WESTMORELAND
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
MARCH 1, 2007
The meeting
convened at 7:18 p.m. with Marshall Patmos, Jim Blake, George Duke, Walter
Derjue, John Lukin, and Jeff Smith in attendance.
The minutes from
February 1, 2007 were read and approved. After some discussion regarding the
minutes in general, it was concluded that the present system of reporting
approvals and changes at the next regular meeting is the best way to do it.
Jeff Tenley,
Civil Engineer for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), stopped
to set up a meeting for 9:00 a.m. on Tues., March 6th at the town
hall. At that time he will report on the work in progress to remove debris
(downed trees etc.) from the channel and banks of Mill and Partridge Brooks.
Most of the removal work has been completed with some bank stabilization
remaining. He also introduced Deborah S. Weymouth who is the new District
Conservationist for the NRCS in the Walpole Industrial Park Office.
Jim said he had a
call from Kelly Taylor, PE , Wilcox & Barton, Inc., Belchertown, MA asking
if the Conservation Commission had any comments
regarding tank replacement at Mac’s Convenience Store on Route 12 in
East Westmoreland. One of the underground storage tanks (USTs) failed and so
now all three are scheduled to be replaced. Marshall had a letter and related
maps from Kelly Taylor, as well. After some discussion, it was concluded that
Jim would check further and then send out the results. The Conservation
Commission will be satisfied as long as the project conforms to the new and
stricter Department of Environmental Services (DES) regulations rather than the
ones in effect in 1990 when the tanks were put in.
Marshall recently
attended the “Climate Change and Working Forests” workshop sponsored by “ Clean
Air/ Cool Planet”. He said it was very interesting.
John said he has
not sent the letter to the Open Space Committee as he now feels it would be
more appropriate if the letter came from the Conservation Commission rather
than from him personally. There was general agreement and he will write the
letter on that basis.
Marshall provided
a copy of the report he had written for the upcoming Town Report.
Marshall passed
out a copy of the Conservation News Bulletin from the NH Association of
Conservation Commissions. He pointed out that as of April 1, 2007, each DES
Wetlands Dredge and Fill Application and Notification must be accompanied by
documentation from the Natural Heritage Bureau (NHB) pertaining to rare species
or exemplary natural communities near the proposed project. Also, the same
bulletin noted that PSNH Environmental Community Grants are available in the
amount of $250 to $1,000 for environmental projects that benefit local
communities. Possibilities might include the April 21st roadside
clean-up campaign or another Westmoreland photo contest.
Marshall received
a FYI notice from DES regarding a
“Letter of Deficiency” for a Westmoreland property where rip-rap had been
applied to a “perennial stream bank”.
Marshall said he
had just received the” NH Floodplain Management Handbook”.
The meeting
adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
Jeffrey P. Smith
Secretary
UNAPPROVED
MINUTES