturer if you wrap your hammer in plastic? Well, then you're.

I

Responsible for bringing that plastic back and recycling it that's a cost on yield, because you.

I

Chose to wrap a hammer in plastic, and so I'm just going to sort of if you're not familiar with the.

I

Extended producer responsibility, legislation states are trying it. It's been proposed on the.

I

National level, I'm not sure where it is in congress right now it was. There was a bill.

I

Introduced in 2020, I think it was reintroduced in 2021, I'm not sure where he's at now.

I

uh But- and I just checked an article I had saved from 2021 and it lists different states that.

I

We're currently working on uh epr legislation, main sign and epr bill oregon, was working on.

I

It california hawaii maryland massachusetts. So now, if, if maine's gonna, do it, if massachusetts.

I

Is going to do it? Where does that leave us as usual in the middle behind our surrounding states,.

I

But that would be a huge start, because now manufacturers would be looking at how they.

I

Package, their product because they know they're on the hook for dealing with that waste instead.

I

Of wrapping your little toy plastic toy in 47, other pieces of plastic, like happens now, it.

I

Might just be wrapped in a paper box or something like that. So that's I like that idea and I I want.

I

To go that direction, but that's that's high level stuff again just a discussion back to where we are.

I

Get those start at home, so yeah maybe bring your no I'm glad you brought it up because I.

B

Think that in bottle bills, I think if you need a bottle bill, yeah yeah and there was an article on.

I

That only yeah- and I don't know where that sits in new hampshire legislature. But I know there was.

I

Talk about that as well, I'm not up to date on what that is, but that's my thoughts on that. So.

A

I know we have a bunch more to talk about. Is there anything else? People wanted to approach.

A

On this or steve, I love that you were kind of winding this. Up with this is where I was.

G

Talking about intervening at a system, probably in terms of state, we don't have the right to do it.

G

But we're a big city and if we put into our cap we can start from this committee pushing back and.

G

Say that the states this is where we'd like to go so there's where I see I love your input and when.

G

You get to the climate action plan. These are the big ideas that I think will be worth pushing on.

G

And so education and our collective mind to get the best leverage point for our kids. Thank you.

A

I have one more, maybe closing, question on the city website. It says that a member of this we.

A

Should have a member of this committee that is from public works? I know steve wears a couple.

A

Different hats, I don't believe you're the official member. I am not the official number.

I

I think we haven't had one since jacob left is that something we should try to get back? Is that.

A

Is that mandated or is that option? No when jacob came on is because he wanted to be on.

G

And I don't think there's we are still a blue ribbon committee. So what's been nice, we kind of.

G

Take up our own rules if we become a standing committee, then that all gets spelled out and.

G

Officially done okay, so I don't think we have a mandate. Okay, we might want to move, remove.

A

From the website it says that, okay, as far as I know, we've never acted about it. Time gets.

J

Or something from the dpw here, it's an optional, sit-in, yeah, okay shows up.

A

So that is on our website. That is, thank you, okay, I don't know so I don't know, but.

A

um All right, that was a good spirit of conversation, solar.

A

Canopies, that's me, I don't think it is. Thank you there's a seat for you, fred.

F

Sent out an email a couple weeks ago uh proposing to add this to the agenda, I think.

F

It's an interesting topic: um I'm not looking for to get any more out of tonight than just to.

F

Insights and dialogue about this as an opportunity potentially for the city of.

F

Portsmouth is everybody familiar with what a solar parking canopy is? You know for okay and.

F

You've probably seen pictures of them, and uh I I it really struck me when I was talking to.

F

Somebody recently from beverly massachusetts- and they recently did this- I believe at their high.

F

School and they partnered with an investment firm, which is the same thing: that city of portsmouth.

F

Did when we put the solar array on top of the high school, and we put the solar array out of the.

F

Madbury water treatment plant we partnered with it, was uh sunrise investments and rebecca perkins. I.

F

Think most people here are familiar with rebecca. She works for that organization. Also, the beauty.

F

About partnering, with one of these investment firms is there's no capital outlay for the city.

F

And there is ultimately a contract for the city to purchase from that investment, firm electricity.

F

At a below market rate, or whatever that may be so the city is able to, you know not only contribute.

F

To reducing greenhouse gases and and benefici the benefits to the environment, but the city is also.

F

Paying less for electricity so in in that sense, they're saving money and also, I think, for being an.

F

Municipality, it really sends a message that you know as a city just like putting solar array on.

F

The roof of the high school sends a message to the students. It sends a message to the citizens that.

F

We are serious about being an eco municipality and the benefits. Obviously you know there's a.

F

Tremendous benefit in producing the renewable energy, but also from the cars, are parked, and it's.

F

Got protects the vehicles on a warmer day when you get in the vehicle. It's not really hot, because it.

F

Should it's shaded also, potentially we can produce electricity near where it's consumed or where it.

F

Is consumed so the high school, for example, it's great high school consumes a lot of electricity.

F

Well, hey: we've got a solar array on the roof, we're producing electricity right where it's being.

F

Consumed same thing, I think of the parking lots at the high school right. There's, probably a great.

F

Opportunity to extend the solar race into the parking lots. I completely understand that these.

F

Parking these solar parking, canopies, there's cost more than putting a solar array say on the roof of.

F

The high school, because there's more materials you have steel and such or aluminum, you have.

F

To install there's construction costs for doing that, so I I was reading 25, maybe 30 percent higher.

F

Installation costs to do it um for something say like the high school parking lot, but there's also.

F

We have the the new inflation reduction act and I'm not sure, but it's possible- that we could get.

F

You know some funds through something like that. Some sort of grant for doing this in partnership.

F

With an investment firm, I also think about. We have two parking garages and you know both of.

F

Those have parking on the upper levels and both of those potentially you know you could have solar.

F

Arrays can from a canopy perspective on on the roof there. So I did. I I want to just open up the.

F

Floor and see my you know, my plan is before I open up the floor here for for comments and discussion.

