Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
9 <br /> HRC Comments: While there is community impact, there is a lack of specific focus on social justice or racial <br /> equity.The HRC appreciated that the applicant actively engaged a minority-owned subcontractor, but the <br /> benefits of lowered utility rates only go to OWASA customers in Southern Orange. <br /> CFE Comments:Overall, excellent application. Full marks were assigned for emissions reduction potential. <br /> It has the largest impact in the county on a per person basis of all applications, albeit mostly indirectly. <br /> OWASA serves just about half of Orange County residents. Clearly,they have a broad reach within the county <br /> and have the opportunity to showcase this project.The proposal lists several methods of informing the public of <br /> the project and its benefits. <br /> The funds are used wisely and efficiently for a public purpose leveraging rebates from Duke Energy, innovative <br /> lease financing partnership with Eagle Solar. OWASA employs 38 Orange County residents and about$31,000 in <br /> various services will be spent in Orange County on this project. OWASA's extensive in-house capability combined <br /> with that of the collaborator is more than sufficient to bring the project to a satisfactory completion. <br /> If notified of funding in January 2021, OWASA could have the solar PV system online by the end of June 2021. <br /> #4 Ranked Project—Tree Planting Program <br /> Applicant (Collaborators):Town of Chapel Hill <br /> Cost Estimate: $40,000 <br /> Recommended Funding Level: $40,000 <br /> Total Score(Out of 25 pts): 18.5 <br /> Project Description: "The requested funds will be used to purchase, plant and maintain 40 large, native trees <br /> principally within two of the Town's census block groups that rank highest in our tree planting suitability <br /> analysis.The criteria for our analysis includes a variety of factors such as the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index <br /> (SVI), existing canopy density, proximity to transit stops,transit use, proximity to affordable housing, and <br /> affordable housing vulnerability to extreme heat." <br /> "Recently, we completed a tree planting project across five of our public housing neighborhoods. Residents <br /> informed Town staff that the new trees had a positive visual impact and made them feel like the Town cared <br /> about their community. We are building on this experience to expand the tree planting program to other areas <br /> of Town that scored well in our tree suitability analysis." <br /> "We have not been able to identify a dedicated revenue source to grow this program. Most internal funding has <br /> been for tree replacement rather than planting new trees. We have received donations and other grant funding, <br /> but those funds have now been spent and the projects are complete." <br /> Project Benefits: "The 40 large trees are estimated to sequester 2.42 metric tons of COze every 10 years and <br /> 19.36 metric tons of COze over 80 years....In this case, we have used Census block data as a proxy for the [5,852] <br /> direct beneficiaries.The[se] numbers above are derived from the two highest ranking Census blocks from our <br /> tree suitability analysis. We recognize that all residents can benefit indirectly, and that beneficiaries span <br /> beyond the proxy area used... Other Unit of Impact: ... temperature regulation, reduced urban heat island, <br />