CLEAN CLEAN Community Community ExperienceExperience

Susan MiHalo, Chair

Environmental

Advisory Board

Town of Ogden Dunes

Why Did We Why Did We Participate in Participate in

CLEAN?CLEAN? Altruistic Altruistic

MotivationsMotivations Concern for the Concern for the

EnvironmentEnvironment ““Walking the Talk” Walking the Talk”

improves credibilityimproves credibility

Incentives to ParticipateIncentives to Participate FREE Technical assistance (CMTI)FREE Technical assistance (CMTI) Access to and better relationships Access to and better relationships

with agencies and agency with agencies and agency leadershipleadership

Public recognitionPublic recognition

Pilot Experience:Pilot Experience: Guidance by IDEM (hand holding)Guidance by IDEM (hand holding)

Regular conference callsRegular conference calls

Pre-application reviewsPre-application reviews Developed “ownership” Developed “ownership” Provided contacts in IDEM and EPA for Provided contacts in IDEM and EPA for

other issues, i.e., air toxics monitoringother issues, i.e., air toxics monitoring

Pilot Experience Difficulties Included:Pilot Experience Difficulties Included: No models to follow. No models to follow. Moving target: changed from week to Moving target: changed from week to

week. week. Length of time: Town Officials lose Length of time: Town Officials lose

interest.interest. More hours required: Collectively, we More hours required: Collectively, we

spend about 250 hours on this project.spend about 250 hours on this project.

Quality of Life Plan (QLP) Quality of Life Plan (QLP) DevelopmentDevelopment

Selection of StakeholdersSelection of Stakeholders IDEM/CMTI Site VisitIDEM/CMTI Site Visit Stakeholder MeetingsStakeholder Meetings

Selection of StakeholdersSelection of Stakeholders Representation from committees/boards.Representation from committees/boards.

Fire Dept.Fire Dept. Plan CommissionPlan Commission Parks Dept.Parks Dept. Town Council representativeTown Council representative Environmental Advisory Board membersEnvironmental Advisory Board members

Tapping into key leaders creates town buy-in.Tapping into key leaders creates town buy-in.

Quality of Life Plan TimelineQuality of Life Plan TimelineFebruary 05: February 05: Introductory meeting.Introductory meeting.March 05: March 05: Identified operations and developed policyIdentified operations and developed policy

statement.statement.April 05: April 05: Site Visit by IDEM.Site Visit by IDEM.July 05: July 05: Reviewed aspects/impacts and ranked andReviewed aspects/impacts and ranked and

defined roles/responsibilities.defined roles/responsibilities.September 05: September 05: Met with employees and narrowed down Met with employees and narrowed down

projects.projects.January 06: January 06: First draft of QLP.First draft of QLP.May 06: May 06: Reviewed Final Draft of QLP and Application.Reviewed Final Draft of QLP and Application.June 06: June 06: Achieved Designation.Achieved Designation.

Policy StatementPolicy StatementThe Town of Ogden Dunes and its citizens, The Town of Ogden Dunes and its citizens, who strive for a high quality of life and who strive for a high quality of life and appreciate the area’s unique ecosystem, are appreciate the area’s unique ecosystem, are committed to both voluntary and required committed to both voluntary and required compliance measures related to impacts on compliance measures related to impacts on the environment. By doing so, the Town of the environment. By doing so, the Town of Ogden Dunes will continuously protect, Ogden Dunes will continuously protect, prevent and reduce impacts on the world’s prevent and reduce impacts on the world’s natural resources of air, land and water, and natural resources of air, land and water, and will further improve the health of its residents. will further improve the health of its residents.

In order to fulfill this policy commitment, In order to fulfill this policy commitment, the Town of Ogden Dunes will:the Town of Ogden Dunes will:

Establish annual environmental objectives, benchmarks and Establish annual environmental objectives, benchmarks and targets for continual improvement of pollution prevention and targets for continual improvement of pollution prevention and energy savings measures.energy savings measures.Seek fiscally responsible ways to reduce waste, and conserve Seek fiscally responsible ways to reduce waste, and conserve and re-use natural resources and products made from natural and re-use natural resources and products made from natural resources.resources.Maintain a group of Stakeholders who are committed to Maintain a group of Stakeholders who are committed to developing and implementing a Quality of Life Plan.developing and implementing a Quality of Life Plan.Foster environmental leadership, awareness, education and Foster environmental leadership, awareness, education and cooperation among its employees, residents, business entities, cooperation among its employees, residents, business entities, as well as neighboring communities and industries, by sharing its as well as neighboring communities and industries, by sharing its environmental decisions and performance information.environmental decisions and performance information.

IDEM Site Visit – April 2005IDEM Site Visit – April 2005 CMTI conducted thorough auditCMTI conducted thorough audit Could not have been accomplished on Could not have been accomplished on

our ownour own CMTI Rep: good rapport with staffCMTI Rep: good rapport with staff Assurances to Town Council/Staff that Assurances to Town Council/Staff that

this was not an “inspection”this was not an “inspection”

Selection of Projects – Sept. 05Selection of Projects – Sept. 05 RecyclingRecycling Restoration of Pollywog PondRestoration of Pollywog Pond Compliant Compost SiteCompliant Compost Site Compliant Used Oil RecyclingCompliant Used Oil Recycling Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Environmentally Preferred Purchasing

Policy (EPPP)Policy (EPPP)

Recycling ProjectRecycling Project Aspect: Solid and other wastes.Aspect: Solid and other wastes. Impact: Increased landfill usage/costs.Impact: Increased landfill usage/costs. Objective: Increase rate of recycling, Objective: Increase rate of recycling,

decrease amount of solid waste decrease amount of solid waste generated, while offering recycling generated, while offering recycling opportunities to the community.opportunities to the community.

