Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
Advisory Committee on Mercury Pollution

Advisory Committee on Mercury Pollution

Meeting #68: Tuesday, June 6, 2006

Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Location: Chittenden Solid Waste District’s Administrative Office

1021 Redmond Road, Williston, VT.

MINUTES

Members Present:

              Michael Bender, Abenaki Self-Help Association, Inc. (via telephone)

              Bill Bress, Vermont Department of Health

              Representative Carol Reed Hosford

              John Berino, Fletcher Allen Health Care

              Ruma Kohli, IBM

              Mary Jean Rajda, Porter Medical

              Jennifer Holliday, Chittenden Solid Waste Management District

              Gary Gulka, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Environmental Assistance

Guests Present:
              Gaile Horne, Vermont Grocer’s Association

              Annie Macmillan, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

              Karen Knaebel, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Environmental Assistance

              Alison McKay, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Environmental Assistance

The Committee members and interested parties gathered at the Chittenden Solid Waste District’s Administrative Office and by phone.  Michael Bender called the meeting to order.

Agenda Item 1

Accept minutes from March meeting and possible changes to today’s agenda. 

• The Committee approved the minutes from the March 24, 2006 meeting.
• Changes to today’s agenda, under Agenda Item 7:
• Jen Holliday to discuss Mercury Stockpiling.
• Bill Bress to discuss medical students helping with awareness outreach.
• Representative Hosford to discuss Dr. Cortland Lohff’s possible presentation at September meeting.

Agenda Item 2

Discuss fishing access area postings.

• Karen Knaebel gave a brief overview of the past effort to post fish advisories at fishing access areas. 
• In an effort to re-post the advisories at fishing access areas, posters specifically designed for fishing access areas will be mailed to town health officers with instructions on where to post these advisories.
• After the initial posting by the town health officer, the advisories will be maintained by the Department of Corrections, who will be given a supply of extras to replace any damaged or removed advisories.
• Suggestion to send another mailing of mercury-in-fish posters to agents that sell fishing licenses.

Agenda Item 3

Discuss retail grocer’s postings.

• Gail Horne of the Vermont Grocer’s Association stated that the Association supports voluntary postings of fish advisory information that does not discourage purchase of fish, similar to the DEC’s fish advisory cards.
• Suggestion that a joint letter (Vermont Dept. of Health/VT Grocer’s Association) be sent out to stores along with mercury advisory fish card.  Also, several Committee members thought it was important that the message gets to the right person.  If the letter is addressed to the manager of the store, the letter should express the importance of posting the mercury-in-fish advisory card at the fish counter.    
• Suggestion that the mailing list be scaled down according to stores required to obtain a seafood license from the Health Department.  The Committee agreed, however, that the information should go out to all stores as an informational piece to be used for consumer questions in order to address the differences of mercury levels in canned tuna. 
• In addition to the mailing, there was a suggestion that a representative from DEC attend the upcoming VT Grocer’s annual fall meeting/convention in September.

Agenda Item 4

15 Mile Falls Projects.

              1. Manometers

• Annie Macmillan from the Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (AF&M) gave an update on the recent manometer exchange effort with dairy farms in Vermont.  There was a mass mailing to 3,000 farms; 1,000 active farms that currently ship milk.  The mailing included a letter and a return postcard.  There were only 100 responses, of which 30 farms had a mercury manometer available for exchange.  Milk inspectors are helping with outreach.  AF&M has also placed articles in the bi-monthly newspaper, Agriview, and has been in contact with the large animal vets.  AF&M is going to continue the effort and will provide another update in the fall.    
• Suggestion for AF&M to do a follow-up mailing.

              2. Thermostats   

• Karen Knaebel gave an update on this effort.  There are plans to create a working group this summer (to begin meeting in September) to brainstorm about possible incentive programs to promote change out and collection of existing mercury thermostats.  The group will explore incentive programs established in other states and identify one or more possible pilot projects that could be undertaken in the coming year. 

