435 Hamilton Street  
Allentown, Pa. 18101  
Allentown  
Minutes - Final  
Environmental Advisory Council  
Monday, November 14, 2022  
5:15 PM  
City Hall 5th Floor Conference Room or Via Microsoft Teams  
Old Business  
Approval of Minutes from October Meeting  
Update on the Energy Audit/ GESA  
Review and Vote on the Annual Report  
Review of AEAC sustainability dashboard  
By end of 2022 design a job description sustainability officer within the Mayor's office.  
By end of 2023 complete a comprehensive energy audit for all City assets (including vehicles and  
distributed energy systems)  
By end of 2023 collect data on residential energy use and residences with high energy burden  
By end of 2023 create a task force to select and prioritize recommendations for city assets from  
the energy audit considering all grant opportunities and alternative financing mechanisms  
By end of 2024 create a publicly available energy savings implementation plan for city assets with  
targets and interim milestones  
By end of 2024 establish policies and programs to reduce energy use at residences with high  
energy burden  
By end of 2023 complete a climate vulnerability assessment with broad stakeholder input  
Develop a Climate Action Plan Within 12 months of LVPC's completion of the regional climate  
action plan  
By end of 2023 hire a sustainability officer.  
Update on possible Energy Authority/ Green Bank  
Report on Solar Kiln Project (Leo Rooney, Lehigh interns)  
Lead in our community- petition and discussion  
Reports from EAC/Friends leads on remaining goals  
Report by Climate Corp/ Promise Neighborhood  
·
·
Approval of Minutes from October Meeting  
Review GESA Recommendation White Paper  
o
o
No update from the City (per Jon)  
Holly will reach out and follow up with Mayor/ Jon  
·
·
Review Annual Report  
o
o
Jon made the motion and approved by all.  
Dieter asked that we add reporting on the new sustainability  
dashboard  
o
o
Lacey noted that we should add the energy burden report  
Holly will update and circulate for vote.  
Review of AEAC sustainability dashboard  
By end of 2023 complete a comprehensive energy  
o
audit for all City assets (including vehicles and  
distributed energy systems)  
o
By end of 2023 collect data on residential energy use  
and residences with high energy burden  
§
§
§
Have an intern from Muhlenberg College  
Holly will connect Lacey with James  
City and EAC did an application for technical  
assistance  
§
§
§
Dieter asks if there is a stick along with the  
incentives (?)- should we have a building  
performance requirement  
Could we use climate corp. or high school  
grad program as a training ground for building  
inspectors/ energy evaluators?  
Holly will follow up with Vicky about IRA  
dollars, etc.  
o
o
By end of 2022 design a job description sustainability  
officer within the Mayor's office.  
§
Work to finalize and propose this to mayor  
and city council  
§
Connor can provide a template to Kyle to  
finalize this  
By end of 2023 create a task force to select and  
prioritize recommendations for city assets from the  
energy audit considering all grant opportunities and  
alternative financing mechanisms  
o
o
By end of 2024 create a publicly available energy  
savings implementation plan for city assets with  
targets and interim milestones  
By end of 2024 establish policies and programs to  
reduce energy use at residences with high energy  
burden  
o
o
o
By end of 2023 complete a climate vulnerability  
assessment with broad stakeholder input  
Develop a Climate Action Plan Within 12 months of  
LVPC's completion of the regional climate action plan  
By end of 2023 hire a sustainability officer.  
·
·
·
Update on the Energy Authority/ Green Bank  
Moving forward outside of the EAC to be a conduit for IRA funds  
Report on Solar Kiln Project (Leo Rooney, Lehigh interns)  
No update- city lawyer is still stalling  
Lead in community- petition and action  
o
o
o
o
Penn Future circulated a petition  
City staff recommended to take the petition to the county as  
they can apply for additional funding to help household  
·
Report by Climate Corp/ Promise Neighborhood  
No update at this time  
o
·
Reports from EAC/Friends leads on remaining goals  
No update at this time  
o
15-5422  
EAC Meeting Minutes 10-10-22  
Attachments: EAC Meeting Minutes 10-10-22  
15-5423  
2022 Annual Report of Allentown Environmental Advisory Council  
Attachments: 2022 Annual Report of Allentown Environmental Advisory Council  
15-5424  
Single - Use Plastic Bags Ordinance Proposal (September 2, 2021)  
Attachments: Single - Use Plastic Bags Ordinance Proposal (September 2, 2021)  
New Business  
·
Plastic bag ban- proposed ordinance  
o
Jennifer talked to Bethlehem EAC and they are addressing the  
questions from their process. Philadelphia group is coming up to  
the meeting- Jennifer and Julie will attend.  
·
Fair Housing Evaluation- discuss as a 2023 goal  
Discuss December meeting and 2023 planning meeting  
Plastic bag ban- proposed ordinance  
·
December Meeting/ January Planning Meeting  
Yes and we would like the planning meeting in the “cellar”