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39 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> AREAS OF SUPPORT <br /> County Jail System/Housing State Inmates Reimbursement - Orange <br /> County appreciates past efforts, in particular the establishment <br /> last year of a Statewide Misdemeanor Confinement Program to <br /> provide housing for misdemeanants serving periods of confinement <br /> of more than 90 days and up to 180 days. Orange County does not <br /> participate in the program due to limited space in the ' County <br /> Jail. The Program which houses misdemeanants serving periods of <br /> confinement of more than 90 days and up to 180_ days is working, <br /> with Orange County inmates routinely transferred out of Orange <br /> County to other facilities. The County continues to seek <br /> legislation to protect the fiscal viability of the county jail <br /> system by reinstating a reimbursement rate for state inmates <br /> housed in county jails and increasing the reimbursement rate for <br /> state inmates awaiting post-trail prison transfer. <br /> Agriculture/Solar Energy - Orange County supports renewable <br /> energy initiatives such as House Bill 495/Senate Bill 473 and <br /> Senate Bill 694 to create a market for agricultural-sourced <br /> energy credits. Both provide incentives for farmers to produce <br /> renewable energy, which will become increasingly important to <br /> preserving and strengthening the agricultural economy and rural <br /> infrastructure as well as maintaining Orange County's rural <br /> heritage and culture. The lack of continued effective solar <br /> energy incentives is a lost opportunity for all North <br /> Carolinians, but this is especially true for the agricultural <br /> sector. Farmers use a lot of electrical power and are uniquely <br /> positioned to become energy producers. Every south-facing barn <br /> roof is a candidate for a photo-voltaic (PV) array, and farms <br /> usually have open acreage that can support a stand-alone PV <br /> array. NOTE: These bills were approved on first reading in <br /> their respective chambers in 2011 and sent to committees. No <br /> further action occurred and the bills, therefore, did not <br /> survive crossover and are not eligible for consideration in the <br /> 2012 short session. <br /> Fracking - Orange County supports legislation which provides <br /> local governments some opportunity to regulate and/or have input <br /> on proposed (racking activities, especially as they affect water <br /> resources; allows for public awareness and comment; and allows <br /> local entities to address issues and concerns that are raised_ <br />