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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCFE agenda 061316AGENDA Commission for the Environment June 13, 2016 7:30 p.m. Richard Whitted Meeting Facility (Room 250) 300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough Time Item Title 7:30 I. Call to Order 7:32 II. Additions or Changes to Agenda 7:35 III. Approval of Minutes — May 9, 2016 The CFE will consider approval of minutes from the last meeting. (Attachment 1) 7:45 IV. CFE Facebook Page Gronback and O'Connor will provide an overview and demonstration of how Facebook and other social media sites would work in practice to communicate with the public and other stakeholders about CFE activities, and how these sites can be used to share information about environmental issues of interest to residents of Orange County. The CFE will also discuss the need for some internal protocol (or code of conduct) for using these media. (Attachments 2 -3) 8:15 V. Potential Solar Array at the Closed County Landfill The CFE will consider Carrboro's Environmental Advisory Board's (EAB) interest in collaborating with Orange County and the Town of Chapel Hill on investigating the possibility of installing a solar array at the closed landfill. One or more EAB members will present background information for CFE initial consideration and discussion. (Attachments 4 -5) 8:30 VI. Committee Meetings (optional and as time allows) The standing committees will review their list of priorities and next steps. (Attachment 6) 9:00 VII. Updates and Information Items Staff and /or CFE members will provide updates on the following items: ➢ Tri -county conservation plan proposal (Attachment 7) ➢ Hollow Rock Nature Park opening (Attachments 8 -9) ➢ NC may be regulating renewable energy away (Attachment 10) ➢ State senate eyes mussels for cleaning Jordan, Falls lakes (Attachment 11) ➢ Coal ash pond closures update (Attachment 12) ➢ Solar farm field trip - June 16 (Attachment 13) ➢ Waitress tacking her city's food waste problem (Attachment 14) ➢ Any other new information from CFE members and staff 9:15 VIII. Adjournment Nextmeeting., August 8 (Chapel Hill) CFE Meeting Ground Rules (Adopted 9112111) 1. Keep to agenda topic under discussion 2. Share relevant information 3. One person speaks at a time after recognition by the Chair 4. Everyone is invited to participate in discussions / no one person should dominate discussions ,. Strive to reach consensus first before voting Activities the CFE expects to carry out in 2016: • Continue to update the Orange County State of the Environment 2014 report • Continue to explore ways to improve the County's ability to foster local sustainable energy production and energy efficiency strategies, including developing incentives for increasing energy efficiency in new construction • Recommend ways to reduce the County's "carbon footprint" and implement the County's Environmental Responsibility Goal (BOCC Priority #10) • Continue to help with public outreach and management efforts related to hydrilla in the Eno River • Help initiate the development of a comprehensive conservation plan for Orange Co • Co- sponsor the annual DEAPR photography contest (The Nature of Orange) • Help plan for and participate in County's annual Earth Evening event Concerns or emerging issues the CFE has identified for 2016: • The CFE will continue to advocate for an expansion of the County's commercial food waste pickup and composting services to reduce food waste in the solid waste stream • The CFE remains interested in developing incentives for increasing energy efficiency in new construction • The CFE will continue to learn more about environmental justice matters and incorporate relevant information and considerations in the State of the Environment report and its other activities • The CFE will continue to follow the Solid Waste Advisory Group's discussions of how to improve the handling and disposal of Orange County's solid waste, and will advocate for better long -term solutions • The CFE will continue to advocate for increased efforts to gather information related to water resources in Orange County and to increase public awareness and understanding of water supply sources, related concerns, and what steps can be undertaken to maintain or improve the quantity and quality of Orange County water supply resources • The CFE will continue to address, as appropriate, the critical environmental issues for Orange County as enumerated on page 3 of the 2014 State of the Environment report, which include potential adverse effects from a) invasive, non - native, plant and animal species; b) reductions in State -led collection of water resources data; c) potential drilling for natural gas in the Deep River basin; d) urban sprawl; and CFE support for e) the responsible deployment of clean and appropriately -sited renewable energy and reductions in energy use to help fight climate change Attachment 1 Orange County Commission for the Environment DRAFT Meeting Summary May 9, 2016 Orange County Solid Waste Administration Building, Chapel Hill PRESENT: Lydia Wegman (Chair), Peter Cada, Jeanette O'Connor, Bill Kaiser, Bill Newby, Rebecca Ray, Sheila Thomas -Ambat ABSENT: May Becker, Thomas Eisenhart, Lynne Gronback, Loren Hintz, David Welch STAFF: Rich Shaw, Tom Davis Call to Order — Wegman called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm. Additions or Changes to Agenda — There were none. III. Minutes — Wegman asked for comments on the April 11 meeting summary. Cada motioned approval; seconded by Kaiser. Motion approved unanimously. IV. Regional Conservation Planning — Shaw presented information about a collaborative effort by Shaw and his colleagues from several land conservation entities to develop a comprehensive conservation plan for Orange, Durham, and Chatham counties. Shaw explained that the idea for developing such a plan for Orange County was recommended by CFE members several years ago, and was also included as a recommendation in the Orange County Comprehensive Plan (2008), and recent State of the Environment report. He noted that David Welch and other members of the CFE Land Resources Committee had proposed establishing a steering committee such as this group Shaw has been meeting with since September 2015. Shaw said after five meetings thus far, the group's consensus is to explore effective ways to identify and preserve important landscape corridors that connect significant natural areas and open space in the three - county region. Shaw said the group is currently identifying potential funding sources, including the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (NC WRC) that offers grant funds for projects that help protect important wildlife habitat and travel corridors. The group plans to submit a grant application to the NC WRC's Partners for Green Growth. Other potential funding sources include Triangle Community Foundation, NC Dept. of Transportation, and the Climate Adaptation Fund. Shaw hopes to provide matching funds from Orange County. Shaw said he plans to involve the CFE Land Resources Committee in the project, but other CFE members are also welcome. Cada offered his potential GIS assistance. Wegman recommended briefing the BOCC and possibly asking for additional funding. Wegman and CFE members thanked Shaw for this information V. CFE Outreach Opportunities — Shaw presented a revised list of CFE outreach opportunities, including quarterly news articles, outdoor street festivals (Last Friday, Festifall), social media (CFE webpage, Facebook, Twitter), and potential radio spots. Attachment 1 Kaiser and Davis reported on their experience at the Earth Evening event in Hillsborough (April 29). Kaiser said there was a fairly steady stream of visitors, and most children were between six and twelve years old. He suggested having more handouts and children's activities in the future. Shaw reported that Hintz had similar recommendations that he shared with CFE members via email, including having giveaways (e.g., rocks, minerals, shells), large map for people to identify /mark the county parks they have visited, unlabeled map for people to identify key locations, and checklists of common wildflowers and birds in the county. Davis asked for CFE volunteers to set up a table at one or more of the Last Friday evenings in downtown Hillsborough. Shaw suggested June and September, and either he or Davis will email CFE members to reauest volunteers for those Fridav eveninas. CFE members reiterated their interest in reinvigorating the CFE's Facebook page and perhaps using other social media. O'Connor offered to present some basic information about these media sources at the June meeting, and it was suggested that Gronback join her in making a presentation and leading the discussion. Gronback had earlier recommended that they develop a code of conduct for the use of its Facebook page. jWegman offered to contact Gronback to ask that she prepare this for June meeting.] Kaiser offered to research climate change and to educate himself on this topic so that he