              3. Thermometer Exchanges

• Another joint effort between DEC and AF&M.  The concept is to have a thermometer exchange with maple/sugaring facilities in Vermont.  The DEC and AF&M are currently talking with the Maple Sugaring Association.  There are approximately 1800 maple/sugaring facilities registered in the state but these do not likely include small facilities.  

              4. Auto Switches

• Gary Gulka gave an update on the auto switch legislation/program.  The DEC has been talking with the End of Life Vehicle Solutions Corporation (ELVS).  DEC is currently reviewing a proposed plan by ELVS and educational materials in use in other states.  The DEC is also considering a contract position to assist salvage yards during the implementation of this program. 
• There is discussion between the steel mills and automakers about using joint funds to provide end-of- life vehicle facilities with incentive payments for program participation.  DEC is following this discussion closely in the hope that incentive payments could be made to Vermont auto salvage yards in the near future.

Agenda Item 5

Update on implementation of product law.

• Karen Knaebel gave an update on the implementation of mercury product law in Vermont.  There have been several outreach efforts conducted recently.  Mailings have gone out to approximately 500 manufacturers requesting an updated labeling plan be submitted by October 2006 and advising them of other new provisions in the law.  Letters written to notify about product bans were sent to marinas, retailers, and schools.  Mailing to schools included a letter from the Solid Waste Districts offering low or no cost help with removal efforts.  Other mailings are planned to notify contractors and neon sign manufacturers, as well as notifying hardware stores (through the help of Efficiency Vermont) about product bans. 
• Ms. Knaebel has also been involved in consolidating the automaker notification/labeling forms used by the Interstate Mercury Education and Reduction Clearinghouse (IMERC). 
• Suggestion to revisit the topic of mercury in university labs in the future. 
• Suggestion to conduct outreach to licensed daycare facilities about mercury in fish; possibly through workshops and newsletters. 
• Ms. Knaebel gave an update on the True Value lamp recycling pilot project.  Project will have been in effect for a year on June 27, 2006.  Of the 15 True Value Stores not participating, five have signed up for the project and five are still considering joining.  DEC is exploring the possibility of expanding the recycling project to other hardware stores such as ACE.

Agenda Item 6

Review August ACMP re-appointments.

• A motion was made to request that the Governor re-appoint Bill Bress, Ruma Kohli and Michael Bender for another term.
• The Committee agreed and a letter will be drafted to the Governor for August reappointments.

Agenda Item 7

Other topics not on the agenda.

• Ruma Kohli will provide an update on EU Regulations affecting mercury and other heavy metals in electronic products at the September meeting.
• Carol Hosford talked about her discussions with Dr. Cortland Lohff (Department of Health – State Epidemiologist) about Thimerosal.  Suggestion to have Dr. Lohff come to September meeting and talk with the Committee. 
• Bill Bress will contact Dr. Steve Arthur (Director of Dental Health at VDH) to possibly work with the Vermont State Dental Society to develop a brochure to inform patients about dental amalgam.  A first draft may possibly be available by the September meeting. 
• Topic of mercury stockpiling was discussed.  Suggestion for the Committee to send a letter calling for a better system of storing excess mercury in this US.  Michael Bender will draft a letter for the Committee to review at the September meeting. 
• Gary Gulka relayed information from Neil Kamman who was unable to attend the meeting.  Funding received for an extension of the Lake Champlain Mass Mercury Balance Study.  Project design will allow researchers to track mercury deposition events from their source region to their deposition in Lake Champlain, and to their uptake in biota as methylmercury.  This will give researchers very compelling data to understand just how much the mercury from different North American sources affects Lake Champlain biota directly. 
• Bill Bress talked about having first year med students help with mercury in fish outreach efforts particularly targeting pregnant women.  Also, the Department of Health has a new Minority Health Director who will be working with the Abenaki. 

Agenda Item 8

Set date and agenda for next meeting.

• The Committee chose tentative dates for the September meeting which will be confirmed by email. 

Agenda Item 9

Mission Mercury – animated video developed for 8th grade students.

• The Committee previewed the Mission Mercury video that will be distributed to middle and high schools in the fall.
• EPA is planning to evaluate the video for possible distribution nationwide.