F

My plan is to reach out to, and I'm going to come back to you kate, and to peter to discuss.

F

To see, if there's any interest on the city side to further this conversation with dbw and and others.

F

um Because I think this is, I think, there's a great possibility here. I did previously.

F

Discuss with peter maybe some opportunities of putting a small win generation, horizontal.

F

um Sorry vertical wind generators on uh city building or two peter said: well, there's not a.

F

Lot of municipalities doing that for a number of reasons, and I understand why you know most.

F

Of it is just the cost. You know it's cost prohibitive to do that right now, but solar.

F

Is is in a different situation, so I'm gonna shut up now and I'm curious. What folks think may ask.

D

A clarifying question: yeah: are you specifically talking about photovoltaic or all solar, because.

D

I know there's a lot of implementation of solar to reduce hvac costs as well yeah. Well, in this case,.

F

I would think it would be uh ev so yeah, so this would be solar, voltaic, yes, yeah true. Thank you.

K

For bringing this one up, you hit one of my my hotspots. You know kate, and I have spent a lot of.

K

Time putting an awful lot of kilowatt hours worth of purchased electricity into the cymap system for.

K

The city's portsmouth uh city portsmouth carbon footprint recently so a couple of comments. First,.

K

Of all, as we discuss the cap with the consultant, I'd love to see some kind of metric that looks at.

K

For example, replacing purchase kilowatt hours with solar kilowatt hours it'll only be 100, but it's.

K

A metric now I I that's point number one point number two. I love the fact that you brought up the.

K

um The rooftop solutions, because, yes, there is a big chunk of real estate on top of both garages.

K

And just just picking those two in general, you know the cars go there. I can tell you for a fact.

K

That there are not nearly enough like a plug-in the recharging sites at either of the garage.

K

Now the city is doing a great job in making more of those available, so I'm not trying.

K

To pile onto that, I'm against him, but if it turns out that there's a capital effective way.

K

To put um so ev solar arrays that can be parked under so we're taking advantage of the space.

K

And taking advantage of the solar exposure, but not taking away the primary usage of the land.

K

Which, in this case is unlocking the car is on the roof? That would be, I think, a great thing.

K

To get to, if we could tie that back into the we may not even be replacing purchased.

K

um Kilowatt hours that may be net new that we're adding in maybe the top of the two garages add.

K

Another 5 10 20 charging stations which currently don't exist on the roof. They only exist wherever.

K

They've been wired in by charge point so anyhow, it's I. I love the idea and I'm I wanted to ask.

K

To clarify a question that beverly project, those were those were shade erase. Those are canopies and.

K

What did the city did the city of beverly get involved in one of these.

K

Investment partnerships to make that happen. Yes, and um I know I found out which company.

F

It was, and I don't remember I didn't write it down, unfortunately, but I could find out okay, I.

C

Think you sent the article around, I did send the article I think in the article it lists one of the.

F

Companies in in just poking around the internet a little bit there's a company, that's based out.

F

Of connecticut called green skies, and I found you know that's what these folks do: they're the.

F

Same the same as sun rays, investments- okay based out of portsmouth right, but they are a lot bigger.

F

Okay- and they do a lot of municipal projects across the country and one of the products that.

F

That they that they implement is these these solar, canopy arrays yeah. I I would love seeing that be a.

K

More active part of a part of our discussion right. It's uh it's yeah. If all works well, it could be a.

K

Big payback for both what an amazing opportunity if the city could do something like this we're.

F

At no cost to the taxpayers, yes, wow and, to your other point, it's very visible, yeah yeah, absolutely.

H

I I personally love the idea and I think, there's tons of parking lots that could.

H

Take advantage of this around the city that our municipal lots, you know either downtown lots all.

H

The schools dpw has a big lot. There I mean all any of the city buildings could totally do that.

H

um This could also dovetail nicely into the community power once that gets off the ground.

H

You know, because that's totally within the same wheelhouse, you know generating power.

H

As well as being the utility for the city yeah, absolutely I I think it's a great opportunity.

C

Yeah, I think this ties back to an earlier discussion. We had here about commercial, solar.

C

Arrays and we kind of reached a dead end with that, it's too bad. We don't have a couple of city.

C

Councilors here now I understand kate and josh had scheduling conflicts tonight, but I think it's.

C

Something we should pursue because I mean the city has parking lots but then multiply by a factor of.

C

I don't know 20 more for the commercial lot space if we're talking parking lots. For example, the.

C

Other thing I wanted to mention is um when we had the middle school students come and present a lot.

C

Of them talked about solar rooftops and I think one even had a parking lot proposal. A covered.

C

Parking lot, so I think you should touch base with them again and finally, is um to me: I see a.

C

Connection with city and the capital improvement plan and the budgeting they do and as we talked.

C

About right now, the criteria for capital budget proposals, don't really look at environmental or.

C

Energy impacts, so that's something I'd like to work on longer term. Like bert said at that.

C

That higher level- and maybe some of the solar projects we're talking about, would fit in there.

I

Yeah uh yeah just a couple of thoughts. I mean you're preaching to the choir.

I

Here because I mean anywhere, we can put solar panels on you know all for it.

I

It would be interesting to see them on the on the roofs of the garage, as I think that would.

I

Appears to know what they'll like sort of cost and payback, and is it really going to cost us nothing.

I

And um well, I know for what I'm told uh the one, the array at madbury, for instance, sort of recoups.

I

Partial cost of the operation of that plant. Now that's a high usage plant. Obviously they.

I

Use a lot of electricity, a parking garage, I imagine, uses much less electricity, so you.

I

Might actually come be coming out way ahead on something a project like that, and it just.

I

Makes me think that, likewise, you have other- and I probably mentioned this before places where we.

I

Could put solar and I they probably told me no before and I'll just say it again like why not.

I

At the jones ave, don't there's nothing happening there. There's a big open, sunny feel that nothing.

I

Happens in, and that would be a perfect place for a huge so well for our for portsmouth. That.