Recycling Measurements:Recycling Measurements: No previous municipal recycling efforts No previous municipal recycling efforts

with paper, cans, batteries, etc.with paper, cans, batteries, etc. Fill one 95-gallon container with recycling Fill one 95-gallon container with recycling

and one with trash. and one with trash. No battery recycling benchmark No battery recycling benchmark

established. established.

Recycling Results Recycling Results to Dateto Date

On average, 29% of On average, 29% of municipal and municipal and resident solid waste resident solid waste is now being is now being recycled.recycled.

Drive-up recycling Drive-up recycling offered.offered.

725 lbs. of batteries 725 lbs. of batteries recycled since recycled since February 2006.February 2006.

Girl Scout Troop is Girl Scout Troop is assisting with these assisting with these efforts.efforts.

Restoration of Pollywog PondRestoration of Pollywog Pond Aspect: Natural HabitatsAspect: Natural Habitats Impact: Degraded water quality, reduced Impact: Degraded water quality, reduced

biodiversity, lower quality of life for biodiversity, lower quality of life for wildlife.wildlife.

Objective: Restore Pollywog Pond Objective: Restore Pollywog Pond before December 31, 2009.before December 31, 2009.

Restoration Measurements:Restoration Measurements: Herbicide Phragmites before November Herbicide Phragmites before November

2005.2005. Conduct prescribed burn before Conduct prescribed burn before

November 30, 2006.November 30, 2006. Reduce invasive species by 20% before Reduce invasive species by 20% before

December 31, 2006.December 31, 2006.

Restoration Results:Restoration Results: Phragmites herbicided in Aug,-Sept. Phragmites herbicided in Aug,-Sept.

2005 and again in Aug-Sept. 2006 with 2005 and again in Aug-Sept. 2006 with NPS help.NPS help.

Prescribed burn conducted in July 2006.Prescribed burn conducted in July 2006. Invasives reduced by more than 20 Invasives reduced by more than 20

percent.percent.

Compost SiteCompost Site Aspect: Solid waste generation, energy usage Aspect: Solid waste generation, energy usage

and groundwater.and groundwater. Impact: Filling landfills, fly dumping, leaching Impact: Filling landfills, fly dumping, leaching

into groundwater, energy consumption (hauling into groundwater, energy consumption (hauling leaves out of town)leaves out of town)

Objective: Develop and manage a leaf Objective: Develop and manage a leaf composting site in a productive and compliant composting site in a productive and compliant manner.manner.

Compost Measurement:Compost Measurement: To compost at least 2,000 cubic yards of To compost at least 2,000 cubic yards of

material before December 31, 2006.material before December 31, 2006.

Compost Results:Compost Results: Fall 2005 Fall 2005

approximately 78 approximately 78 tonstons

2006: increased to 2006: increased to 264 tons with new 264 tons with new waste contractwaste contract

Still Underway:Still Underway: Used Oil RecyclingUsed Oil Recycling

SOP developedSOP developed

Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Environmentally Preferred Purchasing PolicyPolicy

Quality of Life Plan Quality of Life Plan

http://http://www.in.gov/idem/programs/opptawww.in.gov/idem/programs/oppta/ clean/catalog// clean/catalog/CLEAN_OgdenDunesCLEAN_OgdenDunes_ _

qlp.pdfqlp.pdf

Implementation SuccessesImplementation Successes Recycling efforts worked well and are easy to Recycling efforts worked well and are easy to

track.track. Look for projects the community can participate Look for projects the community can participate

in as well.in as well. Raised level of awareness about the Raised level of awareness about the

environment.environment. More responsiveness from IDEM and DNR on More responsiveness from IDEM and DNR on

issues/permits.issues/permits. Buy in from Street Department.Buy in from Street Department.

Implementation DifficultiesImplementation Difficulties Town officials can change – requires Town officials can change – requires

constant education.constant education. Stakeholders hard to convene.Stakeholders hard to convene. Confusion between aspects/impacts.Confusion between aspects/impacts. Hard to keep momentum after recognition.Hard to keep momentum after recognition. Fear of high cost.Fear of high cost. Resistance to change.Resistance to change.

Other Tips for SuccessOther Tips for Success Adjust Plans as necessaryAdjust Plans as necessary Annually Review SOPsAnnually Review SOPs Review Chain of Command after Review Chain of Command after

incidentsincidents

Instill a Culture of Accountability Instill a Culture of Accountability

and Responsiveness.and Responsiveness. Use a Memo of AgreementUse a Memo of Agreement Educate:Educate:

VolunteersVolunteers Govt. OfficialsGovt. Officials EmployeesEmployees

Address Issues:Address Issues: Policy ImplementationPolicy Implementation Understanding Compliance RequirementsUnderstanding Compliance Requirements

Contact information:Contact information:

Susan MiHaloSusan MiHalo

ODEABODEAB

115 Hillcrest Rd.115 Hillcrest Rd.

Ogden Dunes, IN 46368Ogden Dunes, IN 46368

219-763-4871219-763-4871

smihal763@verizon.netsmihal763@verizon.net