8646-R1_NewGloucester_2022-2023_AnnualReport_Web

Environmental Resources Committee Annual Report-July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023New Gloucester The Environmental Resources Committee meets the first Thursday of the month at 5:30 pm. Ongoing projects of the ERC included: • Fairground Pollinator Garden. Members met for several days to maintain the pollinator garden and other landscape plantings at the fairgrounds. • Participation in the community fair. Our 2022 topic was “Invasive Plants in Our Community”. Guest participant Rob Cotioaux was present to answer questions onthe topic. We also had a free raffle for a lobster trap composter. • Annual Seed giveaway was held in the community building at a FNGPL book sale. A generous donation from Pinetree Seed Co. allowed for the creation of a seed library open all season at the public library. • Apparel Impact Bin at the transfer station, as of Feb 2023 collected 8,880 lbs of textile items that would otherwise end up in a landfill or burn facility. • Compost Bin Sale- ERC worked with Maine Recovery Resources for a second year to offer backyard compost bins at a slightly reduced price in an effort to encourage composting. We opted to offer the lobster cage style bin this year. • ERC worked with Rachel Lyn Rumson, from 207Permaculture as our service provider to enroll New Gloucester in the state Community Resilience Partnership, part of Maine’s Climate Action program. Doug and Lauren took the lead on the project. This will be an ongoing major project for ERC. In 2022, ERC presented 3 solar array options to the select board. ERC continued research and inquiry into NG’s current recycling practices by speaking with the public works department and the select board. ERC requested and attended a workshop session with the select board and a Maine Waste to Energy representatives in August 2023. In January 2023, ERC hosted a Community Resilience Partnership kickoff event for community members. An ERC subgroup was formed to analyze the data collected from the information gathered at this event and in questionnaires.

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