Agenda - 05-18-2010-13 (1) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Almost immediately after the November work session (and for the succeeding four months), staff shifted gears to focus on opportunities created in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Staff from Asset Management and Purchasing Services (AMPS), Economic Development, Planning and Inspections and (then) ERCD submitted at least six (6) applications for grant funding, including several collaborative projects such as the TPA bus route in Hillsborough and Orange County, and the Twin Creeks Park Greenway/Linear Park. Staff is still waiting for the results of some applications, but at least three projects were awarded funds with construction well underway on the Linear Park. Staff is cautiously optimistic that some of the energy efficiency and conservation grants will be funded, as most of those funds remain to be awarded. Several of the stimulus grant fund applications went toward this energy program ("Energy Efficiency for County & Municipal Buildings' -part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Black Grant package, or EECBG). Most of these federal funds were allocated to the larger local governments, but a smaller amount was available to the other 600+ local governments in the state via competitive bid through the State Energy Office. These applications required detailed analysis to demonstrate the benefit of installing energy efficient measures, and required the quick submittal of a document entitled the "Strategic Energy Plan" (or SEP). To facilitate the review process, SEPs followed a specific template provided by the State Energy Office. To ensure eligibility for funding, staff prepared a draft SEP with free technical consultation supplied by an approved consulting firm, knowing that the format lacked the level of detail typical for Orange County plans. Given this, we would suggest that an attempt to add to or `flesh out' the initial Strategic Energy Plan (and make it the foundation for a comprehensive policy document for long-term County use) may be a good subject for a Board work session later this year. A reassessment of the Action Strategy Feasibility Chart provided in 2009 could also occur at the same work session, since those two documents should work hand in hand. On a parallel track, staff has been pursuing collaborative opportunities with the towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill, and in some cases the City of Durham, to develop strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Staff from all four local governments participated in a presentation to explore financing options for funding small-scale improvement projects for local residents to increase energy efficiency in their homes. Finally, for the past couple of years, the ESAC has provided an opportunity to share information and update other departments on different ongoing programs related to environmental responsibility. Amore comprehensive or umbrella framework may be the next logical step to tie these initiatives into a single coordinated effort. Efforts to streamline County efficiency through departmental reorganization will require some modification to ESAC membership. Once changes are finalized the ESAC can resume its work, and refine the feasibility chart (perhaps this summer) to reflect the Board recommendations from the November work session. -2-