Agenda - 04-21-20; 6-b - Climate Action Tax Recommendations for FY 2019-20

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Attachment 1 4 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA February 4, 2020 Climate Action Tax Projects and Scoring Report FY 2019-20 Executive Summary: As part of the FY20 budget,the Board of Orange County Commissioners authorized an additional %cent property tax to provide an estimated $469,272 dedicated to accelerating climate change mitigation through the new Climate Change Mitigation Project in the Capital Investment Plan.This funding adds to the County's ongoing investments in clean technology and will support an expansion of climate change mitigation projects that build on Orange County's long history of sustainable actions. Following the Board's direction,the Orange County Commission for the Environment(CFE) has scored an initial list of climate mitigation projects using a formula that prioritizes social justice and racial equity.The full project scoring table completed by the CFE is included as Appendix A. Based on their ranking,the resulting project recommendations are listed in the following table: Project CFE Rank Cost Estimate Supplemental Weatherization for Low Income Households 1 $150,000 Countywide LED Campaign 2 $19,272 Rooftop solar-OCS 3 $150,000 Rooftop solar-CHCCS 3 $150,000 Total $469,272 Each project would be implemented to maximize project efficiency and minimize impacts on Orange County staff resources: • The weatherization project would focus primarily on providing additional energy efficiency assistance to Orange County residents with manufactured homes and homes already being repaired under existing programs in partnership with the Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition, Orange County Home Preservation Coalition, and Orange County Housing and Community Development. • The LED Campaign would connect with Orange County residents primarily through partnering with the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) of the Department of Social Services as well as the Family Success Alliance and its affiliated non-profits. • The rooftop solar projects for the schools are proposed to work through a grant program to provide the schools with flexibility while preserving the ability of the County to track progress and impact. History of County Sustainability Actions: These projects we propose to fund through the FY20 Climate Action Tax add to a long history of sustainability actions by Orange County. For decades, County staff have been safeguarding taxpayer and environmental resources by outfitting of County buildings with energy efficient technologies such as energy efficient lighting and HVAC systems, low-flow water fixtures, rainwater and greywater harvesting P.O. Box 8181 * Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278 Telephone:919 245-2625 Fax:919-644-3001