ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES COMMITTEE
December 16, 1998
Maple Room

Attendees: Robyn Hathcock, John Baldwin, John Bittner, JR Gaddis, Kay Coots, Melissa Unger, Bev Murrow

Kay chaired the meeting. The minutes for the last meeting were approved.

Subcommittee Reports
Environmental Policy Two departments have agreed to meet and develop their own sub-policy. They are Facilities Services and Environmental Health & Safety.

Old Business:
JR reported on the prices for three types of paper. The Envirographics 100% recycled is $3.34/ream, the 50% recycled and 30% post consumer waste is $2.75/ream and virgin paper is $2.70/ream.

John Baldwin reported on the Riverfront Research Park resolution vote in the Senate. President Frohnmayer talked before the Senate and expressed mild reservations on the resolution and there was a 20 minute debate prior to the vote. Nathan Tublitz spoke on behalf of Biology and expressed the department’s strong reservations about any development, and he attempted to introduce a new resolution. According to Senate rules this was out of order, and he was given the option to submit a statement for debate at the next meeting. The resolution passed by a 2 to 1 margin.
John suggested that a couple of areas could be improved with development -- the pole yard and across the river at the old Day Island land fill. The site of the old Eugene land fill is still leaching and at times the lagoon has white effluent on the surface. One study conducted a number of years ago found 600 ppm chromium in the run off. It is a major fire hazard due to methane which causes fires to flare up from time to time. The area drains into the Willamette and Corvallis gets its drinking water from the river. John and some students met with Dan Williams to discuss ideas on cleaning up the site through composting, recycling and proper disposal of hazardous materials and then to build a natural resource or convention center. This would be visible from I-5 and near Moschefsky and Athletics. Kay asked how it all might be financed. John said that there is an offer of a quarter million dollar donation which the state would match and EPA grants.

New Business
Kay asked the following members to organize a meeting with their subcommittees and report at the January meeting:
JR - Paper Policy Implementation
John Bittner - Transportation
John Baldwin - Environmental Symposium
Kay - CEP Sub Policy Implementation
Robyn - Communications

John Baldwin reported on a very positive meeting with the Dale Morse, Dean of the College of Business. The college is planning to offer an environmental management systems concentration at the undergraduate level by November of next year. This would be the largest and only program of its kind for business majors. The recent Sustainable Business Symposium drew over 1000 people. According to JR the College of Business is very interested in using bamboo paper for their official stationary.

Notre Dame and University of North Carolina have contacted JR about starting recycling programs. They are looking at our Recycled Paper Policy on the home page. He suggested that they set up an environmental issues committee. John said that the Provost at Shasta College is also using our home page.

John Baldwin passed out a list of Internet sites for campus environmental efforts.

Melissa is working with the campaign to reinstate OSPRIG. There is a petition to get on the ballot. Also a concerted effort is being made in educating students to let them know what OSPRIG does and why they should support it.

Minutes submitted by Linda Johnson