Category: Climate Action Plan

MWRD Board Receives Report On Green Infrastructure Partnership Program

5/17/2024

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board of Directors Meeting
May 2, 2024-10:30 a.m.

Board Action:

Agenda #40 (24-0338) The MWRD staff presented a report on the DIA (Disproportionately Impacted Areas) communities that will receive infrastructure assistance.

Commissioner Davis asked about the current criteria for selection. The original criteria list was developed in 2019. Has this criteria been updated? And did commercialization penalize some of the communities?
Staff spokesperson, Dr. O’Connor, assured the commissioners that they are eager to work with them to update the criteria. There are many projects underway on the south side that will slow down the flow to the Thornton reservoir. If communities are not selected (e.g. Cicero), they can still benefit by the Green Schoolyard initiative.
Commissioner Corral-Sepulveda asked E.D. Perkovich about the goals of the program. She urged development of clear measurable goals and noted that developing these requires great expertise. Commissioner Garcia asked for an update that includes what Chicago is doing in this area. He stressed the importance of knowing how other governmental entities are solving these issues.
Final consensus was that the commissioners were pleased with the staff work and were interested in being actively involved in updating the criteria for the infrastructure program.

Agenda #3 (024-005) The Ordinance to give authority to amend the Watershed Management Ordinance-Wetlands Jurisdictional Determination was passed. Ayes: 8 Nays: 0 Ab. 1

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

Friends of the Chicago River spoke in support of agenda #40, the Green Infrastructure Program.
Resource Environmental Solutions spoke for a 3-year extension to the program that identifies stormwater projects.

DELETED ITEMS: Executive Director Perkovich deleted #1, 2 and 27.

#1- Ordinance 024-003- providing the transfer of an amount from the 459 Capital Improvements Bond Revenue Sub-Fund to pay for certain non-Tunnel and Reservoir Plan related expenditures….
#2-024-004-Ordinance providing for the transfer of an amount from the 459 Capital Improvements Bond Revenue Sub-Fund to pay for certain Tunnel and Reservoir Plan related expenditures…
#27-24-0327-Authority to award Contract Landscape Maintenance at Various Service Areas to Lizzette Medina & Company.

Consent agenda (#1-41, except for #1,2,3, 27) was passed unanimously.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: Commissioners met to discuss personnel matters.

Meeting adjourned: 11:55 a.m. on an unanimous vote.

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt

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MWRD Board Adopts Climate Action Plan

5/17/2023

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
May 4, 2023

Board Action:

After four years of interdepartmental task force research and collaboration, interaction between MWRD commissioners and staff, a public comment period, and multiple drafts, the Board adopted its climate action plan [CAP] to be updated on an annual basis. #23-0392. Item #34. Commissioner Garcia requested that the Monitoring and Research Committee develop a virtual presentation for employees and the public and also a tracking plan. The full plan can be found on the MWRD website’s home page at www.mwrd.org. Click on Strategic plan and the link to the Climate Action Plan will pop up as well.
Item #19, 23-0400 A purchase order in the amount of $1.5+ million was deleted by the Executive Director without comment. It was to retain a legal firm to represent the District in acquiring certain property rights for the construction of the Central Park Stormwater Detention Basis and sewer improvements in Harvey for an additional amount of $400,000.
All other Items were approved including #22, 23-0327 to award a contraction for $22,976 million to replace the boilers at the Stickney Plant. This item had twice been deferred in April partially due to its cost. Two public speakers, Cliff Haefke, Director of Energy Resources Center at UIC and Mike Archey decarbonization strategist and long-time advocate for the District rethinking how it uses its Biogas effluent, spoke against purchasing the boilers and rethinking how it will capture and use its biogas.

Items of Additional Interest

Item #27, 23-0396 approved increasing a previous purchase order to increase consulting support services from $2.1 to $2.5 million at the Calumet Plant to help the District determine where phosphorous is coming from and to help reduce it coming into the plant.
Item #18 -23-0399 approved entering into an agreement with Questica LTD to purchase a Public Sector Budget System for an amount not to exceed $1.52+ million dollars. Commissioner Garcia stated that the District’s procurement system needs to be included. He said that the District can function with the current system until 2040. ED Perkovich responded that he would provide a timeline and goals.
Commissioner Sypropoulos sponsored a resolution recognizing Chicago River Day, and Chelsey Grassfield, Policy Manager of Friends of the Chicago River, accepted the award and thanked the board.

Observer: Diane Edmundson No Executive Session No new Business

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MWRD Board Receives Report On Green Infrastructure Partnership Program

MWRD Board Adopts Climate Action Plan

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