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6 <br />Points for Consideration <br />Development of an Open Burning Policy for Governmental Entities and Non-Profits Receiving County Funds <br />The N.C. Division of Air Quality enforces open burning rules outside of municipal limits (and inside those without burning <br />rules of their own), but does not require permits for burning. The NC Division of Forest Resources issues permits for open <br />burning more than 100 feet from a home and within 500 feet of a woodland. <br />All local governments could be asked to adopt the same open burning policy. Non-profit organizations receiving funding <br />from Orange County would be expected to adhere to a policy regarding open burning. The following are points for <br />consideration for discussion of such a policy. <br />The Orange County Commission for the Environment is currently considering alternatives to address open burning as part <br />of an overall air pollution plan. One option could be requesting limited delegation of the statelEs air pollution authority <br />through a memorandum of agreement. A program for Orange County could allow the County to have local review and <br />assume enforcement and permitting authority for open burning. Such a program, if implemented, could later supersede <br />many of the ideas below. <br />Require full exploration of alternatives to burning of leaves, branches and other plant growth discarded through <br />construction. Alternatives to burning include mulching, composting, and topsoil mining. <br />Create a list of companies and organizations that offer alternative services (similar to that provided by Environmental <br />Health for well•drilling), for use as a guide. The list would be comprehensive of all known companies and would not <br />recommend any firm. <br />Include a provision that only as a last resort, in the case of undue financial hardship, should burning of the material occur. <br />Cost estimates for at least one alternatative method must be obtained. If burning is still pursued, the organization should <br />notify (in writing) the government in whose jurisidiction the activity will occur with an explanation of why an alternative <br />was not selected. Note: Under North Carolina law, no logs or stumps over 6 inches in diameter may be burned in any <br />case. <br />Ask the Division of Forest Resources to ensure that burning permits for governmental entities are not issued until a good <br />faith effort to pursue an alternative is demonstrated. This arrangement could serve until such time as the County pursues <br />local standards or a local program. <br />Any burning accomplished as a last resort should not occur on days where ozone levels are projected to reach code <br />oorangeb or code oredS. These projections are posted daily at 3:00 p.m. on the Division of Air Quality web site, and <br />through the N.C. Air Awareness Program. <br />Provide that any burning accomplished as a last resort should be located at least 100 feet from any roadway for traffic <br />safety reasons. <br />