Report on the City of Madison Committee on Environment 7/15/2013 Meeting by Zach Madden.
There was no public comment on items that were not on the agenda.
The first item on the agenda was a “Fireworks post discussion.” Jim Carrier, one of the founders of Wild Warner, gave public testimony on the agenda item. Jim described the unfortunate and extensive pollution that the fireworks have caused. Holding up three different sized fireworks mortar caps, Mr. Carrier spoke to the committee about how he and his organization found more than 20 of these caps in the water surrounding Warner park. The caps are placed over the fireworks to keep them dry before they are ignited.
In the case of Madison’s Rhythm and Booms, these caps are then let to just blow directly in the lake along with the small rope and fuses used to assemble and ignite the fireworks. Mr. Carrier then discussed the three feet of sand that is laid down to steady, aim and absorb impact of the mortars. In previous years this sand has not been removed, but this year the DNR required removal following the show. After being presented the evidence collected and catalogued by Jim Carrier and others, the DNR and Army Corps of Engineers determined that the city of Madison had been clearly violating the Clean Water Act by bringing in fill without a permit. However, no violation was apparently filed due to the city’s cooperation for this year’s Rhythm and Booms show. Wild Warner’s goal, now that Rhythm and Booms is leaving Warner Park, is that the wetland area be an educational area. The idea is to have students come appreciate and learn about wetlands by experiencing one.
(Attached is a complete copy of Jim Carrier’s prepared statement, photos and maps.)
Mayoral Assistant Katie Crawley spoke in regards to this year’s display and the future of the show. She informed the committee about speculation Rhythm and Booms will no longer be held at Warner Park. She also said more clean up was to come for the park in related to the island from which fireworks have been shot and the surrounding water. Ms. Crawley addressed “rumors” that 13000 shells were fired up and stated that only 2250 shells were set off on the Fourth. She shared that Madison Festivals, the new organizer and operator of Rhythm and Booms, hopes to raise enough money to fund the event privately. She informed the committee that more information on funding, locations and other specifics would be made available to the public at a press conference later in the week.
[That press conference, which occurred on 7/17/13, revealed that the new home of the fireworks will be, literally, on Lake Monona. The fireworks will be launched from a barge in the middle of the lake. This obviously raises concern from environmental advocates. Lake Monona is already getting hit hard with construction and other run off, and now will be subject to the very real and damaging effects of a fireworks show. That being said, Jim Carrier and other environmental advocates are glad that the wetlands of Warner Park get a break.] Isthmus coverage Wisconsin State Journal coverage
The next item on the agenda was a street sweeping discussion. Greg Fries from City Engineering summarized the city’s phosphorus study. He explained how Madison is trying to seasonalize the work, because the opportunity to decrease phosphorus is seasonal, with a huge spike in phosphorus in the end of May/early June, due to the bloom and budding, and another in the fall (roughly 1/3 higher then the spring spike) caused by the leaves and other debris falling from trees. Right now the city has a fleet of 10 sweepers. As you can imagine, it takes those 10 sweepers quite a while to clean off every street within the city, and it is impossible to do it in the short windows of time (May/June & fall) where it can actually make a difference. In order to get the streets cleaned in the short time frame, the city fleet would need to be tripled and maybe quadrupled. Each street needs to be broom swept and then vacuumed (2 different types of city sweepers) before major rain events where the debris is flushed down the storm sewer system. Fries and the city realize that the cost of tripling or quadrupling the fleet is out of reach, so the city has been working on a lot of options. Mr. Fries reported on one success, that debris traps are catching a lot of material. However, committee members and staff pointed out that though the traps are catching a lot, when leaves are crushed by cars, saturated by rain events and going through the system they have done a great deal of damage.
Reports:
Board of Public Works
The pond polluted with mercury, which was discussed at the June CoE meeting, will be dredged this year.
Water Utility
The committee is watching out for new contaminates such as pharmaceuticals. EPA has put out a list of things to be watching out for and water quality staff are working on monitoring the list. Regulation or lack of regulation of geothermal wells came up and will be an ongoing issue.
Staff Reports
There was one person registered to give public comment on staff reports pertaining to the demolition and deconstruction of buildings in follow up to last month’s meeting. Steve Vanko testified about the Wingra Clinic project (the Ghidorzi construction site on Park Street), which is a block from his house. Steve described the lack of wind-screening and protection that allowed flying insulation and building debris to blow into Lake Monona’s Bay. He complained about the lack of compliance of existing rules and what he thinks is unwillingness on the part of the city to enforce the rules “already on the books.” Steve had very simple but meaningful words for the committee: “You need to have someone to actually enforce them!” He ended by explaining how 19% of phosphorus pollution is caused by construction sites and pleaded with the committee that the city needs to start to get serious about this issue.
Staff then explained the very weak demolition permit process which is basically submitting a plan and getting pre-approval for asbestos removal. There is no regular inspection required, unless a complaint is filed with the city.
Alder Sue Ellingson wants to know what happened in terms of runoff, how they were not in compliance, and how they came back into compliance at the Ghidorzi construction site on Park Street. Alder Ellingson then requested a full chronological report of what happened at the Ghidorzi site and an analysis of what could have been done and what can be done in the future. A full report is to be prepared and presented by staff at the next meeting.