I

Would be a huge solar array and I don't see why you don't push harder to get something there as.

I

Well, because that's wasted land, basically um but yeah, I think anywhere we can be creative and fit.

I

These arrays, I think, is better and it it helps sort of the energy and independence argument.

I

um The cost of producing solar is keeps going down down down down down the cost of fossil fuels and.

I

Electrical production from from fossil fuels is going up, so um it helps the energy transition.

I

Carry forward uh so just those are my thoughts on that one of the benefits and I think drones.

F

Have and, and that location is, is a great idea. One of the the pieces about this or the benefits is.

F

That I love so much is producing the electricity where it is consumed yeah. So when you look at the.

F

Portsmouth high school, how amazing is that yeah I mean we're not all that electricity, that's being.

F

Produced there I don't know if any of it's leaving the school, but I would imagine a majority of that.

F

Electricity is consumed right there on that site, yeah, and you know that what a beautiful model.

F

um Pretty low transmission costs yeah yeah and lost too right, because anytime.

N

You absolutely and what's the loss of transmitting I'm not an engineer.

F

But transmitting electricity across wires and distances. It's a lot. It's a lot. Yeah.

C

You know: we've had these discussions about solar and how to get more solar in our city and they're.

C

Great they're great discussions and we all support solar, but what you know what's the.

C

Action item that we can come up with so that some of this starts happening, and I don't know, maybe we.

C

Need a subcommittee of this group to meet and have time with, kate and and just focus on solar and you.

C

Know have a list of the things we've talked about and say: okay, can this happen? What do we need to.

C

Look at in terms of state law and zoning. How do we make this happen? Do we pull back in the portsmouth.

C

Middle school, but I'd really like to see us turn this energy into some some action yeah. I have a.

K

Related question to that, too, is there anybody outside of this group anyone either in the city.

K

Government or anywhere else who actually looks at what are the optimal sources of power for the city.

K

Of portsmouth, I'm thinking not because until relatively recently there was only one source.

K

But if I'm just asking is there anyone like that that should be in these conversations, I agree with.

K

You effie, let's, let's start putting some out, I think our upcoming consultant is definitely going.

O

To help us out with that, let's hope well yeah, but I mean one of our our main goals. That was.

O

In the rfp that we all put together was renewable energy and sort of tackling that, and I think a big.

O

Part of when the community engagement group and the whole sustainability committee sits.

O

Down with the consultant, and we do meaning after meeting of just working with them and telling them.

O

What we have seen, what we've studied a lot of that is going to revolve around solar and.

O

They're going to be along with peter, and I and staff like the zoning experts, how can we work.

O

This into our regulations, what are small impacts that we can get citizens to get behind and how.

O

Can we advertise that social media things like that, but I think a lot of it is going to come.

O

From our consultant trying to push our ideas and really advertise them so, along with stuff.

O

Like the ira funding, which you mentioned, which we can try to tackle next year or two hopefully yeah.

D

It seems like a lot of times. Final decisions are made on the financial basis as well, and the cost.

D

Per kilowatt every year is going down on solar because they're just getting more efficient. I.

D

Know, there's still fairly inefficient for how much energy from the sun gets converted into usable.

D

Energy, but every year the cost per kilowatt goes down and every year the cost per gallon of fuel.

D

Goes up so I'm sure there could be a really nice simple uh graph. That makes it very clear.

D

That we're starting at this sweet point where the roi is getting better and better and better.

D

And better and so plotting the cost to kilowatt versus the cost of gas and looking at the roi.

D

Really simple, clear way: to get the message across that it is financially viable as well.

D

We're getting closer and there will probably be a sweet spot when it triggers, though I I just.

G

Like to emphasize, I think what kate said that this is a great setup for.

G

That I'm aware we have about 42 minutes left. I think we have two more presentations and an.

G

Update and a cap, so I'm going to suggest that make sure we respect the people who.

G

Showed us: how do we get to them, and so, unless there's something else on this.

G

Yeah sounds good.

O

So you guys presenting the phone sure I think um bill might have sent me some slides. um I'm.

O

Not sure do you guys need slides, I don't think we, okay, okay, they might be the same slides from last.

O

Month so ridiculous introduce yourselves and just do a little background. Yeah so um does it make.

P

Sense for me to go first, or would you yeah okay, um so my name is matt glenn. um I am on the board.

P

Of seacoast area bicycle riders and was one of the members of the transport and climate action group.

P

um Working uh led by bill lyons and we presented last month, so most of you were here for that.

P

um Thank you for inviting us back. um I believe what uh you were interested in.

P

Hearing more about was some specifics on our bicycle and pedestrian policies and.

P

um So I'm ready to give a little bit of an overview of the complete streets policy and.

P

The bicycle and pedestrian plan and um I'd love to just open up a discussion on.

P

Where they're working well and and where we can come up with ways to make the progress.

P

A little bit faster on those pedestrian bicycle improvements in particular, but you know looking at.

P

It through the climate lens of um greenhouse gas reduction opportunities, um so starting with the.

P

Bike ped plan it was created in 2014, it's quite a long document. How many of you were there for.

P

Some of those meetings providing input, some of you, okay, great, um so how many of you have looked at it.

P

It is quite a long document. I think I gravitate towards the maps and looking at you know my.

P

Neighborhood and looking at the roots I use and what they recommend for roots. um But I just looked.

P

At it again, more specifically the recommendation tables and they have non-infrastructure.

P

Recommendations as well, those are ranked by safety, equity, feasibility, opportunity and life cycle.

P

Costs some of the highest recommendations under education and encouragement. They had bike safety.

P

Classes for children and adults, which could be like bike rodeos in the elementary schools.

P

Adult programming promoting the safe routes to school program with events, the top recommendations.

P

Under engineering included, completing a transit access study, improving snow clearance, which.

P

Maybe there have been improvements since 2014 and updating signalized crossings.

P

Pedestrian crossings, in particular, they had an evaluation category and their highest.

P

Recommendations there were to collect bike and pedestrian crash data annually and to form a.