might prepare a draft news article on the topic. He mentioned learning that the geologic record provides evidence of five periods of extinction in the Earth's history, and that the current literature indicates we may be entering a sixth period of species extinction. Newby mentioned the federal government is assisting a community in Louisiana to relocate due to rising sea level. He said this is considered the first such incidence of "climate refugees" in the United States. O'Connor mentioned that Carrboro's Environmental Advisory Board has developed a climate plan, and she suggests the CFE learn about this effort from one or more of the board members, which includes herself, Rob Pinder, and Kathy Kaufman. Shaw said he would obtain a copy of the plan from O'Connor and distribute to the CFE. VI. Committee Meetings — Wegman suggested not breaking out into committees because of the many absences, and CFE members agreed. VII. Updates and Information Items — Information on the following subjects was provided in the meeting package; selected items were discussed: a) Eno River hydrilla update, b) aquatic weed control bill, c) Hollow Rock Nature Park, d) Clean Power Plan update, e) renewable energy investments in NC, f) Duke Energy ranks in top 3 for solar connections, g) Durham NET Power building a zero - emissions plant, h) climate change, i) Mason Farm wetlands, and j) SolarBees removed from Jordan Lake. Davis provided a brief update on the chemical treatment of hydrilla in the Eno River. He noted that in this second year of the two -year pilot study there are two locations for injecting the herbicide downstream of Hillsborough. Davis said he would provide further updates as the study proceeds into the summer months. VI 11. Adjournment — Wegman adjourned the meeting at 9:15 pm. The next CFE meeting is scheduled for June 13 in Hillsborough. Summary by Rich Shaw, DEAPR Staff 2 Memorandum From: Environmental Advisory Board, Town of Carrboro To: Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Orange County staff and advisory board members Subject: Recommendation to investigate a large photovoltaic installation at the Eubanks Road landfill site The Carrboro Environmental Advisory Board (EAB) has been investigating opportunities for solar energy installations in and around the town limits. This memorandum reports on our findings and recommendation to investigate a large photovoltaic installation at the Orange County landfill. In a meeting at our invitation, staff from Strata Solar in Chapel Hill identified their minimum requirements for large -scale installations on the order of 4.5megawatts (MW). According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, this size array can power about 500 homes. The requirements include: • 45 acres or more of open land • proximity to three -phase power lines and substations, and • affordable leasing arrangements A preliminary search on Google Maps turned up only one suitable site in the Chapel Hill - Carrboro area, namely the retired landfill on Eubanks Road. Tim Turner from the EAB spoke with Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Director, and Blair Pollock, Solid Waste Planner for Orange County. They identified two suitable sites: 1) a 45 -acre, unlined site north of Eubanks Road, closed in 1996, and 2) a 26 -acre, lined site south of Eubanks Road, closed in 2013. These sites are shown in Figure 1 below. We note that a 110 KV power line borders the south and east boundaries of the property, and that a facility called the "Eubanks Road Tap" is found at the east end of the property. It is likely that a fourth to a half of this acreage will be unsuitable for solar panels, due to the direction of the slope. Both areas have active landfill gas recovery on -site, which would need to be accommodated. Also, since both sites are still recovering landfill gas, they should both be considered to be possibly physically unstable (subject to settling). Both of these considerations could pose potential problems for a solar installation on the site. To assess the technical feasibility of solar installations at Eubanks Road, Tim Turner conducted a brief search for existing solar installations on landfills with landfill gas recovery. The purpose was to determine whether a solar installation was feasible at the Eubanks Road site. No attempt has been made to identify all available approaches. However, this search did find examples of existing installations that suggest that the same could be done here. Figure 1. Potential solar sites at Eubanks Road Landfill One technical approach that appears to be suitable for the Eubanks site consists of flexible solar panels bonded to a TPO (Thermal PolyOlefin) cover sheet. The largest example to date appears to be the Hickory Ridge Landfill near Atlanta, Georgia. There is an excellent summary of this project on Wikipedia under "Hickory Ridge Landfill ". The wiki project summary indicates that the $7M project was primarily privately funded, but did receive grant support to cover about 28% of the cost. Figure 2 shows the solar array in place on the landfill site. Figure 2 Solar pn nds at the Ilickory Ridge Landfill site near Aflanta, Georgia The technology used at Hickory Ridge, called Exposed Geomembrane Solar Cover (EGSC), is compatible with landfill gas recovering systems, and adapts automatically to shifts in the ground beneath. While it may not represent the only or even the best approach for the Eubanks Road site, it does demonstrate the technical feasibility of placing a solar farm at Eubanks Road, despite the concerns about landfill gas recovery and instability of the physical mound. The Environmental Advisory Board feels that a solar electric project on the Eubanks Road Landfill site is consistent with the goals of the Carrboro Vision 2020 Section 5.51: ( "The town's own alternative and renewable energy targets should include passive and active solar ") as well as Renewable Energy Recommendation #1 of the draft Community Climate Action Plan to pursue community solar projects: "This will likely require collaboration between [the Town] and one or more outside organizations ". We therefore recommend that the Town collaborate with Orange County and Chapel Hill to investigate the feasibility of a solar photovoltaic project on the Eubanks Road Landfill site. TOWN OF CARRBORO Environmental Advisory Board 301 West Main Street, Carrboro, North Carolina 27510 RE C O M M EN PA TI ON JUNE 29 2016 Recommendation for Investigation of Solar Electricity Generation Opportunities at the Orange County Landfill Motion was made by Hoban and seconded by O'Connor that the EAB recommends that the Town collaborate with Orange County and Chapel Hill to investigate opportunities for the generation of solar electricity at the Orange County landfill on Eubanks Road. VOTE: AYES: (Hoban, O'Connor, Patrick, Perera, Sinclair, Turner) ABSENT/EXCUSED: (Crook) NOES: () ABSTENTIONS: ( ) i � y/ E 2"t� -2,-- (Chair) (Date) Orange County Commission for the Environment Orange County Commission for the Environment --- - --------- Lynn Home Timeline Photos Likes About Videos Community Search for posts on this Page 59 people like this Invite friends to like this Page ABOUT This commission represents the public and advises the Board of Commissioners on matters affecting the environment with particular emphasis on protection. 1h0r) //www cxr crnriqe nc usdbwardshndivbd asp Status Photo Nidao Nite sorriething on this Page N 22 his Free Food Waste Drop Off Pilot Program at the Carrboro Farmers Market Starting June 18, 2016 the Carrboro Farmers' Market will partner with Orange County Solid Waste Management to offer a free food waste drop- off for local residents and Farmer's Market attendees, continuing every Saturday market day through September! Participants can bring all food scraps (veggie scraps and all meat, bones and dairy too) and food related paper such as paper napkins and paper plates. This is See more Like Comment Share Orwige Counly Com"flssion for fl)e Environniterit 19 May at 18: 18 Spring migration is happening in Orange County. Rose-breasted Grossbeak spends most of fall, winter and spring in Latin America and stays for a few weeks in Orange County in the spring and fall while travelling further north to breed. VISITOR POSTS Lorenz Hintz 22 April at '12.49 Come to Hillsborough Friday April 29,2016 for Earth Evening. 