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Commission for the Environment Movember.15, 201 FT Identify any activities this commission expects to carry out in 2017 as they relate to established BOCC goals and priorities. If applicable, is there a fiscal impact (i.e., funding, staff time, other resources) associated with these proposed activities (list). • Continue to write news articles on environmental issues of importance to Orange County, including climate change, energy conservation, and other important topics • Continue to explore ways to improve the County's ability to foster local sustainable energy production and energy efficiency strategies, including making Orange County an even better place for Y .I .IIIT .I .IIIT.,iat .ILy : ,,.:ted solar energy generation, including developing incentives for increasing energy efficiency in new construction • Recommend ways to reduce the County's "carbon footprint" and implement the County's Environmental Responsibility Goal (BOCC Priority #10) • Continue to help with public outreach and management efforts related to hydrilla in the Eno River • Participate in a County effort to identify and preserve important landscape corridors that connect significant natural areas and open space (BOCC Priority #1) • Co- sponsor the annual DEAPR photography contest (The Nature of Orange) • Help plan for and participate in County's annual Earth Evening event What are the concerns or emerging issues your board has identified for the upcoming year that it plans to address, or wishes to bring to the Commissioners' attention? • The CFE will continue to advocate for an expansion of the County's commercial food waste pickup and composting services to reduce food waste in the solid waste stream • The CFE remains interested in developing incentives for increasing energy efficiency in new construction • The CFE will continue to learn more about environmental justice matters and incorporate relevant information and considerations in the next State of the Environment report (2020) and its other activities • The CFE will continue to follow the Solid Waste Advisory Group's discussions of how to improve the handling and disposal of Orange County's solid waste, and will advocate for better long -term solutions • The CFE will continue to advocate for increased efforts to gather information related to water resources in Orange County and to increase public awareness and understanding of water supply sources, related concerns, and what steps can be undertaken to maintain or improve the quantity and quality of Orange County water supply resources • The CFE will continue to address, as appropriate, the critical environmental issues for Orange County as enumerated on page 3 of the 2014 State of the Environment report, which include potential adverse effects from a) invasive, non - native, plant and animal species; b) reductions in State -led collection of water resources data; c) potential drilling for natural gas in the Deep River basin; d) urban sprawl; and CFE support for e) the responsible deployment of clean and appropriately -sited renewable energy and reductions in energy use to help fight climate change 4