Radnor Township Environmental Advisory Council Meeting – February 18, 2026

The Radnor Township Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) met on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Radnorshire Room. Seven members were present, a quorum was confirmed, and the meeting was video recorded. The agenda covered approval of minutes, election of a vice chairperson, introduction of high school student associate members, public comment, and a wide range of ongoing environmental initiatives including municipal energy conservation, public education, road salt contamination, gas leaf blower regulations, the native plant giveaway, and recycling issues in local schools. One member of the public, Diana Pope, representing the League of Women Voters, attended and had no comments.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from the January 21, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously by a show of hands (all five members present voted in favor).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Diana Pope, representing the League of Women Voters, attended but offered no comments.

EAC Leadership and Membership

• Bess was unanimously elected as Vice Chairperson. The nomination was proposed by Sven and seconded by Savannah and Jana. The motion was approved by unanimous show of hands.
• Bess introduced a cohort of Radnor High School student associate members: Tate, Livy, Nora, Mia, Alexa, Nora, Alexander, and Emmy. They will receive emails, agendas, and minutes, and are invited to participate in projects.
• Discussion centered on the Sunshine Law, with a reminder that all deliberations must occur in public forum and be recorded accurately in minutes.

Discussion Items

• School Recycling Practices: Anjana raised concerns about recycling at Radnor schools, including styrofoam containers in the high school cafeteria (not recyclable in Radnor), recycling bins used as trash cans at the elementary school, and lack of student engagement with recycling. Student associate members confirmed that recycling bins often cannot accommodate larger items and that students frequently use recycling bins as trash. The EAC agreed to explore district-wide communication about recycling education.
• Municipal Energy Conservation and Electrification: The township, through the prior Green Team initiative and Practical Energy Solutions, has implemented LED lighting, motion sensors, solar photovoltaic cells on municipal buildings and the Public Works building, and electric vehicles (Ford F-150 Lightnings and two Chevy Blazer cruisers) with charging stations. Jana is still awaiting an update from Steve Norsini on whether new street LED lights have motion sensors. The township is also working with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) on energy efficiency monitoring for large buildings.
• EAC Lecture Series and Public Education:
  • $200 honorariums were donated to the Radnor Commemorative Shade Tree Fund (Steve Schreiner's talk) and Stroudwater Research (John Jackson's talk).
  • Upcoming event: Mike Weilbacher, "The Buzz About Bees – Pollinators in Peril," April 28 at 6 PM, Windsor Room, Radnor Memorial Library, co-sponsored by Radnor Conservancy.
  • Anjana is leading a Winter Sowing Workshop on March 7 at 11 AM at Radnor Memorial Library (open to 25 participants; supplies estimated around $50, reimbursed by Melissa Kahn).
  • MainLine SHIFT will present "Intro to Low-Waste Living" on March 3, 7–8 PM at Radnor Memorial Library. A $200 honorarium is planned.
  • Eva Monheim will lead a youth seedlings/sprouts workshop on April 18 (K–12) and an adult talk likely on "Assisted Plant Migration Helps to Expand Our Native Plant Palette for Climate Change" (date TBD). Honorarium requests: $550 for Eva's talk, $650 for the youth workshop; EAC and Radnor Conservancy are seeking additional sponsors.
  • Sarah Weaner Cooper and Larry Weaner (NDAL) will speak on "Transitioning Lawns to Meadows" at the Kreutzfeld Center (tentatively May).
• Radnor News Community Newsletter (Spring Issue): Sven and Bess prepared articles including the native plant giveaway ad (May 2), a tree mulching guide, and the mosquito bucket challenge (promoted by Doug Tallamy's Homegrown National Park). The graphic was used with permission. Bess floated the idea of a community challenge with prizes (e.g., shade tree fund contribution or perennial plugs), and noted the need to consider apartment residents who can't plant trees.
• Native Plant Giveaway (May 2, 2026): Sven described the annual giveaway of ~2,000 perennial plugs to residents, with registration via a web page (QR code linking to Radnor Parks & Recreation programs page). He reserved 1,500 Rudbeckia plugs from New Moon Nursery. Volunteers are needed to: order and pick up plants (need pickup trucks), bag plants with mosquito dunk tablets, create educational leaflets, and staff the giveaway. Extra plants may go to the middle school or a proposed student-led perennial garden at the high school (requires administration approval and site preparation). Bess offered photos from Wayne Elementary's similar project. Purchases are to be reimbursed via receipts to Melissa Kahn.
• Road Salt in Streams and Tap Water: Dan noted that October 2025 sampling at 22 stream locations in Radnor found high chloride levels, particularly near the high school, due to proximity to I-476 and Route 30. He cited an Aqua PA January 2026 notice warning customers that drinking water may taste slightly salty due to road salt runoff. The EAC discussed the challenge of balancing safety and salt overuse.
• Gas Leaf Blower (GLB) Ban: The EAC has proposed a phased-in ban to the Board of Commissioners, modeled on Lower Merion's November 2025 approval. A final vote is expected in June 2026. Bess will present at the commissioners' meeting the following Monday at approximately 6:30 PM.
• Eagle Road Tree Removal: Sven reported that ~60 mature trees were removed as part of an approved stormwater retention project (not a parking lot). Replanting is required and will be verified at project completion. The township's Shade Tree Commission plays a role in protecting tree canopy.
• Recycling and Waste Management: Dan noted Delaware County received a federal grant to develop a composting facility and that there is a hazardous/electronic waste recycling facility in the county.
• Earth Day Festival at Wayne Elementary: Bess mentioned an April 22 Earth Day Festival at Wayne Elementary, inviting EAC members and student associates to staff a table.
• Public Comment on Recycling: No formal public comment provided.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved unanimously.
• Bess elected Vice Chairperson unanimously.
• Student associate members officially welcomed.
• Upcoming events confirmed: MainLine SHIFT talk (March 3), Winter Sowing Workshop (March 7), Earth Day Festival (April 22), Mike Weilbacher talk (April 28), Eva Monheim youth workshop (April 18), native plant giveaway (May 2), and NDAL lawn-to-meadow talk (tentatively May).
• Action items: Jana to follow up with Steve Norsini on street LED motion sensors; Bess to coordinate with Margie Reinhardt on Radnor High School Ecology Club; Bess to pursue co-sponsors for honoraria; Sven to order 2,000 plant plugs; students to explore school garden sites and volunteer for giveaway logistics; Dan to arrange additional honorarium funds for NDAL talk.
• No formal votes taken on policy matters; the gas leaf blower ban remains pending before the Board of Commissioners (final vote anticipated June 2026).