2 Likes hke - GornmoriP SLorrnug Hintz J 22 April at 12:44 Like Comment Share 1 share 14,11k Write a comment.. https://www.facebook.com/CommissionfortheEnviro=ent/ Orange County Commission for the Environment Now is your chance to show off your photos. Send them to Orange Coun cofltiruu romfirig Like Canirn,mt 9) Lorenz [fintz 10 July 2015 at 17_:56 1 haven't visited this site in a few months. Seems thanks to the heavy snow last winter the number of ticks is down. Lik,e (-offifn(mt PEOPLE ALSO LIKE Morgan Creek Valley Allia... Non-profit Organisation Chapel Hill Stormwater M... Like Government Organisation Orange County NC Solid... Like Government Organisation English (UK) Friqksh(US) Fspanul 1orWgu?,,s([Raefl Frany,ais(krarice) Privacy Terms Adverilsing AdChoices More Cool of 4 \A4H'va updWed Our policy. I mrn More Facebook Q 2016 orange County COTnrn ssion for tho Environiinent 19 May at 18:16 - Hollow Rock Opening Celebration Rescheduled - - Due to the combination of forecast heavy rain overnight Friday, potential thunderstorms early Saturday, and already-wet and poor trail conditions, the planned Hollow Rock Nature Park grand opening for Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. is being rescheduled.... See nmre Like Comment Share Orainge County Commission for the Environment 16 May at 14:59 Hollow Rock Nature Park in Durham will have its grand opening the Saturday, May 21 st, at 9:30am. Come join us as we celebrate this new park! The address is 692 Erwin Rd. Durham, NC. You can park and take a shuttle to the site from Forest View Elementary School (3007 Mount Sinai Rd., Durham NC). For more information, please contact Lynn Hecht at 919-245- 2510 or at lthecht@orangecountync.gov. Like Comment Share Fop comments A, Writea cornment Orange County ConnqnNMW fair the Env ronmenr - Hollow Rock Opening Celebration Rescheduled - - Due to the combination of forecast heavy rain overnight Friday, potential thunderstorms early Saturday, and already-wet and poor trail conditions, the planned Hollow Rock Nature Park grand opening for See more Like R pfy 19 May at'18:20 r �,W aOlnge COUIrity Cornrnoss on for the Environs ent shared Jeff Herr0('s event. 25 April Come to Carrboro Town Hall tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7:30 to support the town's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint! Support Carrboro Climate Change Plan https://www.facebook.com/CommissionfortheEnviromnent/ Orange County Commission for the Environment rues 19:30 Carrboro interested A people interested 7 people going A A:rp Like Comment Share j, Oran ,g: County Ca:unninnii sioni for the Environment shared a link. 25 Aprit Nature of Orange Photography Contest Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks amp Recreation along with the Commission for the Environment announces the 2015 Nature of Orange Photography Contest. The purpose of the contest is to get people outside... ORANE " "ECOUN) V IC.f_OV Like Comment Share The, Chiaptq Hit News Like Page 3May. Planting flowers in your yard? The Orange County Commission for the Environment wants you to take another look at native species and be wary of invasive outsiders. Choose native species of plants for garden While some of us value plants in our landscapes primarily for the beauty they provide, we may not realize that plants are in fact critically important components of food webs and essential to the life cycles of birds and insects. 4 Ynn Btecht sharec9 i)ia¢rrie €- ;oiunuy+ IJivii1criment, Agricultme, °'fy�.p Parks W „k 9du r Re�:rPirrR't's fr4icrto. 23 April 2015 htt] itaur t Bra, a,i. C:;hwyl (Tthnne^ry F.Iliscmi and IJ r , t `Panul Orange County Social Media Policy Effective September 30, 2011 Purpose Orange County has recognized the need to augment traditional communication methods with the use of social media channels. Public demand and the rapid growth of social media (aka: Web 2.0) use by other local, state and federal government entities has highlighted the usefulness of social media as an effective mode of enhancing constituent communications. The use of social media presents opportunity and risk to individual County agencies and departments, as well as the County as a whole. In general, the County supports the use of social media technology to enhance communication, collaboration and information exchange to meet business mission and goals. This document establishes the countywide social media use policies, protocols and procedures intended to mitigate associated risks from use of this technology where possible. This policy will be revised and Department social media activity shall be adjusted accordingly, in the event the County changes its direction on social media use. Definitions A. Social Media Network(s) / Site(s) — An online service or site that focuses on building social networks or social relations among people, and permits users of the site to share information, interact and communicate with each other. B. Approved Social Media Site(s) — An online service or site sponsored by the County permitting information exchange, interaction and communication between the public and the County, its Agencies and /or Departments and listed on the Social Media Policy Site Guide. Applicability This policy applies to all Orange County employees and volunteers, interns, consultants, service providers and contractors performing business on behalf of County Agencies/ Departments. Departments using social media technology shall achieve policy compliance within 30 days of the approval of this policy by the County Manager. Implementation The County Manager, or his/her designee, is responsible for facilitating the County's Social Media Policy in compliance with established Board rules and protocols. This includes the responsibility to audit Department use of social media and enforce policy compliance. Within the terms of this policy, Department Heads have authority to determine and establish social media activity at the Department program level. Policy A. Department use of social media technology shall conform to the policies, protocols and procedures contained, or referenced, herein. B. A Department's decision to embrace social media shall be a risk -based business decision approved by the Department Head and supported by a strong business case that considers the Department's mission and goals, audience, legal risks, technical capabilities and potential benefits. C. A Department's decision to use social media technology shall be documented in writing and approved by the Department Head, County Attorney, Chief Information Officer and the County Manager. D. Access to social media networks from within the County's IT infrastructure is limited to individuals performing official County business and to agencies /departments with sufficient information and technology security controls. E. Department Heads are ultimately responsible for determining who is authorized to use social media on behalf of the department, and for designating appropriate access levels, while maintaining ultimate account ownership. F. Departments shall only utilize County approved social media networks for hosting official County social media sites. G. County Department social media sites shall be created and maintained in accordance with County social network usage standards and with identifiable characteristics of an official County site. H. Departments are responsible for establishing, maintaining and monitoring the activity on the social media sites, and shall follow the measures outlined herein to prevent inappropriate or technically harmful information and links. L The same standards, principles and guidelines that apply to Orange County employees in the performance of their assigned duties apply to social media technology use on behalf of the County. J. Department use of social media shall be documented and maintained in an easily accessible format that tracks account information and preserves items that may be considered a record subject to disclosure under the North Carolina's Public Records Act. K. Department social media sites shall be monitored regularly and prompt corrective action shall be taken when an issue arises that places, or has potential to place, the County at risk. Procedures A. Authorized Use of Social Media 1) Departments utilizing social media shall: (a) Have a strong understanding of the risks associated with using social media. (b) Prior to opening an account, consult with the Chief Information Officer and County Attorney to assess the risks utilizing a specific County approved social networking site in comparison with the business opportunities expected. (c) Establish and document a well thought out and documented social media strategy. (d) Implement the security controls mandated by the Chief Information Officer to protect County Information and Technology assets. (e) Only access social media networks authorized by the Chief Information Officer. (f) Comply with all applicable federal, state, and county laws, regulations and policies including, but may not be limited to, copyright, records retention, North Carolina Public Records Act, First Amendment, privacy laws, employment related laws and County policies. 2) Department Heads shall designate at least two employees (one primarily authorized user and secondary authorized user) to monitor the Department's social media sites with specified access levels. 3) Departments shall determine the appropriate access levels which include identifying what sites, or type of sites, the individual is approved to use, as well as defining capability: publish, edit, comment or view only. 4) Only the Department Head and designated employees shall have permission to create, publish or comment on behalf of a County Department. 