Gunnison Basin Selenium Task Force

Technical Work Group/Steering Committee

Meeting Minutes:  August 18, 2004

Delta Montrose Electric Association, 11925 6300 Rd, Montrose, CO

 

I.       Technical Work Group Meeting (10am to 12pm)

 

Attendees:  Sonja Chavez de Baca (Coordinator GBSTF), Fred Fisher (Shavano Cons. Dist.), Dan Beley (Water Quality Control Division), Randy See (Western Co Congress), Peter Crowell (Western Co Congress), Rick Krueger (US Fish & Wildlife), Ed Page (CSU Coop. Ext.), Paul von Guerard (US Geol. Survey), Aung Hla (CSU Coop. Ext.), Mike Baker (US Bureau of Rec.), Dave Kanzer (Co River Water Cons. Dist.), Rick Isom (Painted Sky), Dave Dearstyne (Natural Res. Cons. Serv.), and Suzan Bronson (Montrose County).

 

Comments regarding 8/18/04 Agenda:

A.)  Fred Fisher made a request to add a “New Business Items” section to every agenda so that Task Force members have an opportunity to add agenda items or to give updates to each other.  The recommendation was accepted by the Task Force.

 

B.)   Fred Fisher recommends that the Task Force look at the manner in which the Task Force organizes monthly meetings: Fred’s concern with the meeting organization is that he would like to stay all day for both the technical (Technical Work Group) and the general policy (Overall Steering Committee) meetings but cannot afford to take a whole day.  The Task Force talked at length about the issue but decided that for the time being the existing organization was necessary given the number of issues we are currently addressing.  In summary, for future meetings: 1) the length of meetings could be shortened if there were fewer agenda items, 2) conference calls could be scheduled, 3) more agenda items could be addressed via email, and 4) a framework proposal for future meetings should be prepared.

 

Note:  For future reference and clarification, the following titles refer to our different Task Force groups:

Steering Committee:  refers to all of the members of the Gunnison Basin Selenium Task Force whose role is to provide vision and overall policy guidance and general direction.

Technical Sub-Committee:  refers to the “scientific subcommittee” of the Gunnison Basin Selenium Task Force whose role is to provide guidance regarding selenium related scientific projects.  In addition, some members of this body conduct lobbying that support the efforts of the Task Force.

Joint Steering Committee:  refers to both the Gunnison Basin and Grand Valley Selenium Task Force Committees whose role is to provide status updates to both groups at large and to work collaboratively and cooperatively on selenium related issues that affect both Groups.

 

C.)    Grand Valley Se Task Force Proposal for Future Meeting Schedule & Update on the Search for a New coordinator:  A request was made by the Grand Valley Selenium Task Force to consider a quarterly meeting schedule.  This request comes following significant discussion by both groups to work cooperatively on actions items that collectively benefit both Task Forces.  The GBSTF was supportive of the following draft quarterly meeting schedule (As requested by the Task Force, a detailed meeting framework proposal was developed as is attached for review and comment):

 

Month 1: Technical Sub-Committee Meeting (Respective Groups)

Month 2: Technical/Steering Committee Meetings (Respective Groups)

Month 3: Joint Steering Committee Meeting

 

If adopted, the following schedule would apply to the remainder of 2004:

 

September 15, 2004:  Technical Sub-Committee Meeting (Delta)

            October 20, 2004:  Technical/Steering Committee Meeting (Montrose)

            November 18, 2004:  Joint Steering Committee Meeting (Delta)

            December 15, 2004:  No meeting?

            January 19, 2005:  Technical Sub-Committee Meeting

 

In addition, the GV Task Force is currently reviewing resumes to fill their vacant coordinator position (quarter time).  One of the applicants being reviewed is the current GBSTF Coordinator (Sonja Chavez de Baca of SC Environmental, LLC).  The GBSTF has no issues with possibly having the same contractor for both Task Forces. 

 

A.)  319 Phytoremediation Grant Status Update:  Fred Fisher gave a grant status update presentation to the Task Force.  A copy of the bi-annual 319 report for the Phytoremediation Grant was emailed to the entire Task Force.  In summary, there is a lot of data analysis that is occurring.  Fred has scheduled a technical meeting in Denver (September 28th) to discuss data trends.  The meeting will be very technical in nature (i.e. review of statistics and what they mean), but anyone interested in attending can come (contact Fred for more information).  Fred has set a personal deadline to complete the final draft of the report by the last full week of November.  The final report is due December 31, 2004.  Drafts will be presented to the Task Force for review and comment.

 

Fred was asked if upon completion of the project, “could he felt that he could make recommendations for specific actions on reducing selenium?”  Fred’s answer was “yes”, but the real benefits of selenium reduction would take place on a time frame decades.  He also added that: (1) there is a huge market for trees and crops studied in the Phytoremediation Grant, (2) any additional selenium loading occurring within the landscape (i.e. development on previously undisturbed high selenium loading soils) could negate any potential benefits from selenium sequestering crops, and (3) volatilization (which hasn’t been studied in large scale) might be extremely significant and should be looked at by the Task Force.

 

The grant is within budget and has approximately $19,000 remaining which Fred has proposed to use in the following manner (subject to approval by WQCD):

• Use funds to help the Shavano Conservation District pay for the Landowner’s Educational CD they developed;

•            Use funds to pay for computer drafting expenses for final report;

• Use approximately $2,000 to bring in several high level speakers to the November workshop; and/or

• Use funds to pay for expenses from the November workshop such as the conference center expense, lunch at the workshop, travel expenses for the Grand Valley Task Force, etc.

