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3 <br />Finally, and most recently, Orange County has partnered with the Orange County and <br />Chapel Hill-Carrboro school systems to pursue economic stimulus funding through the <br />American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for a joint solar water heater project, <br />and an energy stimulus team that includes many ESAC members is poised to apply for <br />additional renewable energy or energy efficiency funds as they become available. <br />In summary, staff -from many departments - is now engaged in a number of different activities <br />that are linked to environmental responsibility. Progress has been made, but much remains to <br />be done. While the ESAC provides an opportunity to share information and update other <br />departments, a more comprehensive or umbrella framework may be the next logical step to tie <br />these initiatives into a single coordinated effort. An assessment and prioritization of the potential <br />action strategies would be a next step, and Board feedback and direction on the draft Sample <br />Action Strategy/Policy Implementation Feasibility Chart (attached) would be very useful. At its <br />last meeting, the ESAC unanimously offered to serve in the role of periodically evaluating and <br />reporting on the .County's response toward meeting the objectives of the ER Goal. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with receiving the status report <br />or subsequently adopting the policy. There will be short and long-term costs (as well as <br />potential short and long-term savings) associated with implementing components of the policy. <br />Decisions on specific action strategies (termed "policy objectives" in the attached Feasibility <br />Chart) would be made at a future meeting, upon Board and management direction and as funds <br />permit. Any implementation actions pursued would need to be evaluated against current and <br />future resource limitations and financial realities. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: <br />1) Receive the status report; <br />2) Approve in principle -with any needed changes -the Orange County Environmental <br />Leadership Policy, to be placed on a subsequent agenda for formal adoption; <br />3) Provide direction and feedback to staff on next steps toward implementation of the ER <br />Goal -especially regarding the use of the Sample Action Strategy/Policy Implementation <br />Feasibility Chart to evaluate proposed implementation activities, and <br />4) Note that any feedback or direction toward implementing actions should provide for an <br />internal assessment of feasibility, recognizing current financial realities. <br />Based on the feedback and direction provided, staff would meet with the ESAC and develop <br />recommendations for implementation to be shared with the Manager and Board in early 2010. <br />