P

Standing bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee so I'll come back to that later. Just behind that.

P

Was to review and update the bicycle and pedestrian master plan every two years.

P

Infrastructure recommendations: the specific roads are ranked for safety connectivity feasibility. If.

P

They're already in the capital improvement plan and life cycle cost, so you don't see greenhouse.

P

Gas reduction in the in that ranking, but I think it's safe to assume very close alignment if you've.

P

Made it easier to get around outside of a car that has the potential to reduce greenhouse gases.

P

So we don't have time to dive into all the street recommendations here, but I can report.

P

The major corridors are all on the list, so lafayette road and middle route, 33 beverly.

P

Hill elwyn sagamore woodbury ave, maplewood market street I'll receive high rankings, along with the.

P

Hampton branch rail trail, which is finally happening, smaller neighborhood streets like.

P

Dennett and the two-way portion of state street also received high rankings to become bicycle.

P

Boulevards, which involves really prioritizing um slow and non-motorized traffic, it can be as.

P

Simple as signage identifying that as a nice, quieter route, sharrows signs on the street, the.

P

Better bicycle boulevards include diversions to prevent cars from using them as through streets.

P

um So there's a simple map at the very end of it, with three different color codes to prioritize.

P

The implementation citywide um we can discuss a little bit, but I wanted to talk to you about.

P

The complete streets policies so that one's much shorter, it's um a four-page policy.

P

Is anyone here familiar with the complete streets policy great? um So I did a little bit of digging.

P

To see how it compares to other complete streets policies out there, oh, if you're not familiar, I.

P

Should just say um you know a definition complete streets or streets that are designed and operated.

P

To enable safe access for all users so that pedestrians, bicyclists motorists and public.

P

Transportation, users of all ages and abilities are able to safely move along and across the street.

P

um So this policy is very close to what you see for dover's, complete streets policy for.

P

Almost any city or town across the country you're likely to find something very similar, and there.

P

Are national groups like smart growth, america that have um you know best practices, and example.

P

Language, so I think that's where ours came from in 2014 with you know, minor adjustments between them.

P

um There's great um goals in here I can say for.

P

Making sure that the planning side across city departments includes complete streets.

P

um There's mentioned that um you know, financial flexibility is a part of it. These are often.

P

Expensive projects, when you try to accommodate every possible use on a roadway maintenance.

P

Activities, don't necessarily trigger requirements for major street improvements, but I like that.

P

There's language that maintenance activities do present some opportunities to improve the.

P

Environment for other roadway users there's a section on exceptions to the policy. So there.

P

Are reasons that a street might not be required to be a complete street when it gets rebuilt, if.

P

So if, for example, um you know the route 1 bypass, bikes and pedestrians are not allowed.

P

On it, so it does not have to become a complete street, but another route.

P

Should be provided close by if existing right-of-way doesn't allow for it, then.

P

Not required and of course we have a lot of old, narrow streets, so some reasonable exceptions.

P

Some language on best practices and then what I'd like to highlight toward the end.

P

We have performance measures, so complete streets should be continuously evaluated for success and.

P

Opportunities for improvement, regular evaluation and reporting of progress, user data crash data.

P

And so on, a number of miles of by croods of sidewalks ada, accommodations.

P

And then, finally, the in the implementation section I wanted to highlight the very last.

P

Line the planning department shall make an annual report to the city council, showing.

P

Progress made in implementing this policy, so I think that's something to really highlight.

P

um Through our climate action plan, through our transport group, for the public to be really on.

P

Board with this and aware of what's happening, I think there needs to be a public acknowledgment.

P

Every year of here's, what we've done, here's the data on it and here's what we're planning and a.

P

Chance for for public input, so that's supposed to be the planning department giving a report to.

P

The city council, I believe 2018- was the only time that's happened, although I may be maybe wrong so.

P

I think you know my two big recommendations um that keep coming up: evaluation: data collection.

P

Reporting, um I expect to be talking to the parking and traffic safety committee about.

P

um Metrics and bike data and some of the numbers we can be counting ways that volunteers can be.

P

Collecting some of that, so that is a little bit in the works. But I'd love to talk more about.

P

That and then secondly, a committee tasked with tracking compliance. So um that's in our bicycle.

P

And pedestrian plan as a high priority to create a committee by school and pedestrian advisory.

P

Committee, it's in what the league of american bicyclists um says. So they give city rankings and.

P

We are proudly advertising the word bronze level bicycle friendly community. We do have some good.

P

Policies in place we've made some good progress, but in their recommendations to move up a level to.

P

A silver ranking the league says we should create an official bike and pedestrian advisory committee.

P

Sure the members of the committee reflect the diversity and ability levels of cyclists in.

P

Your community and ensure your complete streets policies followed for all projects and compliance.

P

Is tracked, so um those I think are the the biggest ones I just wanted to highlight and.

P

Love the chance to hear any discussion: hey matt thanks! That's great! um I might misunderstand the.

C

Term complete street, but I think the one in front of the music hall, I think it's chestnut.

C

Street was designed as a complete street, so the sidewalk is the same level as the street.

C

There's no curve- and it's just shown with the paving stones that there's a differentiation.

P

I believe in the bike ped plan, that's called something else more like a.

P

um Sort of a pedestrian priority street or okay, so complete street, really refers to the.

C

Multiple users, right and accommodation, if you have an extremely wide right-of-way, then that.

P

Might involve driving lanes, sidewalk and multi-use path and, of course, good transit access and and ada.

P

Compliance so beverly hill road is a complete streets project that is now moving forward and.

P

We'll have a multi-use path on one side, sidewalk on the other. In some places, uh travel lanes are.

P

Removed to make that room for other uses and traffic flow is sometimes the same or better.

P

In some situations, maplewood ave downtown has a complete streets plan, but it sounds like there's.

P

No appetite for really pushing it forward right now, so that's the multi-lane part yep.

P

Right down to congress street and unfortunately I don't think it's moving forward.

