Construction is a license to pollute. Here’s Zach’s summary of the 6/17/13 Committee on the Environment meeting. Thanks Zach! And, ahem, anytime anyone wants to attend any city, county or school board meeting and send me a report, I would love to post it!! Pretty please. Just pick a topic you are interested in and bring it on! 🙂
In the public comment portion before the agenda items were discussed, Maria Powell from the Midwest Environmental Justice organization raised concerns about fishing and public consumption of fish from Madison’s waters that have contaminated sediment. Maria specifically talked about popular fishing areas around Monona Bay and at the Monona Terrace as well as Tenney Park. She also addressed contamination in Lake Wingra. She explained that years ago there were signs, in three languages, that warned fisherman about the contaminated sediment. The Midwest Environmental Justice Organization would like to see the signs, at the minimum, be placed back where they once were. In conversations with Public Health, the issue of why it has not been done is funding. However Maria stated the signs are only $35 a piece, and well worth it. The committee decided to talk to someone in Public Health about it before moving forward.
The first item on the agenda was the Divestment of Fossil Fuels Resolution (30180). The resolution was first brought up by the Mayor and was referred to the Committee on Environment for support. What this resolution states is that the City of Madison will dump its stock in fossil fuel companies and encourage other municipalities to do the same. Our resolution here in Madison is entirely symbolic…due to the fact that the city of Madison already has zero stock fossil fuel companies. One committee member questioned why it was even before the committee and really didn’t get a good answer. The resolution was supported unanimously by the committee members present.
The next item on the agenda was an update about mercury levels in a south side retention pond. Higher than normal levels of mercury were found in the pond and were traced to a fluorescent light recycling company that is right next to the pond. The company crushes up old light bulbs that have mercury powder in them. Apparently that powder is what was getting to the lake. According to the DNR the company is meeting standards and is permitted to continue business. City staff wants to dredge the pond at public expense and will seek to recover those costs from the company. The city will try a compound trap to reduce water contamination in that specific area.Â
The last new business item was an informal discussion of erosion control. Sue Pastor gave public comment relating to construction site pollution. She brought in several disturbing images of pollution in Lake Monona that came from the Ghidorzi construction site of Wingra clinic. Following Sue Pastor’s testimony staff discussed construction site inspections sharing pictures of before and after inspections apparently showing the difference the inspections make (the public present didn’t see the photos). Staff commented on the fact that with summer help now kicking in they are inspecting every construction site in the city on a weekly basis. Alder Ellingson raised concerns about what plan the city has for demolition in terms of dust, asbestos, run off and blowing material. With several demolitions over, the Ghidorzi Wingra clinic site being one, and more demolitions on the schedule in Alder Ellingson’s district, she conveyed a strong message to the committee and staff that something needs to be done and a plan needs to be put in place.  The Wingra Clinic site generated quite a few complaints, but Tim Troster said the problems were addressed for the most part in line with the standards. The problem is that the standards allow for a lot of pollution. It is legal to discharge 7.5 tons per acre per construction site every year.  People complain but there is nothing the city can do if the erosion control plan is being followed. It was suggested from the audience that the city should condition TIF on meeting a higher standard voluntarily.
This all prompted Greg Fries to share some bad news about the State Budget. Within the budget is measure that will not permit municipalities to enforce regulations in regards to erosion control that surpass the DNR standards. So this will make it very difficult for the city of Madison to impose tougher standards to protect our lakes and watershed. The committee will ask Building Inspection to address the demolition issue at the next meeting.
A couple interesting things came out of the committee reports at the end. Members of the committee reported that all product and mechanics have been purchased for the alum treatment to the storm water pond at the end of Glenway. This project will be treating the pond with alum; the alum will attach to the phosphorus and fall to the bottom of the pond. Then the pond would be dredged to collect the sediment. This is being done as a test to see if it would be viable for more use to reduce phosphorus in our lakes. The shift in policy and experiment itself has been met with questions from the environmental community. The committee also gave an update on Madison’s new mattress recycling program. There will be some type of bought tag or sticker and the mattress will be taken to someplace in Ohio where it is stripped down and the parts a re recycled.            Â
Wow. Depressing eh. In this city full of environmentalist, why are we failing as such basic things?