5) Only the Department Head associated with a particular Social Media Site and the County Manager shall have the authority to increase or decrease the access levels to the social media sites. 6) The ability to change account credentials shall be the responsibility of the Department Head and not delegated within a Department. 7) Employees authorized to monitor content on social media sites shall comply with the guidelines provided in Section D — Site Content. 8) Authorized users shall be provided a copy of the County's social media policy and are required to acknowledge their understanding and acceptance of this Policy. B. Approved Social Media Networks 1) Departments shall utilize only approved social media networks for hosting official County social media sites. 2) County social media sites shall be used only to provide information about County Departments or County related events or programs. 3) Social media networks under consideration will be reviewed and approved by the Chief Information Officer in with consultation from County Attorney, HR and Risk Management when appropriate. 4) For each approved social media network, usage standards will be developed and documented by Information Technologies to optimize government use of the site in correlation with the County's overall business mission and County Social Media Use Policy. 5) Chief Information Officer is responsible for maintaining the list of approved social media networks and site related usage standards. 6) Social media networks on the approved list shall be reviewed at least bi- annually for changes to terms of use agreements and /or new /expired offerings or as needed. 7) A Department may request review and approval of additional social media networks as needed. C. Official County Social Media Sites 1) County Department social media sites shall be created and maintained in accordance with County social network usage standards and with identifiable characteristics of an official County site. 2) County social media network accounts shall be created and maintained using an official County email account, solely owned by the respective Department Head. 3) Sites shall contain visible elements that identify them as an official Orange County, North Carolina site. Among other items, this includes displaying official County seals, Department brands, contact information and a link to Department websites. 4) County social media sites shall display, or provide a link to, the County's Content Disclaimer and Social Media Disclaimer and any applicable policies. D. Site Content 1) Departments are responsible for establishing, monitoring and maintaining content posted to their social media sites and shall have measures in effect to prevent inappropriate or technically harmful information and links. 2) As is the case for Orange County web sites, agencies /departments are responsible for the content and upkeep of their social media sites. 3) County websites shall remain the primary and predominant source for Internet information. 4) Content available through an online source shall: (a) Be deemed of value, useful and appropriate for the general public; (b) Shall use proper grammar and standard AP style whenever possible, avoiding the use of jargon and acronyms that may not be widely understood by the public; (c) Be factual and properly vetted; (d) Be approved by the Department Head, when deemed potentially provocative. (e) County content available through an online source shall not contain, or hyperlink (link) to, information that: (i) Threatens, condescends, or degrades any group belonging to a particular race, culture, religion, sex, sexual orientation or political party; (ii) Is profane, vulgar, obscene, or sexually explicit; (iii) Promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, status with regards to public assistance, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation; (iv) Can be classified as confidential, private or proprietary, or can be classified as personal health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); (v) May infringe on a third party's copyright or intellectual property rights; (vi) Contains a solicitation of commerce; (vii) Contains paid advertisements or endorsements, with the exception of a County contracted business lessee; (viii) Contains plagiarized material; (ix) May be illegal or encourages illegal activity; (x) May compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems. (xi) Discloses confidential or proprietary information. E. Comments 1) Sharing or posting content owned by others shall be performed in accordance with copyright, fair use and established laws pertaining to materials owned by others. This includes, but is not limited to, quotes, images, documents, links, etc. 2) Electronic information posted to a social media site by the County, or a member of the public, may be considered a record subject to North Carolina's Public Record Act. 3) Social media sites are not intended to be used in a manner that guarantees the right to protected free speech. Each Department is responsible for monitoring postings, and taking appropriate action when necessary, to protect general site visitors from inappropriate or technically harmful information and links. 0 4) Sites that allow public comment shall inform visitors of the intended purpose of the site and provide a clear statement of the discussion topic introduced for public comment so that the public is aware of the limited nature of the discussion and that inappropriate posts are subject to removal, including but not limited to the following types of postings regardless of format (text, video, images, links, documents, etc.): (a) Comments not topically related; (b) Profane language or content; (c) Content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, status with regards to public assistance, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation; (d) Sexual content or links to sexual content; (e) Solicitations of commerce; (f) Conduct or encouragement of illegal activity; (g) Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems; (h) Content that violates a legal ownership interest of any other party. 5) Department's choosing to establish a blog or allow posts from the public on County social network sites, shall prominently display, or provide a link to, the County's Social Media Disclaimer and Comment Policy. 6) Departments choosing to use public comments shall consult with County Attorney to develop and document Department - specific disclaimers to meet the County's legal needs. County Attorney may also be consulted to determine whether to remove comments that violate this policy 7) Authorized employees shall respond to all comments not topically related, but concerning the performance of the Orange County Government as follows: "Thank you for participating in this discussion and for your feedback on the performance of the Orange County Government. Your comment has been forward to the appropriate authorities for further action. If you need additional information please contact the Office of the Orange County Clerk at (919) 245- 2130 ". F. User Behavior 1) The same standards, principles and guidelines that apply to Orange County employees in the performance of their assigned duties apply to employee social media technology use. 2) County workforce members authorized to use social media technology shall do so only within the scope defined by their respective Department and in compliance with all County policies and practices. 3) Social media use by County workforce members shall be performed within the County's established Social Media Policy. 4) Authorized social network spokespersons participating in personal social networking discussions related to County business matters shall indicate that viewpoints are personal and may not reflect County opinion. 5) Employees performing County social media work beyond normal work hours shall receive pre - authorization from the Department. 6) Employees shall obey all laws and shall refrain from engaging in partisan political activity when using social media sites on behalf of the County. 7) All questions concerning implementation of the Social Media Policy shall be directed to the County Attorney. G. Account Deactivation IT reserves the right to monitor and terminate any underutilized social media accounts. H. Records Management 1) Department use of social media shall be documented and maintained in an easily accessible format that tracks account information and preserves items that may be considered a record subject to disclosure under the North Carolina's Public Records Act or required to be retained pursuant the records retention laws. 2) Departments are responsible for the creation, administration and deactivation of social media accounts. 3) Only the Department Head associated with a particular social media site shall have the credentials to control the email access account for the site or social media account. Account password information shall only be shared with authorized staff designated by the Department Head, or her/his designee, to fulfill the role of Site Account Administrator. 