 

It was recommended that the Task Force put an executive summary and the entire Phytoremediation report on the website and that the Task Force make it a matter of business to produce a “fact sheet” for public distribution.  No funds are currently available to create high quality glossy publications, but the coordinator has the software and color printing capabilities to develop and print color photos.

 

B.) Review of the Fall Selenium Workshop Agenda:  Since Fred Fisher was absent from the last Technical Work Group meeting, the Task Force asked Fred if the workshop was the best opportunity for him to present the findings of the Phytoremediation Study.  Fred was supportive of working his presentation into the Fall Selenium Workshop.

 

There was discussion within the Task Force on whether the workshop itself was the best way to reach the public.  The majority of the group felt as though it was a good opportunity to reach planners, elected officials, etc. and that our goal was to change the culture of the public by telling a story and having coordinated concept.  Our goal in planning the workshop agenda is to first, educate people, tell a story about the successes/efforts of our Task Force, presenting a case study for the public to relate to (Devils’ Thumb), presenting products and tools that assist the public in making wise planning decisions, and promoting dialogue to discuss the future of water conservation and water quality through a panel discussion.  The workshop agenda will continue to be refined.

 

It was also emphasized that we need the entire Task Force to make a concerted effort to contact people and make personal invitations to attend and to assist in the planning.  Committees will be created with the Coordinator overseeing the project.

 

 

II.  Steering Committee Meeting (1pm to 3pm)

 

Attendees:  Sonja Chavez de Baca (Coordinator GBSTF), Charles McMurdy (Montrose County Farm Bureau), Kim Ralston (Forest Service), Andy Mitchell (City of Delta), Dave Dearstyne (NRCS), Rick Krueger (US Fish & Wildlife), Paul von Guerard (US Geological Survey), Aung Hla (CSU Cooperative Ext.), Mike Baker (US Bureau of Rec.), Dave Kanzer (Co River Water Conservancy District).

 

A.)  319 Coordinator’s Budget/Status Report:  Sonja presented her budget and status report to the GBSTF (copy sent to TF via email).  Overall comments were that the GBSTF appreciated receiving the reports and would like to continue to have them in the future for all grants.  The Task Force would like to place “seeking continued funding for the Coordinator’s position” as a priority.  Dan Beley noted that continued funding for the Coordinator position can be built into any future 319 Non-Point Source Grant application.  Dan would like Sonja to call him in the next month to specifically talk about the details of continued funding opportunities.

 

B.) BMP Grant Status Update:  Aung Hla reported that the following BMP brochure is finished for Golf Courses and that the following BMP brochures are coming:  1.) Septic Systems, 2.) Small Acreage, and 3.) Ponds.  New Residential and small acreage brochures will be available for the November 17th Workshop. 

The Task Force requested that they be allowed to review and approve all brochures prior to publication and dissemination.  All documents will be sent to the Coordinator so that she can distribute them to the TF via email.  In addition, the TF recommended that they receive an up-to-date timeline of deliverables and a summary budget for the BMP Grant.  The TF requested that Sonja also send them a copy of the original BMP Grant Proposal and Contract as many members stated that they didn’t have a copy and that they would need it for in their review of the BMP brochures.

 

Dan Beley emphasized that because all the BMP brochures were being produced on behalf of the Gunnison Basin Selenium Task Force with 319 Non-Point Source Grant monies that the brochures be published under the Task Force and not CSU.

 

The Task Force also emphasized that they should be assisting Aung in meeting Goal #5 as stated in the BMP Grant.  Goal #5 states that the Task Force will “Work with Delta, Montrose, and Mesa County Commissioners and County Land Use Planning Departments to develop incentives for the implementation of BMPs on all new individual and subdivision developments.”

 

Aung also noted that he was in the very preliminary stages of putting together a Water Quality/Quantity workshop in February or March.  The Task Force asked Aung to put this workshop on a future agenda to discuss whether it fits with goals of the GBSTF and the BMP Grant.

 

C.)  Review and Coordination of the Selenium Workshop:  Coordination of the Selenium Workshop (November 17, 2004, Bill Heddles Center, Delta, CO) will be done at the next Task Force meeting on September 15th and through email.  All Grand Valley and Gunnison Basin Se Task Force members are encouraged to participate and to assist in the planning & coordination of the event.

 

D.) Review of the Task Force Position Statement/Letter:  Comments on the position statement/letter will be received via email.

 

E.)  Additional Task Force Discussion Items:

•An additional $2.1 million was recently granted to the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association for piping of irrigation laterals.

 

•Mike Baker informed the Task Force that USBOR’s priority for selenium reduction is as follows:

1.           Agricultural (approximately 90% of total loading)

2.           Ponds (approximately 7% of total loading)

3.          Other (approximately 3% of total loading)

4.           

• Mike Baker informed the Task Force and Dan Beley that we should start thinking about making requests to BOR for 2006 funds for projects.

 

•Dave Kanzer recommended that the Task Force also work with the Grand Valley Group to write letters to regional, area, and local offices of the BOR and USGS requesting that these federal groups continue to stay involved and provide technical assistance and support to the Selenium Task Forces.  Dave will work with Sonja and Eileen List to draft the letters.

 

 

THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 3:10PM.