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Environmental Leadership Policy ( in agenda packet). The draft Policy speaks to a number of areas where Orange County is either active, or could become more environmentally responsible. Three commonly cited areas for improvement (all of which are underway to varying degrees) include: • reducing paper consumption, • purchasing vehicles with lower fuel consumption and/or lower emissions, and • improving energy efficiency in County-owned buildings. In addition to the work accomplished through the ESAC, examples of other studies and initiatives have been undertaken building on the ER Goal. An incomplete summary of these activities is attached; some of the highlights are described below: • The Solid Waste Department has completed and maintains a substantial effort to increase local recycling efforts and reduce landfill waste. • Orange County has, with its municipal partners Chapel Hill and Carrboro, sponsored a Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory, and is in the process of identifying new strategies to reduce carbon emissions. • Orange County was invited to speak at the annual National Association of County Commissioners (NC Chapter) conference in August on its environmental policies and activities. • The recent State of the Environment Report 2009 incorporated much of the work of the ER Goal into its assessment of 19 key indicators, and this periodic document will likely be another good measuring stick for evaluation of progress toward the ER Goal. • The 2030 Comprehensive Plan, adopted in November 2008, contains a number of references toward green building standards for construction and site design - implementation efforts are underway. • County construction and renovation projects have likewise brought the concepts of energy efficiency and green building to the forefront. • Finally, and most recently, Orange County has partnered with the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro school systems to pursue economic stimulus funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for a joint solar water heater project, and an energy stimulus team that includes many ESAC members is poised to apply for additional renewable energy or energy efficiency funds as they become available. He said In summary, staff from many departments are now engaged in a number of different activities that are linked to environmental responsibility. Progress has been made, but much remains to be done. He said while the ESAC provides an opportunity to share information and update other departments, a more comprehensive or umbrella framework may be the next logical step to tie these initiatives into a single coordinated effort. An assessment and prioritization of the potential action strategies would be a next step, and Board feedback and direction on the draft Sample Action Strategy/Policy Implementation Feasibility Chart in their packet would be very useful. At its last meeting, the ESAC unanimously offered to serve in the role of periodically evaluating and reporting on the County's response toward meeting the objectives of the ER Goal. Dave Stancil said there was no financial impact associated with receiving the status report or subsequently adopting the policy. He said there would be short and long-term costs (as well as potential short and long-term savings) associated with implementing components of the policy.