4) Passwords shall conform to County complex password requirements when permissible. 5) Account password shall promptly be reset when an employee is removed as an account administrator. 6) Departments shall maintain a record of social media sites created for County use, including, but may not be limited to: (a) A log file containing the name of the social media network, account id, password, registered email address, date established, authorizing representative and name of person who created account and agreed to the sites terms of use agreement and /or policy. (b) A record of the sites usage agreement at the time the site was created and any updated versions. (c) A list of authorized site content authors and editors. (d) Electronic information posted to a social media site by the County, or a member of the public if permitted, may be considered a record subject to North Carolina Public Records Act. 7) Any content maintained in a social media format that is related to County business, including a list of subscribers and County or public posted communication, may be a public record. 8) IT shall have procedures in effect to preserve published social media content. 9) The Department maintaining the site is responsible for responding completely and accurately to any public records request for public records on social media. 10) Site content shall be maintained in accordance with its respective Records Retention Schedule and in accordance with County IT policies and procedures. If the content constitutes a public record, it must be disclosed to the public unless an exemption applies. 11 11) Posts deemed technically harmful or inappropriate shall be promptly documented, saved prior to removal from the site. 12) Departments shall maintain a record of signed social media policy acknowledgement forms for each authorized user. Exceptions There are no exceptions to this policy. Deviations Inquires regarding policy deviations should originate from a Department head and be directed to the Chief Information Officer, 919 - 245 -2280, 131 W. Margaret Lane, Suite 300, Hillsborough, NC 27278 Last modified Friday, January 25, 2013 Contact Webmaster Orange County Commission for the Environment CFE Committee Priorities (updated May 2016) Air and Energy Resources Committee (May Becker, Tom Eisenhart, Bill Newby) 1. GHG Emissions Inventory — Consider whether it is feasible and worthwhile to conduct a comprehensive update of the County 2005 greenhouse gas emissions inventory. 2. Green Building — Help the County develop an incentive program for green construction. 3. Climate Change — Educate county residents about climate change, alternative energy sources and efficiency, and steps to reduce their (and County government's) carbon footprint. 4. Energy Efficiency — Partner with Piedmont Electric Membership Corp and /or Duke Energy to take advantage of USDA program for low- interest loans for energy efficient upgrades for its members /owners. Water Resources Committee (Peter Cada, Rebecca Ray, Sheila Thomas - Ambat, Bill Kaiser) 1. Stream Buffers — Conduct a literature review of the science in support of maintaining vegetative buffers to protect water quality, aquatic habitat, and biodiversity. 2. Hydrilla Treatments — Continue to educate the public about hydrilla and other invasive species of concern; continue to monitor chemical treatments to assure they are not harmful to rivers. 3. Surface and Ground Water Quality — Increase the collection of data for surface and ground water quality; increase public education so it might lead to more funding for data collection. 4. Water Supply — Continue to educate county residents about our water supply and what steps can be taken to improve /maintain quality and quantity of future water supplies into the future. Land Resources Committee (Loren Hintz, Jeanette O'Connor, Lydia Wegman, David Welch, Lynne Gronback) 1. Comprehensive Conservation Plan — Collaborate on the development of a comprehensive conservation plan for Orange County for Legacy program and others to protect natural areas and wildlife habitat. Consider ways to ensure conservation land is distributed equitably throughout the county so that everyone has reasonable access to enjoy these areas. 2. Native Plant Habitats - Renew collaboration with NC Botanical Garden and others to identify significant roadside habitat for native plants; then ask NCDOT and other utilities to eliminate the use of herbicides to manage vegetation in those special roadside habitats. 3. Native Landscaping - Educate homeowners and businesses on reasons to choose a diversity of regionally native species for landscaping and other ways to promote biodiversity. Attachment 7 ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, AGRICULTURE, PARKS AND RECREATION MEMORANDUM To: Commission for the Environment From: Rich Shaw Date: June 8, 2016 Subject: Comprehensive Conservation Plan for Orange, Durham, and Chatham Counties At your May meeting I presented information about a collaborative effort by several land conservation entities to develop a comprehensive conservation plan for Orange, Durham, and Chatham counties. The idea for developing such a plan for Orange County was recommended by CFE members several years ago, and was also included as a recommendation in the Orange County Comprehensive Plan (2008), and recent State of the Environment report. The group is currently identifying potential funding sources, including the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (NC WRC) that offers grant funds for projects that help protect important wildlife habitat and travel corridors. Attached is a pre - proposal that we submitted May 31 to the NC WRC's Partners for Green Growth, requesting $10,000 for help jump start this project. I intend to secure matching funds from Orange County. We hope this project is selected for an invitation to submit a full proposal. We plan to involve the CFE Land Resources Committee in the project, but other CFE members are also welcome. I will keep you abreast of the project as it moves forward. Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation PO Box 8181 / 306 -A Revere Road Hillsborough, NC 27278 (919) 245 -2510 Partners for Green Growth Project Idea Submission Date: May 31, 2016 Contact Information: Rich Shaw (Land Conservation Manager), Orange County Dept. of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation. Phone: 919 - 245 -2514 Email: rshaw @orangecountync.gov Name of County and or Municipality or Council of Government: Orange County, in collaboration with Durham and Chatham counties and the municipalities therein. Approximate amount of funds to be requested: $10,000 Estimated non - federal in -kind match amount by source (Please demonstrate that this match is from non - federal sources): $5,400 [up to $3,000 in cash from Orange County DEAPR; at least $2,400 in -kind from the provision of local GIS data and technical assistance provided by Steering Committee representatives from the many non - federal partner entities listed below]. Our project would potentially do the following. Check all that apply. Consider the Green Growth Toolbox principles and conservation GIs data in: 0 A conservation plan to be considered for adoption by the governing board. ❑ A conservation overlay district and or an update of zoning districts. 0 A review of development ordinances for opportunities to reduce regulatory barriers to conservation and enhance incentives and ordinances for wildlife habitat conservation. ❑ The drafting of a model ordinance. ❑ A preferred development guide. ❑ An update of the land use, transportation or comprehensive plan. ❑ A small area plan (provide location information). ❑ A park(s) management plan (provide location information). ❑ The planning of a major development design or charrette (provide location information). 0 A plan or ordinance that addresses human - wildlife conflict / nuisance wildlife issues. List of 4 or less primary project deliverables 1. A map of high - priority landscape corridors that connect a network of protected, biodiverse sites within the Jordan Lake watershed and the inter -basin area between the Neuse and Cape Fear Rivers. 2. A prioritized list and associated map of properties identified within high - priority landscape corridors (deliverable 1) and a corresponding list of partners capable of contributing to the protection of each location. 3. Recommendations for how to conserve, protect, and manage critical landscape corridors. 