Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: September 5, 2017 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 4-c <br /> SUBJECT: Proposed Resolution In Support of a Local, State, and National Goal of 100% <br /> Clean Energy By 2050 and the Creation of Green Jobs <br /> DEPARTMENT: Board of County <br /> Commissioners <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Proposed Resolution from the Orange David Stancil, 919-245-2510 <br /> County Commission for the Jeff Thompson, 919-245-2658 <br /> Environment Brennan Bouma, 919-245-2625 <br /> PURPOSE: To consider adoption of a resolution to create a goal to transition to a 100% <br /> renewable energy based economy by 2050. <br /> BACKGROUND: In April 2017, on behalf of the North Carolina Climate Solutions Coalition <br /> (NCCSC), a group of Orange County residents contacted Commissioner Renee Price to request <br /> that the Orange County Board of Commissioners consider the adoption of a resolution stating a <br /> commitment to transition to a 100% renewable energy based economy by 2050. <br /> According to the NCCSC website, similar resolutions have been adopted in 10 other local <br /> governments across North Carolina. The core scientific framework of this initiative was laid out <br /> in a Stanford University and University of California-Berkeley study which concludes that the US <br /> energy supply move to 100% renewable energy by the year 2050 using current technologies <br /> while creating green jobs and promoting economic development. <br /> The draft resolution prepared by the NCCSC was referred to the Department of Environment, <br /> Agriculture, Parks and Recreation as well as the Commission for the Environment (CFE) for <br /> review. Over the course of two monthly meetings in May and June, the CFE interviewed the <br /> residents and reviewed the draft resolution and background. After review and discussion, the <br /> CFE amended the original draft resolution to clarify that it applies to Orange County as well as <br /> to the state and the nation. The edited resolution was satisfactory to the residents who brought <br /> it forward. <br /> Based on the potential environmental and economic benefits related to transitioning to <br /> renewable energy, the CFE now recommends the adoption of this resolution by the Board of <br /> Orange County Commissioners. <br />