P

Yeah matt, how are you sure, love having you I'm sorry? I wasn't able to be when you presented.

G

Last time what I like, and that I'm hearing is that that has been needed in the past is.

G

The structure that can get this to synergize with all the other things that are going on.

G

And so the fact that you see this many people in the room here are the unique.

G

Period in portsmouth history, and so uh just for other people's information, portsmouth.

G

Climate solutions, due to a lot of effort by a lot of good people on the committee, is now being.

G

Called portsmouth climate action under that group because we're looking at a structure this to bring.

G

Everything together there will be subcommittees and because uh bill couldn't be here tonight,.

G

You guys met your goal of getting best practices, but where do you go from here- and it seems to me.

G

I would love to see it with your knowledge and with other people's interests that maybe the.

G

Transportation committee continue on because there's now a structure and that structure has.

G

Access to us and to the city council, and if your group in transportation want to talk how you might.

G

Get some of those best practices from a citizen's involvement point of view and get it into.

G

The picture- that's what I see emerging here and it's very encouraging. So thank you.

G

And the complete streets are so that uh the pedestrians and bikes or vehicles and.

G

The cars are all considered where, right now, it's been so long a priority on just the cars.

D

Quick question: how are you seeing electric bikes impact this.

P

um Usually but bike accommodations can fit electric bikes as well. Yeah.

P

So uh and I think electric scooters and one wheels and um whatever else once you get into.

P

It there are definitely levels where you know: mobility devices become like golf carts and.

P

Things like that, um and I'm not sure we're at that point yet that we have.

P

To plan for that, but um but I think that electric bikes fit in very well.

P

Yeah, um so what does you might know a little bit more about this, but um at the high school we were.

L

Hoping to get more bike racks because- or there was some really concerned- teacher about it and.

L

They actually went to the city council meeting and put in a request for just like two more bike.

L

Racks, we literally have one, and it is like so many kids ride their bikes to school, like especially.

L

The freshmen like they in sophomores, they can't get a parking spot at the school yet and some.

L

Juniors, don't even get them so a lot of people are riding their bikes, but there's only one bike: rack.

L

So we were looking into getting like another one and they asked the city and they said it.

L

Wasn't in the budget for it, so I heard that and um seacoast area bike riders did offer to give a bike.

P

Rack to the city, if they can figure out where to install it, um and I know, there's also been other.

P

Discussion with the public works director and and others, so I think it's coming. Okay.

M

But yeah I can say that the portsmouth one is coming. I just talked to the teacher, so you are.

M

Getting another rack and then we're in the project process of working on a new design system for all.

M

The schools yeah because we were, I was like talking with one of my teachers today and we.

L

Were like it's not like eco club, I brought it up and we were like. We have like the funds that we.

L

Could buy one from our school but, like ideally, the other idea we floated is um when the weather.

P

Warms up uh taking getting a survey out um finding out where people people want to lock their bikes.

P

And they can't and also just going around doing counts of the schools and other places and seeing.

P

Where the racks are flowing, so we can look more holistically, but I don't think that, like storage.

P

Is necessarily my top priority. You know I feel like the safety of the network. That's yeah! That's.

L

Obviously the difference yeah choice, a group that is consistently looking at it throughout the year.

P

um Is I think, the way to go? I I haven't to be honest. I have not had a lot of uh support.

P

For that, in talking to city, councilors and city staff, because I think there's fatigue with so many.

P

Meetings and so many blue ribbon committees and groups already so another idea would be something.

P

Independent of even a blue ribbon committee, just a citizen group that is working on these issues and.

P

Maybe could meet with the planning department and the public works department.

P

A couple times four times a year, let's say and keep the pressure on to find out what's happening.

P

So love to hear yeah this is this is going to come off as a little snarky, but.

I

What is the size of the school department budget and and how much are they going.

I

To spend return from that football field and they can't buy a couple bike racks seriously.

I

I mean the school department should buy some bike racks. It reached its age of death, it's just the.

M

Surface, but it is a very fair point: yeah, it's not in the wreck, buy some bike racks and put them up. I.

L

Looked it up, you can buy, you can buy like really like cheap one for like fifty dollars, and you.

L

Know it could work for a little bit. You know if nothing else, it could be a great legacy gift from.

H

The class of 2023., oh yeah, I don't even know what our class gift is right now yeah. I don't know what.

K

The city off the hook- sorry I'm here- to make this this town accountable down cycle plastic, makes.

D

Great benches- and um there are so many benches around our school that are like gift from classes.

L

Yeah I've got a question too. If, if the high school or the other schools need a bike rack, is that not.

F

A good opportunity for one of the programs at the high school: don't they have metal working.

F

That's what so, that's what we've been taught. We just had a bunch of conversations about it, metal.

M

Working can't do it because um it doesn't fall within their certs, but the woodworking group is.

M

Really interested in it and they're the ones that built the planters and so we're just sourcing out.

M

The the wood, the design, the hole size to get the lock so yeah we've had a lot of conversations and.

M

To source them at all this, all the schools, I'm in the middle school right now has the most racks.

M

And also the highest theft, so we have the highest number of bike riders there. I guess it's something.

M

Like 25 of those kids, take a bike wow, but middle schoolers also forget to bring the bike home and.

M

That's when the set happens, I have one that that's happened twice too so, but but no I I talked to.

M

Courtney richings of cte after our last meeting and I've been in touch with the metal working and.

M

The woodworking and the teacher at the high school- that's very involved, so there's plans in place.

M

um We can't have the problem. The other problem with schools is the locations that seem ideal.

M

Are against fire code so that creates another problem like at the high school there's a lot.

M

More kids taking e-bikes so it'd be great if you could put it over under the eaves of the.

M

Building but you can't because it would go against fire code, so lots of conversations.

A

K

20 minutes left we have another presentation and then the climate action plan. So I would like to.

G

Encourage uh the gentleman to my right: uh oh wait, a minute, the right who's, cheering this.

