Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
9 <br /> OC mayors) went to last one. We are hopeful EDF will keep this initiative <br /> moving. <br /> • Other efforts: Hillsborough invested in a major sewer plant upgrade in 2014 <br /> that in addition to producing some of the cleanest effluent in the nation back <br /> into the Eno, reduced electricity use significantly. <br /> • Implemented a Storm Water utility to mitigate runoff (which seems ever <br /> rising). <br /> • Long time commitment to slowly but surely make Hillsborough more walkable <br /> for all of our neighborhoods. There are enormous financial challenges to this, <br /> not least of which is the state owns most of the roads and funds only a tiny <br /> fraction of bike/ped projects. Small towns often can only get bike lanes (striped, <br /> unprotected) when DOT builds new or improves roads. (The CMAQ grant that <br /> largely funded the last phase of River Walk projected that just that last section <br /> connecting to West Hillsborough/Eno Mountain Rd would have significant <br /> emissions reduction.) <br /> • Several other items, listed <br /> here https://www.hillsboroughnc.gov/qovernment/about-town- <br /> government/environmental-initiatives/ <br /> How might towns and county collaborate? <br /> • Keep environmental justice as a central tenet of all climate change mitigation <br /> and resiliency efforts. <br /> • Sharing information. If one learns of program or funding opportunity, share info <br /> and seek to pair/triple/quadruple with other jurisdictions for projects. For <br /> example, the work Carrboro has done working toward a composting program <br /> could hopefully be shared so that staff in the other municipalities does not have <br /> to repeat everything.. (Seems like eventually county-wide composting would <br /> make more sense than city by city) <br /> • Transportation, always. <br /> • Each jurisdiction might take time to examine any land use regulations that <br /> make it more difficult to move toward lower/zero emissions, share that info with <br /> each other. Especially look for places that county and municipalities may be in <br /> conflict or undermining each other. <br /> • Support system-changing efforts, even though local government is typically <br /> more direct service. For example, the Food Council - all about building <br /> resilient, equitable communities. The scale of climate change requires that <br /> approach. <br />