4. A written report with recommendations for modifying existing land use policies or ordinances to support protection of critical landscape corridors. List of project goals and objectives Goal: Produce a tri- county conservation plan to identify and protect high - priority landscape corridors that connect a network of protected, biodiverse sites within the Jordan Lake watershed and the inter - basin area between the Neuse and Cape Fear Rivers. Objectives: • A plan that drives conservation efforts on a landscape scale that is relevant and appropriate for the long -term persistence of native species and ecosystem services • A plan that utilizes previous work (existing data, tools, and knowledge) for implementing landscape conservation • A plan that presents a prioritized package of locations in which to take action and identifies the appropriate partners to focus on each location • A plan with elements that can be adopted and implemented by local governments and land trusts List of any project partners and their roles (what they will do) Orange County— Administer PGG grant funds. Provide Steering Committee representative who will help guide the work of the Policy subcommittee. Provide Orange County GIS data and land - use policy /ordinance information. Durham County— Provide Steering Committee representative. Provide Durham County GIS data and land -use policy /ordinance information. Duke University— Provide Steering Committee representative who will help guide the work of the Technical subcommittee. Chatham Conservation Partnership — Provide Steering Committee representative; share findings and recommendations from the Chatham County Comprehensive Conservation Plan, including Chatham County GIS data and land -use policy /ordinance information. Wildlands Network — Provide Steering Committee (and subcommittee) representative; share findings from Wildlands Network research on wildlife corridors and road crossings. Triangle Land Conservancy— Provide Steering Committee (and subcommittee) representative. Eno River Association — Provide Steering Committee (and subcommittee) representative Southern Conservation Partners — Provide Steering Committee representative. New Hope Creek Corridor Advisory Committee — Provide Steering Committee (and subcommittee) representative North Carolina Botanical Garden — Provide Steering Committee representative and meeting space List the roles of local government officials, board members and staff in the project What will local government officials, board members or staff do as part of your project? Orange County's Land Conservation Manager will administer PGG grant funds, hire a contractor, serve on the Steering Committee, convene the Policy subcommittee, and provide Orange County GIS data and land -use policy /ordinance information. The project findings and recommendations will be presented to the Orange County Commission for the Environment, the Orange County Planning Board, and possibly to the Orange County Board of Commissioners. Durham County's Open Space and Real Estate Manager and /or a Planning staff representative will serve on the Steering Committee (and one of the subcommittees) and provide Durham County GIS data and land -use policy /ordinance information. The project findings and recommendations will be presented to the Durham Open Space and Trails Committee, the Durham County Planning Board, and possibly to the Durham County Board of Commissioners. Chatham County's representative to the Chatham Conservation Partnership will be asked to serve on the Steering Committee (and one of the subcommittees), and will be asked to present the project findings and recommendations to the appropriate advisory boards and commissions and possibly to the Chatham County Board of Commissioners. Approximate timeline Provide a brief timeline of completion dates for stages of the project. All projects should start by October 1, 2016 and be completed by September 15, 2017 October 2016 — Contractor hired. [Contractor's job will be to a) synthesize the information provided by partner entities, b) facilitate bi- monthly Steering Committee meetings, c) develop the plan with input and oversight by Technical and Policy subcommittees, and d) report findings to the Steering Committee and local government partner entities.] October 2016 — Steering Committee meeting held in conjunction with concurrent Technical and Policy subcommittee meetings. December 2016 — Steering Committee meeting (includes reports from the Technical and Policy subcommittees). GIS data for project area compiled into one database. Current landscape conservation /protection tools from each jurisdiction compiled and summarized. February 2017 — Technical and Policy subcommittee meetings. April 2017 — Technical and Policy subcommittee meetings. June 2017 — Technical and Policy subcommittee meetings. August 30, 2017 — Draft report completed for review and comments by Steering Committee. September 15, 2017 — Final report submitted to NC WRC. Preparations made to present findings to project partner entities (including local government staff and advisory boards). 3 Support for Conservation Briefly describe the conservation interests or actions of your community and local governing or planning - related board. Within the project area, a remarkable amount of land has been conserved by local land trusts, local government programs, educational institutions (Duke and UNC), water supply utilities, and other entities. This success would not have been possible without the high level of community interest and political support for land and water conservation. Orange County's 2030 Comprehensive Plan (adopted 2008) calls for the development of a comprehensive conservation plan for achieving a network of protected open space that addresses 1) threats to important natural areas; 2) connectivity between protected areas; 3) coordination with neighboring counties; and 4) sustainable management of critical natural resources. Such a plan has already been developed for Chatham County. This PGG- funded project would expand that effort to include Durham and Orange counties and specifically the Jordan Lake watershed and inter -basin area between the Neuse and Cape Fear Rivers. Summary Project and Budget Narrative Describe your project below in 300 words or less. Include a brief description of the activities that will use PGG funds and what you would count as non - federal in -kind match. Please provide the approximate amount of PGG funds that would be requested for GIS mapping. PPG funds will be used to hire a project leader to oversee the development of a collaborative conservation plan for portions of Durham, Orange, and Chatham counties. The plan will identify high - priority landscape corridors between significant natural areas and wildlife habitat in the Jordan Lake watershed and a "land bridge" between the Neuse and Cape Fear River basins. Protecting these corridors is critical for native plants and animals to survive across a mosaic of habitat types within the Central Piedmont Region. Without these connections, the existing patchwork of conservation lands will become further isolated, threatening their value and contribution to the long -term persistence of species and ecosystem services. The plan will synthesize existing data and land protection tools for the project area and build upon the ongoing work of the Chatham Conservation Partnership, which developed strategies for protecting a network of natural areas and wildlife corridors in Chatham County. The plan will also leverage the significant energies and on- the - ground protections already in place by the many public and private entities participating in this project. The partners realize the existing protected areas are in danger of becoming further isolated by roadways and other causes of habitat fragmentation. In the face of increasing threats and environmental changes, these natural areas require protected landscape corridors to maintain ecosystem functions and processes. The plan will identify prioritized land parcels for preserving critical landscape corridors, recommendations for how to protect the corridors, and -the entities capable of pursuing the protection needed at each location. The plan will be developed by a contractor with guidance of the Steering Committee. It will be presented to local government jurisdictions to facilitate their consideration of land use policies and ordinances that could support the plan. The provision of GIS data a-nd technical information by Steering Committee members will count toward non - federal in -kind match. M 1 • • • • 'Ct �i p U Cn S" cd 0 +' Q 0- ¢a U p Y U O 5+0 0O� U cl 75 Uj "�. O ,� U N O U p U N Ln U shsy� boy O O D Sox m a z .G = 2� Q m cd Cd -y m p 0 U tj y o a.) cud 0 ° o r � a�., 0.9 °oo wo- ,o 't x0�.� w 1 enQ0-- �y � °+� a�i Cl m� c Dom vwxoC, 'b ',:.i O '1 U h U o �p O+° °O mc� °o V) cl U4. m m 4. o o +� a� a o v F ° �v�Uc�n �s �4 0r° U) r. cs C w C O x > n by ° cd ° 0 ° ' 3;tom. 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(.,,rally opened. Sunday. IlLocated halfway between Durham and Chapel Chill, the park was a touch.-and.- go project that was on its way to beconae a sub- division. in 2004, Nei.gh- borhood inobilizationand the joh-rt invol-vernent of Durhaiin and Orange COUnfies, the City of Dun. harn and the Chapel Hill halted the development and created the lmrk. "There were lots of politicians," said Mara- beth Carr, the landscape architect for Orange CoLmty Wendy Jacobs, who lived in an adjoining neighborhood, recalled Sunday how her daughters 4earned that houses were going to replace the creeks and gUllies where they played, "Motn, what are you The News & Observer going to do about ffiat?" her two children asked. 