G

Meeting recognize the chairman, the person on my left, oh birth, that was very well done. Wow.

Q

My name is fred calcneri. I was here at the november meeting talking about electric vehicle.

Q

Electric cars and how that could be a important part of our solution to reduce greenhouse gases.

Q

And I made the point that the most important thing the city can do to help encourage. That is to.

Q

um uh Just have more charging stations and either through a direct investment in in more charging.

Q

Stations and parking lots or changing building codes so that residential and commercial locations.

Q

Multi-Family dwellings as part of the building code uh have to put charges in there so that.

Q

You know if you have an apartment complex, you have some place to plug in a car. If you want to buy one.

Q

So and the question came up was: um uh is there federal funding to help with that and so bill.

Q

Clients that I looked at a whole bunch of federal funding, they've made it through climate change.

Q

And I I kind of deep dive on the. What money is there from the bipartisan infrastructure.

Q

Legislation on electric vehicles and there's five billion dollars for towards uh electric charging.

Q

Stations nationwide and of that new hampshire is eligible for 17.2 million. Something like that.

Q

That funding is to the new hampshire d.o.t, so the manager dot has already applied for that funding.

Q

For the 17 million dollars over five years, it's not really available for us to say we want some.

Q

Money to put some charging stations in a parking garage, it's really prioritized for what they call.

Q

Alternative fuel corridors so the interstate highway system, uh the federal government wants.

Q

You know the states to put in charging stations at certain intervals along the interstate highways.

Q

And in future years also on the state state routes, so um that money is not going to be a.

Q

Big help for us in terms of having things you know, interested or charging stations.

Q

However, we can potentially influence the venture dot and where they put those, so you know if they.

Q

Put them on 95 I-95 corridor, they could be in hampton or if they could be in portsmouth and.

Q

Maybe we prefer they'd be enforcement, you know, so we can take advantage of people stopping off and.

Q

Having having dinner at the roundabout diners that might have interest, you know, sonny rate I have. I.

Q

Sent herbs and herbs information about that and there's an email address with state dot that we.

Q

Can write to and try to influence how they spend that money, um but a general general idea is that.

Q

um It could be over five years and and it's 25 and 26 is when they're going to actually.

Q

Be implementing the charging stations so there's a lot of time in preparation and planning finding.

Q

Contractors, that sort of thing and there's uh there's time to influence those decisions.

F

So a quick question on that is uh the state liquor stores. I think we have what three three right here.

F

On 95.- and you would say that's exactly where they're all going to go in new hampshire, yeah.

F

Right and do any of those have uh charging stations today I don't know, I don't go to them.

Q

Yeah the charging stations on the interstates are usually located next to big restaurants,.

C

Like on 93, there's the common man there and of course, so that's that's a good example, and there.

C

Is a supercharger station in seabrook already so hampton's pretty close to that so okay, so we may.

F

See the state looking at these, the state liquor store sites because they're right there and that.

F

Meets the qualifications most likely, and it's part of what I sent you her contains the.

Q

Does the state have to submit a plan? I have a high level plan to get the funding allocated and there.

Q

Are some maps with kind of high level plans as to where they're going to put these charging stations.

Q

So that's available the way I can share that I address with anybody wants to take a look.

Q

At that, and so and sorry, I ask one more question and let others others ask questions. I thought bill.

F

Had said, too, that, in addition to the inflation reduction act, that there may be some other federal.

F

um uh Department, transportation, grants and such that could be available for municipalities like.

F

Portsmouth yeah so so bill and I kind of looked at so we you know we kind of did a deep dive on.

Q

That one particular part of it that was part of the bipartisan infrastructure legislation.

Q

um That's that's the big chunk of money for for the ev charging, but we looked at a bunch.

Q

Of other stuff that might be relevant and we we kind of kind of a list of five little things we.

Q

Looked at uh and we can do a deep dive in any one of those that you see fit. Okay, so, for example, you.

Q

Asked earlier about uh charging, you know funding for charging uh low emissions unless we there's.

Q

Something called the low emissions electricity program. It's part of inflation reduction act.

Q

And that has 87 million dollars in funding for municipalities and states to to invest in putting.

Q

In solar panels and things like that, it's not a lot of money at a federal level, but there's.

Q

Something there and you know, there's potentially somewhere easily speaking out of it. In addition to.

Q

That there's funding in the infrastructure law for buses and bus facilities, that's something.

Q

Like 824 million um and carbon reduction programs, another five billion dollars for that.

Q

That's um that released the public transit, mostly that's through the federal highway administration.

Q

uh There's a congestion management and air quality program. That's 15 billion.

Q

Dollars, that's not that's not specifically for greenhouse gases. It's for air quality in general,.

Q

But that's that's. You know big chunk of money for improving. You know pipelines things like.

P

That so you have to leave the l1 roadside path is part, is getting funds through there. Okay.

Q

And um okay and then the enhanced mobility for seniors and others. So that's that's.

Q

Targeted toward public transportation, another 2.2 billion, so I think we do with enhancing.

Q

Our public transit potentially could take advantage of that and then also safe streets.

Q

And roads for all, that's the usdot, that's five billion dollars, funding to help states.

Q

And cities improve roads, reduce traffic deaths, including better safety for bikes, pedestrians.

Q

So a lot of a lot of funding in there to do some of the things we're talking about here. It and.

F

Frank, I think they um or sorry fred, um the the last meeting we had, I think peter had mentioned.

F

This is great what we're talking about here, but this city is limited staff and to actually dig.

F

Into looking at or finding some low-hanging fruit, potentially that we could exploit the lack of a.

F

Better word right used to our benefit. It would be, it might be advantageous for people like the.

F

Ones right stand sitting right here to tee some of these things up for city staffers, that potentially.

F

Fifty thousand dollars a year.

R

Six years, five years, charging stations.

R

So that's where you're talking about yeah, that's federal money and and parking revenue.

R

So there's plenty there's some going in. I don't know how many you want, but I don't know what other.

R

Something that's happening right now,.

