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4 <br /> 1 WHEREAS, in 2023 Orange County adopted its Climate Action Plan, setting ambitious goals to <br /> 2 transition to clean, renewable energy, mitigate the impacts of climate change and ensure long- <br /> 3 term environmental protection and quality of life; and <br /> 4 <br /> 5 WHEREAS, while the Orange County Board of Commissioners appreciates UNC's efforts to <br /> 6 decrease greenhouse gas emissions and transition away from burning coal, we strongly <br /> 7 encourage a transition to clean, efficient technologies that do not have the potential to impact <br /> 8 human and environmental health; and <br /> 9 <br /> 10 WHEREAS, UNC's cogeneration facility is surrounded by historically Black neighborhoods where <br /> 11 issues of environmental justice are of major and long-standing concern; and <br /> 12 <br /> 13 WHEREAS, these neighborhoods are also home to hundreds of UNC students; and <br /> 14 <br /> 15 WHEREAS, the UNC Hospitals, which treats a constant stream of vulnerable patients, stands <br /> 16 only 3,000 feet away from this facility; and <br /> 17 <br /> 18 WHEREAS, all of these communities would be disproportionately burdened by the release of toxic <br /> 19 substances through the burning of the proposed waste pellets; and <br /> 20 <br /> 21 WHEREAS, UNC's application estimates reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 12 percent but <br /> 22 burning pellets also increases emissions of other harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, <br /> 23 carbon monoxide, lead, and volatile organic compounds (300 percent increase) such as benzene <br /> 24 and formaldehyde; and <br /> 25 <br /> 26 WHEREAS, the engineered pellets with varying and undeterminable amounts of plastic have <br /> 27 been shown to contain per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also called forever chemicals, <br /> 28 a contaminant of emergent and immediate concern, with limited research available relating to air <br /> 29 emission negative health impacts and safe exposure limits; and <br /> 30 <br /> 31 WHEREAS, air emissions are a significant pathway for PFAS to enter the environment, including <br /> 32 local water systems; and <br /> 33 <br /> 34 WHEREAS, the community is already burdened by the presence of PFAS in its major drinking <br /> 35 water supply, as a result of which the water authority, Orange Water and Sewer Authority <br /> 36 (OWASA), is required to fund a costly additional treatment process to remove the compounds <br /> 37 leading to increased consumer rates; and <br /> 38 <br /> 39 WHEREAS, given that PFAS air emissions are not currently regulated by the EPA, it is imperative <br /> 40 for the health and safety of the entire community to wait for research to develop standards and <br /> 41 regulations; and <br /> 42 <br /> 43 WHEREAS, at the public hearing held on January 16, 2025, a great number of people working <br /> 44 and living in Orange County and the surrounding communities expressed their strong concerns <br /> 45 about the negative health and environmental effects of using the pellets and the modest reduction <br /> 46 in greenhouse gases; and <br /> 47 <br /> 48 WHEREAS, protecting the health, safety and welfare of its residents is the Orange County Board <br /> 49 of Commissioners' paramount responsibility; <br /> 50 <br />