'flat question nudged Jacobs into politics, She led her neighborhood effort, then joined the Durham Planning Com- rnission and is now a Dur- harn County commission- 01% The park has two rniles of tralls that connect. to Duke Forest under the Erwin Road. bridge over New Hope Creek. There is more to conie: an acces- sible trail for the disabled, overlooks for birders and an environmer.itally mind- ed toilet to replace the porta-potty in the parking 10L And most importantly, the return of the Hollow Rock Country Store. 'The Hollow Rock area takes its narne frown a geological formation on New Hope Creek, near the Erwin Road crossing, Early white settlers' ac- MENEM, VE MRITIMMMMAM MMWAMM v, K I)AR11", e cmu-as and artifacts point to Indian settICMUAS iD the area, Two colonial-era. roads crossed. 4.w _a major intersectioti just north of the pn scant Pickett Itoad junction with [ rwin, T'ho Patterson fa-rnfly built a ndli.rijearby in 11',ic 19th cenbuy. lu gape 20011 cen,fti,iry, the ccanjrrnnau�ty's and ior was the H ollow Rock Country S[ore ­ a annall, woc.ud­l I rayne budd- rng with heart of Pine floors, fin roof, lwavy wooden shutter swarm its two windows au rd a large overb.ang out fn o.nt that provided. shade. The Store se rve""i a r, potfii,g pLace -- aeurru °lo t: Reynolds Price recalled voting for John U, Kenne,- dy there - aricl wa.sa handy stolp fro.r gas and groceries when towrn was distant, Envin Rf)ad rw?as dirt, and niglits were dark encn.a.gh to see the Aurora Borealis -- as was recalled by the late rriusician Torn- my Thompson, who in the early 1960s frequented 1�riday-night picking sees sions at the store, Fhornp- son's group, the Hollow band, evolved unto the nationally-ac- claimed lRed Clay Rarn. blers, In the early 1970s the store owners wanted to jri.a in. a new ;tame and gas stadon. A. neighbor, hear- irng tire old store would be razed, rnoved the store to he propert)7, where it serVed as a pottery studio and swntge shed, 'I 'lie group, Unique Pla- ces to Save, is about hatf- way to ralsing the $25,000 needed to move the old store to tire park ,atop ,a. new foundation, organizers plan on cre- ating a small history mu- seurn for the Hollow Rock area. Marylu Flowers, an art teacher at nearby Forest- view Elementary School, has been bringing Stu- dents to Creek Week for years on the property. The students take water sam- ples, docurnent animal tracks, test soil, take core samples from trees and learn about water turbid- ity. , iUid they learn about history.'rhe park's most prorninent feature is Hanging Rock, aTriassic - era point bar that vaults over New Hope Creek, "John Lawson was a. surveyor and artist who explored this area in the 1600s," Flowers said, "He wrote abotit having a pic., nic with the Occoneechee Indians on Hanging Rock." Ne,ffi 919-829-4516, @Josephcne �� IIII IIII °liii na II° iiii IIIIIIIb Ejner, t by C ob ii Siirnith Addition of new standards for denial of renewable energy permits. The existing law setting standards for issuing or denying wind energy projects would be amended to cover all renewable energy projects and to add two new grounds for permit denial. The new permit + Operation of the facility would cause ambient noise levels to exceed 35 decibels at the property line. + The applicant failed to meet new financial assurance requirements for decommissioning the wind and other renewable energy facilities would have to be sited 1 1/2 miles from the property line of an adjacent property. For comparison, some examples of property line setback requirements for other state-permitted facilities and activities are shown below. prevent environmental degradation (capping closed landfills) and restoring disturbed areas b) provide stability and prevent erosion. State permitting programs do not normally require the ovvner/openatorto return a site to pre-development conditions by removing buildings and equipment. Taken together, the provisions in Senate Bill 843 treat renewable energy facilities as a serious threat to public safety and the environment. BY PAUL A. SPECI T aspecht@newsobsei,ver.com RALEIGH The state Senate might in- troduce a freshwater mussel species into Jordan and Falls lakes to reduce algae and clean the water. The state Senate budget proposal that passed a second reading on Thursday earmarks $500,000 from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund to study whether certain mus- sels can effectively clean Jor- dan and Falls lakes, which provide drinking water to hun- dreds of thousands of Triangle residents. The mussel study is one of several proposals in the Senate budget that environmentalists said would be detrimental to water bodies across North Car- olina. "This should be a concern for all in Wake County because it affects all of our water," said Karen Rindge, executive direc- tor of WakeUP Wake County. While a Stanford University study found that freshwater mussels can clean chemicals from some waterways, it's un- clear how they would work on algae in stagnant water. Michael Mallin, a research professor of marine and estua- rine ecology at UNC- Wilming- ton, said he doubted that in- troducing mussels into the lakes would clean the water. In stag- nant lake waters, he said, the mussels could further harm the water. "The nutrients in the algae: the mussels are going to excrete a lot of it - ammonia and phos- phorus - back into the water," Mallin said. Among other moves, the Sen- ate proposal would delay until 2020 stringent development restrictions - known as the Jor- dan Lake Rules on upstream communities like Greensboro that the then - Democrat -led General Assembly approved in 2009. In the meantime, the Senate proposal instructs state authorities to come up with alternative in -lake methods for cleaning water. It also would repeal require- ments for riparian buffers along rivers statewide, including the Neuse. Riparian buffers are the strips of natural land next to waterways that filter out pollu- tants before they reach the water. The mussel idea comes less House to protect North Car - than a month after the state olina's water with science -based Department of Environmental solutions. Quality announced that it would Republicans in the Senate on remove the controversial Thursday aimed to use science water- churning devices known against proponents of upstream as SolarBees from Jordan Lake restrictions. because they aren't working. Sen. Trudy Wade, a Guilford "While creative, proposing the County Republican, quoted the use of mussels to clean up Jor- Army Corps of Engineers in dan Lake is possibly the only claiming Jordan Lake would idea bad enough to make Solar- always be impaired. Bee water mixers sound plausi- In that vein, Sen. Rick Gunn ble," said Dustin Chicurel- suggested the Jordan Lake Rules Bayard, communications direc- were too harsh on his constitu- tor of the N.C. Sierra Club. ents. "Why is the Senate putting "To sit here and want to put major policy issues into the all this on the upstream commu- budget, once again ?" he said. nities is asinine," said Gunn, an "The Senate budget will elim- Alamance County Republican. inate protections for waterways Senate Democrats, mean - owned by all of us - all while while, called the proposal un- end - running the normal legisla- necessary. tive process." "It's bad science. It's bad The state House of Repre- policy," said Sena Mike Woodard sentatives must vote to approve of Durham County. "And it's a the proposal, and Gov. Pat waste of money to the tax - McCrory must sign it before it payers." becomes law. Chicurel- Bayard said envi- Paul A. Specht: 919 - 829 -4870, ronmentalists are turning to the @AndySpecht Release: Immediate Date: May 18, 2016 Donald R. van der Vaart, Secretary Contact: Crystal Feldman Phone: 919- 707 -8624 Mate releases deadlines for coal ash pond closures, will request changes to coal ash law RALEIGH - The state environmental department today released proposed classifications for all coal ash ponds in North Carolina, while at the same time asking the General Assembly to allow the reconsideration of those classifications 18 months from now. The classifications are based on the current risk of each pond's impact on public health and the environment. However, work that is already either planned or underway could significantly change the risk posed by the ponds. "The deadlines in the coal ash law are too compressed to allow adequate repairs to be completed," said Donald R. van der Vaart, secretary of the state environmental department. "It also does not allow for revisions to the classifications based on new information about a pond's risk to public health and the environment." The proposed classifications include the eight mandated as high priority under the law, and 25 classified by today's action as intermediate. High risk ponds must be dug up and closed by 2019 and intermediate ponds must be dug up and closed by 2024. The main risk factors driving today's classifications were dam deficiencies that are currently being repaired, and potential impacts to nearby