F

And I think real quick um just to piggyback on that. I think we talked about school buses too.

F

And with their potentially and I don't know if the city is looking at or I don't know if that.

F

Would be the school department that would talk to the company that manages the school buses.

F

About the opportunity to look at capitalizing on some of these funds to start as school buses.

F

And their fleets start aging out start looking at replacing those with electric buses and repeating.

R

Yeah somebody could talk to the company yeah yeah yeah. Okay, I'm sorry! You had you had a question. I.

D

Was just going to say in the in the research that you're doing uh there's always a lot of excitement.

D

About rapid charging stations right, how fast can we charge these, but a lot of the solutions.

D

Also are in the slow charging stations that are a lot less exciting. Did you come across some stuff.

D

Where it's like in the longer dwell times, for instance, like hotels having the infrastructure.

D

Or businesses where we might be for eight hours a day, was there any funding to uh for those type.

D

Of places on the slow charging stations, because then it reduces the load on the rapid charging.

D

So the federal funding that we're talking about here is all targeted toward the fast dc charging.

Q

Because it's you know again: it's targeted toward the highways alternative fuel corridors. You know.

Q

People want to be able to stop on a 500 mile trip and charge up in 30 minutes and be on their way.

Q

um But I think the the slower charges have a huge place in this, particularly ones at.

Q

Residential local locations or workplace things like that and again that's where the the current.

Q

Investment that peter's talking about as well as the uh you know, zoning changes and building codes.

R

To talk about the zoning changes, there's there's no prohibition against putting a.

R

Charger in your product s, zoning change to require ev. That would be, you know.

N

Different matter, and that would be a, I think it could be pretty controversial and maybe.

R

It's something we want to look at, but right now, there's no prohibition against recommend putting.

R

A charging at their house or at their apartment building. If we went to require av charging, then I.

R

Guess the question would come up well, how does that meet the parking requirement and then, if.

R

You're gonna: are you going to double your parking demand at ev and regular, or do you let people park.

R

In both, so it becomes a more complicated issue, but certainly something that will tackle.

A

Do they even see tom morgan's article on this? It seemed like he was saying.

A

The city only allows for fast charging on three streets. Is that accurate or.

R

I don't know I mean that was like the starting point.

R

According to him, he says their zoning provisions permit fast charges along.

A

Three commercial corridors lafayette would bear in route, one get prohibit them elsewhere in the city.

A

I think we we had this conversation when it came to solar as well. I think he raised that.

I

Concern saying it was prohibited, it's just not specifically in the use. Damn it was that what it.

I

Was so it's not prohibited per se as a stand-alone use, it might be prohibited, but to put a solar.

R

Panel on your house, or at your business or to put charging at your house or your business, it's a.

R

It's an accessory use in terms of the fast charges, it's more likely that there's a much higher.

K

Power infrastructure requirement for fast charges. That's why we find them at walmarts.

K

And large shopping, centers yeah, there's only so many places you can put them today, but it's.

R

Certainly something that will be looked at in the zoning ordinance over the next couple of years.

R

Being aware of 10 minutes, left I'd like to refer to the chairperson to see how many more items we.

G

Have, and can we get them into the last 10 minutes here? Do you have anything else? You.

A

Want to cover off on full, so all right perfect! So I think with an update on cap and I think.

A

That was the last. I don't know the probably one thing we have time for before we jump on.

F

um Can we just talk about? I mean what are some of the some of the next steps, because we, the the.

F

Reason you, gentlemen, I think are here tonight, is because in the last meeting we said you know.

F

What are some of the next steps and you all, went and did some more research and came back.

F

So I know we're running out of time, but is there I mean what do folks here think is. I mean I think.

F

The direction you're editing is in looking at okay. Here's some of the opportunities is great.

F

And maybe we just need to package those up and yeah, so our intentions to continue to working.

Q

On the federal funding piece, yeah provide as much detail as we can to help kick-start any kind of.

Q

uh You know activities but today to access those funds, yeah um and then also the other thing was.

Q

Mentioned last time was the community community advocate for transportation and we're working.

Q

On that as well so the the tcat group with bill lyons reading here I'm trying to continue working.

Q

On this stuff, as much as there's an appetite for it, okay, so if I'm hearing you correctly is.

F

Packaging packaging, these opportunities up for one potentially give to the city to look at sas.

F

And maybe take action and two is on the community. Engagement side is educating community and these.

F

Are things that fort smith, climate action group could take as part of the you know, initiative.

F

To educate the community on the climate action plan and and steps that they can take. Okay, I'm.

F

Sorry, I'm I'm happy because I think the gentlemen are doing is is is amazing, so I thank you and I I.

F

Better understand now, where tcag is going next: okay, all right back cap update who can give us.

A

A three to four minute I'll make it super quick, because we also, we also kind of want to go over.

O

The schedule, maybe briefly or I can just send that out later and you guys can let me know by email if.

O

Those dates work for you, but I have to get the room reserved soon, but for the client action.

O

Plan update just working off of the tcat group, I think that's going to be a a pretty critical group.

O

That's going to have to be in contact, and you know talking with our consultant in the future.

O

And that's going to sort of be our outreach, our sort of one-on-ones with different groups.

O

Around the city and volunteer groups like that, so definitely hoping to see you guys in the future.

O

And work closely with you all, but for the climate action plan peter feel free to chime in too so we.

O

Went through our round of final interviews a few weeks ago and we have chosen our group, it is.

O

Local engineering, firm and they're partnering with resilience, planning and design. I believe they're.

O

Called which is another local group? That's going to be sort of our community engagement experts.

O

Php will be more of like the engineering and ordinance and sort of big climate adaptation.

O

Experts and also rockingham planning commission will be working with them as well, so they're going.

O

To be our sort of transportation liaise, you say the three groups again a little bit louder, yep.

O

So sorry, yeah they're, all working together, it's bhb and I can send around their proposal that.

O

They sent to us right, yeah, so I'll, send you all the pdf version over email tomorrow, but it's bhb.

