An Environmental Advisory Council is hereby created, consisting of seven
members appointed by the Board of Supervisors, one of whom may be a member
of the Township Planning Commission, one of whom may be a member of the Park
and Recreation Board and all of whom shall be residents of Falls Township.
The term of office of each Council Member shall be three years or until
appointment of his successor, except that the initial members shall be appointed
for the following terms:
A. Three members for terms expiring the first Monday of
January 1985.
B. Two members for terms expiring the first Monday of January
1986.
C. Two members for terms expiring the first Monday of January
1987.
Members of the Council shall receive no compensation for their services,
but shall be reimbursed for expenses actually and necessarily incurred by
them in the performance of their duties, when authorized in advance by the
Board of Supervisors.
The Environmental Advisory Council shall have the following powers:
A. To identify environmental problems and recommend plans
and programs to the appropriate governmental agencies, including but not limited
to the Township Planning Commission, the Park and Recreational Board and the
Board of Supervisors, for the promotion and conservation of natural resources
and for the protection and improvement of the quality of the environment within
the territorial limits of the township.
B. To make recommendations as to the possible use of open
land areas of the township.
C. To promote a community environmental program.
D. To compile and keep an index of all open areas, publicly
or privately owned, including but not limited to marshland, swamps, other
wetlands and other unique natural areas, for the purpose of obtaining information
on the proper use of such areas.
E. To advise the appropriate local governmental agencies,
including but not limited to the Township Planning Commission, the Park and
Recreation Board and Board of Supervisors, in the acquisition of property,
both real and personal, by gift, purchase, grant, bequest, easement, devise
or lease in matters dealing with the purposes of this chapter.
The Environmental Advisory Council shall not exercise its powers or
perform any duties which by law are conferred or imposed upon a state agency.
The Environmental Advisory Council shall keep records of its meetings
and activities and shall make an annual report on or before the first day
of December of each year and submit said report to the Board of Supervisors.
The latter shall make this report available to the public.
The Board of Supervisors may appropriate funds for the expenses incurred
by the Environmental Advisory Council for such administrative, clerical, printing
and legal services as may be required in the exercise of the aforesaid powers.