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State of the Environment - 2002
<br /> Orange County, NC ATTACHMENT # 2
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<br /> Issues and R
<br /> As with the 2000 Orange County State of the Environment report, the primary purpose of this report is to identify the
<br /> main environmental issues within the County and to make specific recommendations to the Orange County Board of
<br /> Commissioners on how to further our protection efforts . Orange County is a wonderful place to live and work, but it is
<br /> at a pivotal point in its evolution . Decisions made in the next several years may determine whether the quality of life
<br /> within the County is enhanced or greatly decreased . The natural environment , which is directly linked to our quality
<br /> of life , is susceptible to serious degradation from the steady , long- term conversion of natural land to urban and subur-
<br /> ban infrastructure . In a recent study , Orange County ( along with five other Triangle counties ) was ranked as the third
<br /> most sprawling metropolitan area in .the nation . A study by Reid Ewing of Rutgers University and Rolf Pendall of
<br /> Cornell University found that sprawling development is linked to increased levels of ozone pollution and increased
<br /> le Orange has been foremost among the region ' s counties in working to discourage sprawl ,
<br /> consumption of land . Wh
<br /> decision- makers and the public need a clear understanding of the environmental consequences of sprawl and of the
<br /> strategies that will serve to protect our water , air and biological resources in the context of rapid growth .
<br /> The Orange County Commission for the Environment (CfE) and the Orange County Environment and Resource Con-
<br /> servation Department (ERCD) have created this report to provide a clear analysis of the current status of the County ' s
<br /> natural environment and to make recommendations that will help the County create and implement environmental
<br /> policies to effectively address these issues . One new addition this year is the inclusion of environmental indicators .
<br /> The report uses widely accepted , measurable "indicators " to reveal the status and trends in the County ' s environmental
<br /> conditions and their impacts on human health and natural resources . The indicators also help identify where additional
<br /> research , monitoring , and information are needed .
<br /> The indicators are grouped into three different categories representing each of the main groups of natural resources :
<br /> air, biological resources , and water . Each category of indicators is addressed by a separate committee within the Com-
<br /> mission for the Environment ( along with a fourth committee on Environmental Education) . In developing the report ,
<br /> each committee identified the most representative set of indicators available for each natural resource , analyzed exist-
<br /> ing data and trends , and developed recommendations for the Board of Commissioners ' consideration . The issues and
<br /> recommendations presented below represent the most pressing environmental concerns that came out of this analysis .
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