New River Watershed Roundtable, Inc.

P.O. Box 1506 • Dublin, VA • 24084 • phone 540-643-2590

website <http://www.vawatersheds.org/newriver>

shared calendar <calendars.yahoo.com/newriverwatershedroundtable>

email<newriverwatershedroundtable@yahoo.com>

Thursday, May 4, 2006

New River Valley Competitiveness Center, Fairlawn

9:30-11:30, Conference Room

DRAFT

Executive Committee Meeting Minutes

 

In attendance:

Executive committee – Cynthia Hancock, Mike Harvey, Charlie Maus, Llyn Sharp, Darla Jennings, Ron Powers

Others – Tim Ott (TAC), Dave Robertson, Jerry Moles, Gene Yagow, Stuart Black, Dale Black, Mike McLeod

 

INTRODUCTIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Dale and Stuart Black, see letter in packet

  • Intergovernmental relationships are Dale’s main interest and experience

Claytor Relicensing comments due May 6, 2006—Darla is compiling FOCL comments

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Need a rep for Richmond DGIF meeting May 15, 7:00pm Ron will go

ExComm Thursday, June 1 --need mtg place

  • Ask Clarke about wastewater plant (639 3947) [Llyn will contact]

NRWR Board Friday July 7 9-12 Grayson Commons (bathrooms next door)

Need a place for ExComm to meet in August

  • RU or WTP

Need a place for Board to meet in October

  • 1908 Courthouse?
  • Conference center at Claytor?  Llyn will check on availability.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS

approve minutes/notes from March

  • motion Darla Jennings/ second Mike Harvey; approved

WQIA awards—summary attached

  • Cynthia concerned about co-holds of easements.

501(c)3

  • September 5, 2005 is incorporation date.  Application is complete, if we wait till June we can expedite.  We will get a definite ruling then 3 weeks later we would get notice.  Decision to wait until June to file the paperwork. (Maus/Hancock; approved)

 

 

DISCUSSION ITEMS

 

Stroubles Creek TMDL-IP assistance, Gene Yagow

  • Plan not yet approved by EPA.  Still working with SWCD to come up with conservation plan on VT Foundation Land.  SCWI request for 319 support for a coordinator did not meet with immediate support, funds are spread very thin, still worth pursuing.
  • Dale: local governments are the ones with authority to guide landuse impacts.
  • Gene: There are several TMDL plans in the New River area ready for implementation.
  • EPA 319 fund come to DCR from EPA
  • Holmes Creek had a coordinator
  • Sometimes a district employee serves that function.
  • Charlie, Tim: 319 funding will likely be reduced; impacts optional karst programs and other DCR programs.
  • Charlie: does NRWR want to strengthen base by administering mandatory program like TMDL? 
  • Llyn: Can NRWR apply for 319 direct to EPA?  [yes]
  • Gene: STroubles anticipates needing 1/2 time coordinator for 3 years.  Educational activities and development on agricultural land will be done.
  • Charlie and Cynthia: Within DCR/DEQ there are already wheels turning- so it may be role of NRWR to push for staffing through agencies.
  • Cynthia: TMDL process in New River Valley
    • Stroubles is unique (few landowners and urban impacts).  MS4 program education possible on Stroubles and not other TMDL streams
    • The other TMDLs are agricultural so the person for Stroubles may not be the person for the rest of the watershed.
  • Charlie: Isn’t this mostly administrative anyway, so same person with NRWR might be able to do it?
  • Jerry: 501(c)3 does have more political freedom.  State agency can’t have access to government and can’t lobby for funding.
  • Cynthia: Best for Roundtable to support agencies.  Right now Mill/Dodd are on IP funding list, which will be handled through Skyline –we can provide education, technical and administrative support.
  • Charlie: Stroubles Creek IP – there are 3 players: VT, TOB, VT Found.  Why doesn’t the SCWI get 501(c)3 and do this? 
  • SCWI is first trying to work with existing structures rather than create a new one,.
  • David: His Greater Lynchburg Environmental Network has partners and tries to get agencies to pay attention to issues or maybe takes lead on ad hoc projects.  But they are only just coming into needing 501(c)3.