O

um Resilience planning and design llc and then the rockingham planning, commission and so um we're.

O

Still working with legal to sort of get their contract through, so it's a little gummed up right.

O

Now but we're hoping to have our first official meeting with them and assigned contract by january.

O

Which um we can hope, hopefully sit down with everybody, and I know talk about community.

O

Engagement plans, but just get a sense of um where the staff and different departments are and sort.

O

Of meeting with them learning what their team's going to be doing and sort of getting a game plan.

O

Together in january, hopefully, and so hopefully january february march, we can start doing.

O

Or we're often having meetings and get togethers to talk about this stuff.

R

I'm just sad that the real strong selling point I think for them is that their community engagement.

R

Piece was to to not just say: here's your here's, the formula, here's we're going to do and throw it.

R

At us it's let's see what will work important, let's try different things and then, where.

R

They work expand on them and where they don't work, leave them and go on to the next thing. So.

R

um They're they're, the development of that contract is going to include that sort of.

R

Back and forth, community engagement is going to be a big part of it because, as we've said,.

R

All along and it's so important resilience, planning and design did our open space plan.

R

So we worked with them before they're out of plymouth, new hampshire and the hb works on our.

R

Storm water and innovative storm water regulations. We come up with and they've done, a great job for.

R

Us and the rockingham planning commission is our regional planning commission who partnered with.

R

Us on the coastal resilience initiative and the vulnerability assessment for the historic district.

R

Vulnerability assessment for sea level rise, so we work with all these firms before they're the most.

R

Local of all the people that applied which seem to help, I think in having them around and also.

R

Knowing new hampshire was was important to the team that selected them, so I don't know brian.

R

Was on the review committee too, if you have anything else to add really you covered it.

A

That local, the other firms there were some other good ones, but we wondered about you know the.

P

Distance and you know the in-person average, but bhp has a lot of direct experience with this too.

R

Employment people yeah so we're optimistic.

R

You'll see in the proposal, they have a whole bunch of goals. I think.

R

I think it's seven goals, two phases and seven goals, and one phase three or four pretty much.

O

Lines up with the rfp right yeah, I got a lot of prayer, but what we ask them to do is turn that.

R

Into a scope and then we'll use that scope to finalize the contract and the time frame.

R

uh Should be within two or three weeks? No, I mean to do the whole project well, because.

C

It was something we gotta go back and look at it because it's late starting later, but.

R

I think originally they were going to end in october um october november, like november here.

H

Once the contract signed, are we going to have a big.

H

Press release, and maybe let the city know that thing yeah. We gotta have to definitely do that.

R

We were talking about that today is updating the website to talk to her I'd like to also you know.

R

At some point laurel- and I actually asked but have him come present to this committee- and I.

R

Think we'll work that into the contracts that we can present get input from the committee.

R

And then also talk with the existing subcommittees and the subcommittees.

R

That are part of the sustainability community too or the committees. I guess.

R

As we've talked about before is how do we dovetail with other projects that are ongoing right.

R

To do the outreach help those groups of their outreach and also expand the kind of action right.

A

We are right up against it. Do we have a couple minutes to talk schedule keith? Well, we might.

O

Even have to push this schedule and I can just email everyone and see: have you guys.

O

Reply to me and see what's working, but I know effie wanted to really quickly update us. Yeah.

C

I'll do it in like an engagement right, perfect, just a quick update from the portland portsmouth.

C

Climate solutions, which, as bert mentioned, is now portsmouth climate action. Cra has decided to fund.

C

A one-year kind of pilot project with bright action, the community interactive platform that.

C

We looked at and that's really important, some of the actions we were talking about related to.

C

Single-Use plastics or transportation or other issues that came up tonight, we can activate.

C

Through that and we're working on web content and branding, so that's just a quick update right.

G

uh We I will hear I hope more about that. That's been a wonderful thing that will connect to the.

G

Goals we've had I wanted to get a uh an update. Some of you signed for larry when.

G

We talked about, he was on many years and he was on the committee. He was going to go out.

G

To lunch with us today, but something came up after we lined it up, you can't, and so uh after.

G

The next meeting on january 26 uh peter we haven't, talked about this, but I talked with larry. I said.

G

We could schedule it for then, and I would see how many people might want to join us for lunch.

G

And the thursday meeting next month and we'll make reservations as we know, uh anybody would like to.

G

Basically acknowledge larry's work on email too. You can send it out, but can I just have a show of.

G

Hand anybody who might be interested in back one two, three: four, because we can get a little table.

G

And flatbed pizza or something okay you'll, send it yeah. We could do that. Rather, he said the.

G

The 22nd, but I think that's getting too close to the holidays for a lot of people, so so the next.

R

Meeting's on the 26th yeah, that's the one date. We should at least look at kate on the calendar.

R

Yeah, I think that's the first one right after planning board so the week after planning board.

O

Did that work, okay, cool anybody who hasn't signed? This would like to meet.

G

For that to me all right, do we have the updated members or are they all on the website? I know.

A

There's been a couple changes here and there and I think on that list. Thank you yeah. So there's.

N

Jay lieberman's list on the website, but not here is he someone? No, we may not have set the letter.

R

In sometimes they they won't take them off unless until they get an official letter and.

R

I think we've asked for it. I don't remember the name at all. Okay, I think he's off. He had.

R

A move or had it not down there, yet yeah, yeah, okay, um I'll base the schedule on this. I think.

A

The schedule needs to change a little bit because I'm supposed to be the group recorder, even though.

A

I was two months ago, so let me okay I'll, send the email out to everyone I'll take a look at it.

A

um All right we're wrapping things up before we do that. uh I think we all want to congratulate our.

A

New uh planning and sustainability director who's sitting right over there [applause].

A

And let's do a real quick? uh What are you taking away from us? Do you want to kill the zoom? I would.

A

Love to, I think, what's your takeaway from today, so in high school, some of like the smaller problems.

E

That we deal with can feel really big to like me, even just simple, as getting bike.