Orange County NC Website
101 <br /> TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILE SERVICES <br /> Transportation and Mobile services are the primary contributor of emissions in Orange <br /> County, generating 702,701 MT CO2e and accounting for 43% of the County's total <br /> emissions. Orange County is characterized by its widespread rural communities, where <br /> reliance on cars is significant, leading to a considerable amount of Vehicle Miles Traveled <br /> (VMT)within the County. The emissions produced by gasoline fuel vehicles is 513,127 MT <br /> CO2e, while the emissions produced from diesel vehicles equaled 189,575 MT CO2e. <br /> SOLID WASTE <br /> Emissions resulting from the waste sector are derived from estimated methane production <br /> due to decomposition of solid waste generated in the County. These calculations <br /> incorporate data gathered from the landfill and consider factors such as methane capture <br /> processes. Solid waste disposal contributes to 1%of the total emissions in Orange County, <br /> accounting for 21,350 MT CO2e.12 In 2013, the County landfill, Orange County Regional <br /> Landfill in Chapel Hill, was closed. All subsequent solid waste has been disposed outside <br /> of the County. The methane that is still produced at the County's retired landfill is being <br /> destroyed through a partnership with the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and <br /> the County. Data received from Universities Sustainability Office states that the following <br /> totals of CO2e have been destroyed during fiscal years 2020 and 2021: 25,000 MTCO2e <br /> (2020) and 22,000 MTCO2e (2021). These amounts generally correspond to the EPA 13 and <br /> estimations from ClearPath calculations of landfill gas emitted for the same fiscal years: <br /> 23,940 MTCO2e(Calendar year 2020) and 18,490 MTCO2e(Calendar year 2021). <br /> WATER AND WASTEWATER <br /> The Orange Water and Sewer Authority(OWASA) manages some of the County's potable <br /> water supply and wastewater disposal and supplied all related data.Total emissions from <br /> water and wastewater amount to 12,585 MT CO2e, accounting for 1% of total emissions <br /> across the County. Electricity emissions from potable water processes in Orange County <br /> are 1,763 MT CO2e. Wastewater electricity consumption is 2,446 MT CO2e and natural <br /> gas usage is 196 MT CO2e. Emissions from digester gas consumed 5 MT CO2e. Digester <br /> gas flaring emitted 68 MT CO2e. Nitrogen discharge from water treatment emitted 103 <br /> MT CO2e.Specific to the community inventory are emissions related to household septic <br /> systems which produced 8,004 MT CO2e. <br /> PROCESSES AND FUGITIVE EMISSIONS <br /> Fugitive emissions, which are defined as unintended leaks or releases of gasses during <br /> the transportation or handling of substances like natural gas, contribute less than <br /> one percent to the total emissions of the County, amounting to an equivalent of 5,393 <br /> MT CO2e. These inadvertent emissions can occur at various stages of production, <br /> processing, storage, transmission, and distribution. <br /> 2 Waste management and landfill operations in Orange County were undergoing changes during recent <br /> years,the information used is extrapolated from 2017 data. <br /> 3 https://ghgdata.epa.gov/ghgp/service/facilityDetail/2021?id=1005524&ds=E&et=&popup=true <br /> 10 ORANGE COUNTY, NC • APPENDICES <br />