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BOARD OF ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS (BOCC) <br />GOALS — 2015 UPDATE <br />FOR DISCUSSIONS PURPOSES <br />Priority 1: Conserve high priority natural <br />areas, wildlife habitat, and prime forests. <br />Emergency Services <br />• The EM Division continues to respond to all <br />hazardous materials releases, including <br />hydrocarbons (gasoline, kerosene, diesel) when <br />they are released and have the potential of <br />reaching ground or surface water to ensure a <br />qualified contractor cleans up the spill. <br />• The Fire Marshal Division works closely with <br />the North Carolina Forest Service, North <br />Carolina Wildlife and we strive to educate <br />citizens on proper management of lands to <br />protect county infrastructure from <br />conflagrations through prescribed fires and <br />regulated burning with consideration of air <br />quality initiatives through the Division of Air <br />Quality in North Carolina. <br />Department of Environmental, Agricultural, Parks, <br />and Recreation (DEAPR) <br />• The Soil and Water Conservation District offers <br />many federal and State programs to assist in <br />wildlife habitat protection and creation, and in <br />creating forested areas, especially along stream <br />corridors. <br />• The Commission for the Environment is <br />collaborating with the N.C. Botanical Garden <br />and others to identify and protect significant <br />roadside habitat for native plants (as authorized <br />by BOCC). <br />59 <br />eliminates the need to print paper poll <br />books <br />Emergency Services <br />• Installed seven idle reduction systems for <br />ambulances that will reduce emissions in <br />2015. <br />• The Emergency Management Division has <br />revised and reinvigorated the Local <br />Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) <br />that is responsible for reviewing facility <br />hazardous materials plans and receiving <br />facility reports of the hazardous materials <br />that they store each year. <br />Department of Environmental, Agricultural, <br />Parks, and Recreation (DEAPR) <br />• The County, through its Lands Legacy <br />program, has acquired over 1,000 acres for <br />parks and nature preserves, and protected <br />an additional 2,080 acres of prime <br />farmland and significant natural areas with <br />permanent conservation easements. Other <br />federal and state cost -share programs have <br />been leveraged to this end. Sixty -five <br />percent of the County's 10,234 acres of <br />significant Natural Heritage Areas <br />(identified natural areas and prime forests) <br />have been protected by the County and <br />various conservation organizations, as <br />