421 N. COUNTY FARM ROAD  
WHEATON, IL 60187  
DU PAGE COUNTY  
Environmental Committee  
Summary  
www.dupagecounty.gov  
Tuesday, November 5, 2024  
8:30 AM  
Room 3500A  
1.  
CALL TO ORDER  
8:30 A.M. meeting was called to order by Chair Sheila Rutledge at 8:30 A.M.  
2.  
ROLL CALL  
Evans, Garcia, LaPlante, and Rutledge  
Covert, and Cronin Cahill  
PRESENT  
ABSENT  
3.  
CHAIRWOMAN'S REMARKS - CHAIR RUTLEDGE  
3.A. DuPage Pollinator Mapping  
Chair Rutledge thanked Member Evans for her leadership and collaboration with the GIS  
division and environmental organizations to map out pollinator deficits within the county.  
Member Evans explained that this is an effort to see where pollinators are, what can be changed  
to the habitat, and give people the opportunity to see how they can contribute to a healthy  
pollinator habitat on their own properties.  
4.  
5.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
No public comments were offered.  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
5.A.  
24-2938  
Environmental Committee Minutes - Regular Meeting - Tuesday, October 1, 2024  
APPROVED  
Lynn LaPlante  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
6.  
PARENT COMMITTEE APPROVAL  
6.A.  
FI-R-0203-24  
Acceptance and appropriation of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Recycling, Education,  
& Outreach Grant PY24, Company 5000 - Accounting Unit 1006, $83,338. (Facilities  
Management)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Lucy Evans  
SECONDER:  
7.  
STAFF REPORTS  
7.A.  
24-2939  
America Recycles Day  
Joy Hinz, Environmental and Sustainability Programs Manager, shared that America  
Recycles Day is November 15. It is an initiative of Keep America Beautiful and a  
nationally recognized day dedicated to and celebrating recycling. The U.S. EPA is  
observing the day and will be promoting recycling in support of the National Recycling  
Goal to increase the recycling rate 50% by 2030. Staff will be sharing resources on the  
Cool DuPage social media platforms.  
Hinz informed members that the U.S. EPA has awarded CMAP (Chicago Metropolitan  
Agency for Planning) a grant to do a comprehensive climate action plan with 13 counties  
along with Wisconsin and Indiana. The data CMAP gathered and calculated from 2020  
includes emissions by a variety of sectors. The climate action plan will be finalized by  
December 1, 2025 and submitted to the U.S. EPA. This plan will come to Environmental  
Committee for discussion and possible approval at that time. Joy Hinz and Ian Johnstone  
(Facilities Management Capital Project Energy Analyst) answered questions from  
Member Evans and Member LaPlante, clarifying and elaborating on the breakdown of the  
action plan at the county level and timeline.  
8.  
INFORMATIONAL  
8.A.  
SM-P-0029-24  
Recommendation for the approval of a contract issued to School and Community  
Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education (SCARCE), for Professional  
Education Services, for Stormwater Management, for the period of December 1, 2024  
through November 30, 2025, for a contract total not to exceed $235,000 ($85,000  
Stormwater and $150,000 Environmental). Per RFP #23-114-SWM, first of three  
optional renewals.  
ACCEPTED AND PLACED ON FILE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Lucy Evans  
SECONDER:  
9.  
PRESENTATIONS  
9.A. SCARCE  
Kay McKeen, Executive Director of SCARCE, presented an overview of Earth Flag awards,  
composting partnership with The Morton Arboretum, past and present recycling events hosted in  
various townships, the increased awareness of Green Your Gig dishes, the impact of the Reuse  
Center, the success of the Repair Fairs, and provided details for the pumpkin smash, cooking oil  
recycling pop-ups, and holiday light recycling.  
McKeen shared her collaboration with the Garden Clubs in an effort to discourage the uplighting  
of trees to protect wildlife.  
Chair Rutledge and McKeen discussed the fee for recycling electronics at some township  
locations.  
10.  
OLD BUSINESS  
Member LaPlante inquired about increasing the budget for Environmental in order to do more in  
comparison to the size of the county in addition to conversations about climate change. Nick  
Kottmeyer, Chief Administrative Officer & Director of Public Works, and Tim Harbaugh,  
Deputy Director of Facilities Management, discussed the adjustments that have been made thus  
far to substantially impact Environmental and the resources that have become available.  
Chair Rutledge shared she would like to see the conversation about home rule move forward in  
order to have the jurisdiction to do more environmentally.  
Member Evans and Nick Kottmeyer, discussed the quantification of the county's efforts in  
environmental sustainability.  
Vice Chair Garcia shared a reminder for sign recycling taking place on campus November 15th  
and 16th.  
11.  
12.  
NEW BUSINESS  
No new business was discussed.  
ADJOURNMENT  
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:57 A.M.