 

LandCare Initiative, David Robertson and Jerry Moles

  • “Headwaters at VT LandCare” partnership – New, Roanoke, James (upper watershed)
  • Jerry: Return capital to rural area.  10-40% off land is getting taken up by invasive species.  As a roundtable we have a service and marketing problem; what are we offering?
  • Landcare is still running on trying to hold more money locally (not yet looking at creating a market for those outside the area to pay for services provided by the idle behavior of the land).
  • David: LandCare as a term is a way of talking about people and the land that doesn’t currently have any baggage.  Landcare is a social movement to improve economy, environment and community (the “triple bottom line”).
  • In Australia government provides funding for projects and facilitators, and now there is also corporate funding.  This has raised the awareness of urban areas for their upstream rural areas. 
  • Australia has asked the US to help take initiatives global.  On the national scope, the US is a landcare pioneers.  Council for US landcare initiatives include corporate and government leaders.  This includes the USDA (a leader, especially through the NRCS), Department of Interior, the National Association of Regional Councils, Nationals Conservation Districts and National Association of RC and DS.  Could have a MOU with the latter three.  Check out http://www.landcareonline.com/.  Other NGOs on their list are watershed groups and councils; landscaping and lawn-care professionals will be part of movement.  Check out “Planet”, a professional landcare network. 
  • National landcare will be hosted at VT in July/August 2006.  Cargill Corporation is part of landcare national.  VT may be writing the manual for how to start landcare nationally.  VT has the Blueridge Forest Coop ($100,000 funded by southern states to help them obtain coop status) and, potentially, the slaughterhouse co-op.
  • At the national level in the US they are possibly looking too much at Australia.  Landcare would not happen without facilitators at the sub-catchment level.
  • Need something to harness multiple institutions, local facilitator to pull resources together in the current institutional arrangement
  • Dale: Does USDA fund this?
  • Dave: USDA is not currently funding landcare, but landcare is a group with political and corporate power
  • David: Bush administration has “cooperative conservation” initiative, which is very much similar to landcare.
  • Dale: Jerry, are you here to involve the NRWR in landcare?
  • VT 229 Council: David is talking to them tomorrow.  Extension will help the movement.  Universities, Extension, and Watershed councils have a role in landcare.
  • NRWR has concentrated on government/agency programs but there is an economic aspect and business sense.  Political clout will derive from making business sense.
  • Ron: NRWR wants to be a serious partner in landcare and would like to be called on for support.
  • New River basin may lead national attention

 

 

New River Symposium Report, Rick Roth (will be held May 17-19, 2007 at RV

            Need rep for Community Foundation luncheon May 23rd; Ron said yes

 

Workplan 2006

Annual meeting, facilitator:  We should have an annual meeting acccording to bylaws.  Charlie will contact Steve Talley.

Cleanup group—need to find a replacement for Kelly from TAC to provide support to this group

            Funding opportunity—there is DOF funding $10K for riparian buffer planting mostly

 

Need to Close out the Steering Committee Workplan and report out 2004-05

 

due to lack of time the following were tabled until our next meeting:

Funding Requests:

            memberships: 

            American Rivers, River Network

            NCNR, WVRC, FORVA, Coastal Canoeists, VWMC, VAWA, VCWQ,

           

            signage ~$150-$200

           

New River Symposium Planning Meeting

            NCNR mileage

            others?

Build Board Agenda for July

see draft

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACTION ITEMS

 

            Need rep for Community Foundation luncheon May 23rd; Ron said yes

 

 

Annual meeting, facilitator:  We should have an annual meeting acccording to bylaws.  Charlie will contact Steve Talley.

 

  • Ask Clarke about wastewater plant (639 3947) [Llyn will contact]

 

  • Conference center at Claytor?  Llyn will check on availability.

 

 

 

 

NOTES