435 Hamilton Street

Allentown, Pa. 18101

Allentown

Minutes - Final

Environmental Advisory Council

Monday, March 13, 2023

5:15 PM

City Hall 5th Floor Conference Room or Via Zoom

Members Present: Tinku Khanwalkar, Jennifer Swann, Julie Thomases, and

Maria Ocasio

Non-members Present: Jonathan Zeller, Kyle Ropsky (I believe I saw him in

the room but am not sure), Becky Kiss, Faran Savitz, Gabriela Sampaio

(Muhlenberg intern), Maggie Wallner (LCCD), Laura Hopek (LCCD)

Old Business

1. Approval of Minutes from February 27 Special Meeting

2. Level setting

3. Updates on 2023 goals

a. Approval of recommendation on Plastic Bag ordinance (see attached)

b. Discussion of strategy and next steps

c. Updates on other goals

Approval of minutes of Special Meeting held February 27, 2023:

Approved Letter of Support for Allentown Resilience Park

Maggie Wallner and Laura Hopek of the Lehigh County Conservation

District gave a presentation on their grant request to the Lehigh Valley

Greenways Organization for funding to construct a pocket park with natural

play features and an edible plant garden to be located off Pittston Court next to

the Trout Creek. This is the same site at which the Allentown EAC conducted

a community-based cleanup in 2021. Maggie and Laura requested the

Allentown EAC to support their grant request. Tinku Khanwalkar made a

motion for the Allentown EAC to submit a letter of support for the

project. The motion was seconded by Jennifer Swann and unanimously

approved.

Update on Plastic Bag Ordinance:

Julie Thomases provided an update on AEAC’s goal #3 (plastic bag

ordinance). She described the extensive research she has conducted to date

and contacts that she has made. She believes that City Council will be willing to

pass a plastic bag ordinance similar to the model ordinance developed by

PennEnvironment (and used by the City of Bethlehem's EAC in its proposed

ordinance). However, she has identified several issues to be further thought

through including which establishments should be covered, whether a bag

giveaway program can be incorporated, whether styrofoam should be included

in the ban, and whether any exemptions should be granted for WIC and other

low-income customers. She will be meeting with Ann Saurman, head of the

City’s Department of Recycling and Solid Waste, to obtain her input and is

planning on holding some focus groups in the next month or so. Tinku

Khanwalkar complimented Julie for all the work she has done and noted that

obtaining buy-in from City administration is critical to successful implementation

of the ordinance.

City Request for AEAC assistance on grant application under

Municipal Assistance Program:

Tinku Khanwalkar reported that she was contacted by Clary Peralta-Colon

seeking AEAC support for a grant application under the DEP’s Municipal

Assistance Program to develop a sustainability master plan for the City. Jennifer

Swann asked who would lead the effort on behalf of the AEAC. This would need

to be determined before the AEAC could support the City’s request. Tinku

Khanwalkar will obtain further input from Clary on the scope of the request and

report back at a future AEAC meeting.

Update on AEAC Goal # 1 and #2:

Tinku Khanwalkar reported that substantial progress has been made in

obtaining data from the City and requested Jonathan Zeller to provide an

update on his review of the data. Jonathan reported that he and Kyle Ropsky

will be meeting to review the data together and identify next steps, including

field trips, to specific properties for the energy assessment.

Update on Goal #4:

Tinku Khanwalkar reported that James Wynne (Muhlenberg intern) has been

working diligently on a report and recommendations for the City to effectively

use the money allocated to it under the DOE’s Energy Efficiency and

Conservation Block Grant Program. Another Muhlenberg intern (Gabriela

Sampaio) has been working on a report and recommendations focused on

solar. Gabriela gave a brief update, explaining that she is in the process of

developing a step-by-step guide for people to understand how to install solar

on their properties and access financing for it.

15-5736

15-5735

Environmental Advisory Council Special Meeting February 2023 Minutes

Attachments: Special Meeting Feb 2023 Minutes

A Path Forward to Move Beyond Plastic

Attachments: A Path Forward to Move Beyond Plastic-clean2_27 (1)

New Business

1. Salisbury EAC Clean up Day!

2. AEAC Support of Allentown’s Earth Day Event

3. LV EAC Network event on June 7 (Event update).

4. City request for the AEAC assistance on grant application under Municipal Assistant

Plan (MAP).

5. CDP Reporting needs to be added to goals.

6. Working with the Muhlenberg Intern on an overall energy equity plan.

7. Working with LCV and Delaware River on water equity.

Additional New Business:

A.) Salisbury EAC Clean up Day!

B.) AEAC Support of Allentown’s Earth Day Event

C.) LV EAC Network event on June 7 (Event update).

D.) AEAC Annual Report to City Council: Maria will be presenting the

AEAC’s annual report to City Council on 03/22. She has been

working with Mike Hanlon in getting this set up and heard from Mike

that some council members have asked whether the presentation

would include a recommendation for a plastic bag ordinance. Maria

will include a brief update on this in her presentation. Maria also noted

that the Mayor recommends including in the report a strong case for

a sustainability manager.

E) Tinku Khanwalkar reported that the Mayor requested the AEAC to

update its by-laws to reflect the changes in the authorizing ordinance

made last year and clearly state the roles of chair, vice chair and past

chair. Tinku Khanwalkar offered to make those revisions for AEAC

approval later this year.

F) Tinku Khanwalkar noted that goal #4 needs to be revised to reflect

the broader energy equity effort being undertaken by the AEAC

including the report and recommendations for proceeding with the

DOE EECBG grant and water equity work being undertaken in

conjunction with ACEEE. Tinku will revise the wording of the goal for

approval at the April meeting.