LGAC's Small Community Advisory Subcommittee (SCAS) Meeting Summary March 17th, 2023, 12:00pm - 1:00pm Eastern Time Zone Meeting Call to Order: Commissioner Lowery welcomed members to the meeting. This is the first official meeting for the SCAS in 2023 and expressed excitement over the newly appointed members, offering fresh voices and perspectives to help EPA do a better job working with smaller communities around this country. Commissioner Lowery welcome returning members and mentioned the energy needed to dive into the work. Commissioner Lowery welcomed Co-Chair, Supervisor Ann Mallek, to provide a few remarks. Supervisor Mallek thanked Commissioner Lowery for the welcome and expressed excitement as the newly appointed Co-Chair for the SCAS. Supervisor Mallek gave roll call and welcomed John Lucey to provide welcoming remarks on behalf of EPA, EPA Welcoming Remarks: John Lucey, Deputy Associate Administrator for EPA's Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations thanked Commissioner Lowery, and Supervisor Mallek, and welcomed everyone to the first SCAS meeting of the year. DAA Lucey mentioned that EPA appreciates the time and effort that the SCAS puts into providing advice and recommendations to the agency. This feedback ultimately counsels the agency on ways to improve EPA's efforts to better support smaller communities and underscores the shared responsibility of environmental and public health protection. DAA Lucey relayed that over the past few months, EPA has taken aggressive actions to address priorities laid out by the Biden-Harris Administration ranging from climate change, environmental justice, pollution reduction and much more. These priorities are being addressed through historic investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act and partnering with state and local governments is essential. Utilizing opportunities, such as this meeting, to engage with state and local governments offers a collaborative approach to transform communities across the country and DAA Lucey welcomed candid input and perspectives from the SCAS. LGAC Update - Workgroup Charges & Activities: ------- SCAS Designated Federal Officer Lynzi Barnes presented two charges that the LGAC workgroups are addressing. Lynzi also mentioned that the SCAS will have the opportunity to provide input into the LGAC charges, if the subcommittee determines to do so. The first charge presented to the SCAS touched on climate mitigation efforts as EPA is seeking recommendations on: 1) Are there financial barriers (e.g. financing, assembling capital, etc.) specific to projects that support economic development in a way that reduces GHG emissions? If these barriers were overcome, could communities effectively reduce GHG emissions through land development patterns overtime? 2) Are land use policies, codes, ordinances, and other rules and guidelines barriers to economic development that reduce GHG emissions? Are there specific tools or data that would be useful in making the case that current land use policies could be reformed to support GHG reduction? 3) Are there specific metrics for measuring GHG emission reductions that EPA should be using or creating? How can these inform your planning and funding decisions? 4) Given that the IRA contains many programs designed to finance GHG emission reductions, what else do communities need to help them develop in ways that support GHG reduction through economic growth? Lynzi also presented the workgroup charge that requests the LGAC to provide EPA with input on how EPA can help local governments communicate the risks of PFAS once it's identified EPA is asking: What happens at the local government level when PFAS is detected? How can EPA support this work - specifically with risk communications - to position a community for successful community engagement and initial management of the contamination? Are there specific tools that EPA should develop? Do local communities have tools, best practices, or lessons learned that the Agency should consider adopting? How can EPA support effective partnership of local, state and federal governments on this issue? Denise Koch, expressed interest in this topic and mentioned the delicacy of this topic, especially as it relates to drinking water. ------- Kevin Dumas added the issue of states having certain requirements and timelines, so taking into account the timeliness of communicating the risk, i.e., posting online, social media and holding press conferencing, should be discussed. Kevin Shropshire agreed that he'd like to engage on the discussion as he is directly affected by PFAS in the industrial pretreatment sector. Mr. Shropshire alluded to PFAS being everywhere and there's no approved method of testing so far. Mr. Shropshire questioned who's going to be charged for PFAS and how will the charges roll out, especially as EPA, state and local governments are requiring wastewater treatment plants to meet drinking water standards. Tyler Palmer echoed previous comments mentioned and highlighted the realities of a ramped-up messaging for PFAS through the media and noted that many municipalities are scrambling to get the messaging out due to limited timing. Mr. Palmer also commented that consistent messaging will be really helpful to help people wrap their minds around the prevalence and the risk, especially if local governments are communicating that the drinking water is unsafe. Mr. Palmer added that the subcommittee should keep EPA on the radar for biosolids. Mayor Leon mentioned environmental justice issues with sludge and biosolid removals as it comes to PFAS and unlawful practices. Tom Carroll pointed back to the climate mitigation charge and mentioned that the charge questions is centered around the local government boundary itseif. Mr. Carroll noted the distinction between the city or county and the measuring of carbon consumption, and the output verses the community itself which is the summation of all businesses, residents and local governments as users of greenhouse gas. Mr. Carroll stressed the need for baseline date before anyone can begin measurements raised in the charge question. Draft SCAS Charge: Megan Susman EPA's Office of Community Revitalization (OCR) presented a charge for the SCAS to consider adopting/addressing. OCR is seeking the advice and perspective of the SCAS on what small communities need to help them support clean, convenient, and affordable transportation options for their residents and businesses. Specific questions for the SCAS to consider could include: 1) What transportation challenges are small communities facing (locally, regionally)? What opportunities and barriers do they see as the nation moves to an affordable and equitable cleaner transportation system? 2) What would it take for small communities to achieve walking, biking, public transportation, electric vehicles (for individuals, businesses, school districts, and municipalities), and other clean transportation options? What challenges are related to underlying land use policies (e.g., zoning)? ------- 3) What tools or other assistance do small communities need to take advantage of federal investment in cleaner transportation options? Can you identify a gap or gaps in the current set of available tools? SCAS members collectively agreed to accept the charge as is and begin addressing the questions at the next meeting. Public Comments: No public comments shared. Meeting Wrap Up and Closing: SCAS Co-Chairs thanked EPA for the presentations and Subcommittee members for the lively discussion and encouraged members to join and participate at the next SCAS meeting scheduled May 22nd in Washington, DC. ------- Meeting Attendees: Si)bcommittee Members Supervisor Ann Mallek, Albemarle, VA Commissioner Christine Lowery, Cibola County, NM Denise Koch, Juneau, AK Kevin Dumas, Mansfield, MA Alderman and Mayor Pro Tem Kimberly Rich, Willow Springs, MO Kevin Shropshire, Rockledge, FL Mayor Ella Jones, Ferguson, MO Mayor Jeremy Stutsman, Goshen, IN Mayor Jonathan Godes, Glenwood Springs, CO Mayor Julian McTizic, Bolivar, IN Mayor Velma Jenkins, Shuqualak, MS Mayor Rey Leon, Huron, CA Michele Zolezi, Manchester, NJ Councilmember Sophie Swope, Bethel, AK Tom Carroll, Cambridge, MD Tyler Palmer, Moscow, ID EPA Attendees John Lucey, EPA's Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations Lynzi Barnes, EPA's Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations Jack Bowles, EPA's Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations Paige Lieberman, EPA's Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations Megan Susman, EPA's Office of Community Revitalization Reyes Barboza, EPA's Office of Community Revitalization ------- Public Attendees Aaron Kingsley ------- |