Please see the attached minutes. I would appreciate knowing of any errors or omissions.
Best regards,
Pete Thoits
Gray Solid Waste & Recycling Committee
Meeting Minutes for Wednesday,
June 11th, 2008, 5:30 p.m., Stimson Hall
In Attendance: Randy Cookson, Margaret Hutchins, Brian Shedlarski, Cheryl Welch (Crystal Lake Association), Nancy Sawyer (CLA), Karen Taylor (CLA), Jack Watson (CLA), Peter Thoits
Regular agenda suspended as the committee welcomed members of the Crystal Lake Association to discuss handling of variable leaf milfoil brought to the Gray Transfer Station for disposal.
By pursuing the issue of composting milfoil CLA is taking defensive action. There is currently no milfoil present in Crystal Lake.
Maine law does not allow the use of herbicides in in-land Maine waters to combat invasive plant species. Milfoil abatement is currently done by hand removal, suction dredge, and/or benthic barrier.
Little Sebago Lake has a major infestation of variable leaf milfoil. Abatement efforts in 2007 resulted in the removal of an estimated 20 to 50 tons of milfoil. This plant material was brought to the Gray Transfer Station and composted.
CLA would like confirmation from a definitive source that composted milfoil, if spread near an inland water body cannot result in the introduction of milfoil to that water body.
Proposals and action items.
CLA proposes that a sign stating something like "Compost may contain milfoil. Waterfront residents should use with caution." This proposal as well as details of the associations concerns will be brought to the attention of the town council. Margaret Hutchins will inform the council of the need to meet and will have this item put on a future agenda. It was also proposed that this issue be handled during a council workshop.
Randy will divert any milfoil that is brought to the Transfer Station from compost material and instead send it to ecomaine to be burned.
Brian has contacted the Maine DEP about the safety of composting milfoil but he has not had a response. He will pursue this again.
Peter will contact Scott Williams from Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program for information or references he may have regarding composting milfoil. Peter will also contact Professor Zabilski at UMO. Randy used him as a source for information about composting in the past.
On behalf of the Gray Solid Waste & Recycling Committee I would like to thank the Crystal Lake Association for giving us the opportunity to learn of your concerns. We hope we can be of help.
Peter Thoits
Meeting adjourned at 6:40PM.
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