groundwater. Recent discussions indicate that providing nearby residents permanent alternative water will relieve any future concerns. "The focus of the coal ash law was to safely close all coal ash ponds in North Carolina," continued Secretary van der Vaart. "The intent was not to set pond closure deadlines based on incomplete information. Making decisions based on incomplete information could lead to the expenditure of billions of dollars when spending millions now would provide equal or better protection. The understanding we have today reflects countless hours of scientific and technical work by both state engineers and Duke Energy as well as thousands of comments by the public." Although no dams present an imminent risk to life or property, a number of ponds were rated intermediate because of unfinished repairs. State regulators will use their existing legal authority to ensure those repairs are completed by the end of this year. The residents' well water meets federal requirements for safe drinking water. However, Duke Energy has submitted a study that evaluates the feasibility of supplying permanent alternative water to nearby residents. The state environmental department will recommend to the General Assembly that the classifications be re- evaluated after the dam safety repairs are made and the utility provides these permanent alternative water sources to nearby well owners. These proposed classifications will become final 60 days from today. For a map of the proposed classifications for each coal ash impoundment, click 111gr -e. [Attached] A table that shows the risk factors that determined each pond's classification can be found here. ca ET ciy 0 U E E T Q u 0 0 u 6 0 � 0 x 07M as c 'a cn O rA rA U M u x tJ ca 61 T ............ Eo o Z U CJ c V3 E 0 o Ln > 40 C U 0 V 0 u u 0 0 > (o ®! z 07M as c 'a cn O rA rA U M u x tJ 61 T ............ Eo CJ c V3 E Ln > C U 0 V 0 u Q) 0 > (o ®! z r. Q 0 u 0 m 0 0 0 (N N (14 dip (D 0 tJ 61 T ............ Eo CJ c V3 E Ln > C r. Q 0 u 0 m 0 0 0 (N N (14 dip (D 0 V3 E Ln > C U 0 V 0 u Q) 0 > (o r. Q 0 u 0 m 0 0 0 (N N (14 dip (D 0 From: Durham Engineers Club [ mailto: michael .hughes @durhamnc.ccsend.com] On Behalf Of Durham Engineers Club Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2016 8:10 AM To: Tom Davis Subject: June 16, 2016 - Durham Engineers Club - Field Trip The Durham Engineers Club Cordially Invites You to our •. - 16, 2016 Field Trip to the HCE Johnston 1, LLC Solar Farm in Johnston County Register Now! There n(Ftee for thils meeting for h non-members! Meeting time is at 6:00 When Dear Fellow Professional Thursday June 16, 2016 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM EDT Add to Calendar Please consider our special invitation to attend this special field trip to HCE Johnston I, LLC's solar farm in Johnston County. The tour will be given by Edgar Agosto. Where This is an active photovoltaic system connected to Duke HCE Johnston I, LLC Solar Energy. It produces 2.6 MC DC. We will see the modules on Farm their racking, combiner boxes, inverters and transformer and 13923 NC Highway 50 N interconnection to the utility company. The project was built Willow Springs, NC 27592 with a minimum impact to existing conditions. Our tour will be given by Edgar Agosto, the designer of the system. Mr. Agosto is a retired US Navy veteran, and civil engineer. He graduated from Polytechnic University of Puerto [n'fi b Rico and continued graduate studies at University of Central Florida with a Master in Sciences in Structural Engineering. He Jmoved to North Carolina to further enhance his education at North Carolina State University. While practicing engineering in the civilian life, Mr. Agosto has � Or included the "green" concept in traditional models. In a 20 ERE widening project for Osceola Parkway in Central Florida, the Driving Directions main street to Walt Disney World, he designed all luminaries using a photovoltaic system, reducing the charge on the utilities 2015 Corporate Golf and saving taxpayers dollars. For the new expansion at the Tournament Sponsors Magic Kingdom at Disney World, he added an off -grid photovoltaic system to alleviate the expenses for the corporation. In other commercial designs, he has incorporated other "green" concepts such as natural ventilation, natural light, -EE A B & energy produced by wind in addition to photovoltaic, while preserving solid structures for areas affected by inclement weather. faird hat, safety vest, safety gIllasses, Ilboots Register Now! Forward to a Friend! We look forward to seeing you at the meeting! Sincerely, Jennifer Buzun, PE Durham Engineers Club U lbuzunpnc.rr.com Upcoming 9 Events: 919 - 560 -4326 30292 HAJIT 7 �+.�eu.,rmv� ^.rvr�ir zenuh U r- * * * * * * * * * * * Waitress Serves up a Solution to Her City's Food Waste Problem May 25, 2016 One waitress wants to 86 food waste. Twice a week, Melissa Tashjian, 35, serves grub at a local pizza joint in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The rest of her time is devoted to her budding business, Compost Crusader, which helps turn food scraps and organic waste into nutrient -rich soil. "I've been in the restaurant industry since I was old enough to serve and I'm definitely conscious of the amount of food waste out there," she told The Huffington Post. Tashjian has two garbage trucks that service 55 local business — restaurants, breweries, elementary schools and a few plant shops — once or twice a week by picking up their food waste and dropping it off at the composting farm, Blue Ribbon Organics. The 35- year -old said many of her customers are able to reduce their regular trash pickup enough to cover the cost, or at least 90 percent, of her service. Most come out even - steven," she told Huff Post. But saving money isn't exactly the point for her customers. "Where we really make up is the peace of mind with it, that we know this isn't all going to a landfill," Kristin Hueneke, Lakefront Brewery executive chef and one of Tashjian's clients, told Milwaukee's Journal Sentinel. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council about 40 percent of the 11111�yRti U.S. food supply goes uneaten. This food waste creates 33 million cars' worth of greenhouse gases and is "the single largest contributor to landfills today." Due to this, composting seems like a practical and simple way to combat the problem, but Tashjian's journey that led up to starting Compost Crusader was one long haul. Seven years ago, she started a local nonprofit, Kompost Kids, which had the humble goal of simply educating the folks of Milwaukee about composting. "We just wanted to make people aware that composting was an option," Tashjian told Huff Post. "Our goal at first was just to get gardeners to recycle their food scraps." Compost from a facility being added to soil to grow produce on a farm. The Washington Post via Getty Images It didn't take long for local restaurants to catch wind of Tashjian's efforts and soon she was invited to swing by their locations, pick up their waste and use it for composting. So, for five years Tashjian and Kompost Kids would drop off five - gallon buckets to local restaurants, wait until they were full, pick up them up and compost their scraps in a secure area. Yet, as word continued to spread, it became clear the nonprofit needed a new game plan to keep up with the growing demand. "I have a dog, and I would literally walk him twice a day to pick up five - gallon buckets in a little red wagon. Then I'd pull it blocks to where we established our first compost site," she said. She got a pickup truck, but even that wasn't enough. However Tashjian was determined not to give up. "One day, I was talking about all this to my boyfriend who is a welder, truck driver and a master mechanic, and he said `Why don't you just try to do it yourself?' And I was like `Well, I don't drive trucks, I don't know how to build composting bins,' and he was like `Well, duh, I can help you with that.' And that's pretty much how I started," she said. With the help of her boyfriend, Matthew Scannella, Tashjian bought "a slow- moving kind of Frankenstein truck" that she named "Torty." She and Scannella retrofitted the vehicle to be able to pick up dumpsters and roll away totes, so it could service businesses just like a waste management truck would. Six to eight months later, she got a loan, which enabled her to trade in her startup truck for two rear - loading garbage trucks. It's been two years since Tashjian started Compost Crusader and just last month, the company picked up 115,000 pounds of organic material — more than four times the weight she was handling when she started in 2014, reports the Journal Sentinel. Although Tashjian is trying to have a big impact on food waste, as a waitress, she does have a small tip for everyday diners who want to do their part. "I often suggest that people split items when I think their eyes are bigger than their stomachs," she said. "I mean, they could always order more later if they want. The kitchen's not going anywhere." Tashjian with her proper truck.