HomeMy WebLinkAboutCFE Agenda 040918AGENDA
Orange County Commission for the Environment
April 9, 2018
7:30 p.m.
Richard Whitted Building, 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 Draft Minutes – February 12th, 2018
The CFE will consider approval of minutes from the February meeting. Action needed
(Attachment 1)
7:40 IV. SOE 2019
UNC Chapel Hill capstone students will present their work and recommend updated
environmental indicators and possible formats for the 2019 State of the Environment report.
8:25 V. Discussion of Draft Resolution
The group will discuss a draft resolution encouraging the State of NC to divest from fossil fuel
companies. Action needed (Attachment 2)
8:40 VI. No Idling Campaign Petition
Commissioner Marcopolos requested the CFE review information and provide a recommendation
to the BOCC concerning supporting a “No Idling” campaign in the county. Action needed.
(Attachments 3 and 4)
9:00 VII. Discussion of Committee Priorities and Functions
The group will discuss the functions of the CFE committees, and then the committees will meet
independently to determine the priorities that each group would like to work on in 2018.
Action needed. (Attachment 5)
9:20 VIII. Earth Evening 2018
The group will briefly discuss CFE participation in the 2018 Earth Evening event in Hillsborough
that is scheduled to take place on April 27th. (Attachment 6)
9:30 IX. Updates and Information Items
Staff and/or CFE members will provide updates on the following items:
Continuing Action Items from previous CFE meetings:
Updates:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2018-triangle-
area
GenX/Emerging contaminants Coast Watch article (Attachment 7)
Any other new information from CFE members and staff
9:35 X. Adjournment
Next Meeting: May 14th, Southern Human Services
Center, 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill
CFE Meeting Ground Rules (Adopted 9/12/11)
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
5. Strive to reach consensus first before voting
Activities the CFE expects to carry out in 2018:
Plan and develop the State of the Environment 2019 report.
Continue to write news articles on environmental issues of importance to Orange County,
including climate change, energy conservation, and other important topics.
Create “Green Tips” as a means of communicating brief sustainability messages.
Continue to explore ways to improve the County’s ability to foster local sustainable energy
production and energy efficiency strategies, including making Orange County an even better
place for appropriately-sited solar energy generation, 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).
Advocate for an update to the County’s greenhouse gas inventory.
Continue to help with public outreach and management efforts related to invasive species
Participate in a County effort through the Lands Legacy Program to identify and preserve
important landscape corridors that connect significant natural areas and open space (BOCC
Priority #1).
Co-sponsor the annual DEAPR photography contest (The Nature of Orange).
Concerns or emerging issues the CFE has identified for 2018:
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, maintenance and improvements, including educating citizens about existing
programs for up-fits.
The CFE will continue to learn more about environmental justice and incorporate relevant
information and considerations in the next State of the Environment report (2019) and elsewhere
The CFE will continue to follow discussions of how to improve the handling and disposal of
Orange County’s solid waste, and advocate for 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