Arlington Energy Committee Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Via Zoom and in person at Town Hall
In attendance:
In person: Stephanie Moffett-Hynds, Joan Nash, Mary Anne Holmes
Via Zoom: Garret Siegel, Alex Ernst, Mardi Crane,
In absentia: Karen Lee, Jenny Murtaugh. Mary Ann Carlton
Additions or Deletions from today’s agenda: Add member to Red Mtn./carbon subcommittee
Minutes from previous meetings, June 4th: motion to approve: Mary Anne, Joan seconded; unanimous approval
Old Business
- Window DressersReport on project status from Karen Lee: Because Karen was not present, this will be postponed until next meeting. Steph reported that we have almost reached our limit on the number of inserts we can build this year. It is still important to have a presence at the Farmers Market, however, to keep spreading the word to those in need and to gather volunteers for the build.Table at Arlington Farmers Market: Steph to contact Peggy to let her know we will table:July 25:
3 to 5: Steph will set up and table
5 to 7: Mardi will table; Steph will return to do take down
- August 29:
3 to 5: Steph will set up and table
5 to 7: Garret and Alex will table; Steph will return to help take down
Any other committee members are encouraged to stop by and help table and talk to folks. Steph will also reach out to Sunderland and Bryan Dalton.
Steph talked about why it is important to still have a presence at the Farmers Market. In the face of the Trump administration’s bill that will eliminate funding for energy efficiency programs, low- and moderate-income residents will be wondering what options are left for them to be able to afford weatherization and energy- and money-saving upgrades in order to become more resilient. The committee needs to be able to continue to help people find out what options still remain. Mary Anne will check with Dara Zink at the BCRC to find out what the latest information is on what efficiency measures/incentives can still be offered. Steph will do the same with VECAN and Efficiency VT. They will then pull this information together to be offered at the Farmers Market table.
A lot of discussion ensued on how we can help fellow Arlingtonians in the face of climate change. Alex wondered if our town needs to create a fund for hazard mitigation, since the federal government will not be providing that. How can we be proactive rather than reactive? As a member of the hazard mitigation committee, she is very mindful of the many threats, some new, that we need to plan for now. Heat, for example, has not previously been in the plan and yet it is now the number one cause of death (she has made sure it is covered in the plan they are working on).
Mardi reminded everyone about the importance of checking on others who might be vulnerable. During the recent heat wave, for example, she invited neighbors to her place if they needed a place to cool off. One of them went to the library.
Mary Anne H. added that while the library is cooled, the school is not yet part of the plan.
Alex reminded everyone that, in the near future, the hazard mitigation committee will be welcoming feedback on their plan.
Garret mentioned the importance of figuring out how to communicate with everyone in the town in the event of an emergency and who would carry that out.
Alex proposed that signage will be important in front of Town Hall. Garret: an old-fashioned ice-cream truck with a loudspeaker would be helpful.
Mardi: we should do PSA spots on GNAT on what to do to be resilient and what to plan ahead for.
- Red Mountain Road property update from sub-committee.
- Report on recent findings and progress from Karen Lee: Karen not present today, but will report at next meeting.
- Further discussions about project as needed: Alex is on the subcommittee to liaison with the Red Mtn. group. She said they are doing a lot of work, a lot of digging to get the answers they need about it. She has been trying to understand the status of the current use forest management plan, for example. There are so many pros and cons with the current use (ie. reduced taxes if it stays in current use, on the one hand; access points still need to be resolved, on the other; etc.). Carbon sequestration potential for the town is the focus of the subcommittee and Karen is working on a plan to be able to leverage this. Alex heard that there was a meeting on June 24th to which the subcommittee was supposed to be invited, but she was never notified.
- The Red Mtn. Subcommittee needs another member: Joan must step down as member due to workload, but will be the alternate. (She will stay abreast of what is going on in the committee and will attend all the meetings whenever possible.)
- Right now, the subcommittee is made up of Karen and Alex. They are looking for someone else to join them: _____________
Volunteerism
The committee spent time talking about the need for more volunteers on the committee and to bolster volunteerism in general in Arlington. Mardi will make a flyer for the Farmer’s Market table to invite folks to get involved. She also suggests that we make a questionnaire for folks to fill out. Mary Anne Holmes will create a shared document in Drop Box to which we should all add questions by next Wednesday: July 9th. Alex and Mary Anne hope the Red Mtn. property can be included in the questionnaire somehow. Once the document is complete, perhaps Joan can make copies at the Town Hall. Steph will make a blown-up copy to post at our table.
- Carbon Sequestration discussion continued: Zack Porter would be happy to share his opinions about what he and Standing Trees think are best practices for forest management, given the need to store as much carbon as possible. This will provide us with a slightly different perspective from what we have heard from others who have addressed the AEC over the past several years. He will Zoom into a future meeting.
Mary Anne knows a climate scientist who has worked with the UN, the IPCC, etc. who has shared that a forest gives off as much carbon per year as it takes in, unless you do something to increase organic matter in the soil. A cleared forest also loses organic material in the soil. What are the best practices?
in reference to whether the proposed patch of forest could be used to sell C credits, Mary Anne referenced the UNC professor who met with us at our last meeting. Dr. Allen indicated that this particular patch of forest is not appropriate for that; it requires detailed measurements/proof of how much C is actually taken up annually. As Mary Anne understands it, having enough C uptake from an area to offset our own C emissions and then sell and offset others’ emissions usually applies to areas undergoing afforestation or reforestation.
Committee members are reminded to read the documents that Mary Anne, Alex, and others have been sharing on a variety of matters regarding sequestration and other topics.
- Update on tracking tool: Joan reports that the audits are complete and she is just doing final checks. In a couple of weeks, she will then be able to move on to 2024. Stay tuned on how to help out.
New Business
1. Mapping out AEC future projects: Not having enough time, this will be taken up at next meeting.
2. When are our terms up? Steph will inquire.
Upcoming Events
Next meeting: August 6th at the Town Hall
Mary Anne moved to close; Mardi seconded. Meeting adjourned at 8 PM.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Stephanie.