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ORANGECOUNTY 1 <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: December 15,1998 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item # 5 <br />SUBJECT: Endorsement of the Town of Carrboro's resolution and effort to obtain "Mobile <br />Source Emissions Reduction Grant" funding <br />DEPARTMENT: County Manager <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Draft letter <br />Carrboro Resolution <br />Grant application package <br />PUBLIC HEARING: Yes No <br />BUDGET AMENDMENT: Yes No <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Commissioner Steve HaMotis, ext. 2125 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough <br />- 732 -8181 <br />Durham <br />- 688 -7331 <br />Mebane <br />- 227 -2031 <br />Chapel Hill <br />- 967- 9251/968 -4501 <br />PURPOSE: To present, for BOCC review, comment, revision and adoption, a letter supporting <br />the efforts of the Town of Carrboro to obtain grant funding from the NC Department of <br />Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the purpose of obtaining and converting <br />two Town vehicles to electric power. <br />BACKGROUND: Citizens of Orange County, as well as elected officials of the Town of Carrboro <br />and staff of the Orange County and Chapel Hill - Carrboro school systems, have <br />expressed an strong interest in initiating local programs to help improve air quality <br />by promoting the use of alternative fuel vehicles. Alternative fuel vehicles are <br />generally considered to be those which use compressed natural gas (CNG) or <br />which are powered by electric batteries. The Air Quality Division of NC DENR <br />awards grants each year to local governments which propose to participate in <br />programs that show promise in the effort to improve air quality. Programs that <br />involve the conversion of vehicles or vehicle fleets to alternative fuels or that <br />otherwise evaluate or promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles in some way can <br />qualify for grant funding. The Board of Aldermen have passed a resolution <br />authorizing the Town to submit a grant request to fund the acquisition and <br />conversion of two Town vehicles to electric power. The Orange County and <br />Chapel Hill- Carrboro school systems propose to participate in the effort by <br />implementing a plan to create a hands -on education component to the actual <br />mechanical conversion process. <br />RECOMMENDATION: The Manager recommends that the Board sign the attached letter. <br />