Issue link: http://townofcary.uberflip.com/i/791958
CHAPTER 8:SERVE Energy, Sustainability, and Environmental Stewardship As part of our on-going commitment to the environment, the Town of Cary par cipates in solar projects where it makes opera onal and fiscal sense. Renewable energy is a great op on for reducing the environmental impact of opera ons. The Town currently has a 1.89 megawa solar energy farm, funded by a public-private partnership, located at the Town's South Cary Water Reclama on Facility. The solar farm generates electricity that is sent back to the grid. Popula on growth puts development pressure on our natural systems. Higher popula on results in increased energy consump on, increased solid waste, increased traffic, increased air pollu on, increased impervious surface, and fragmenta on of natural habitat. The Town seeks to balance the effects of a growing popula on with efforts to manage, conserve, and innovate on behalf of environmental quality and environmental health. The Town is and will con nue to be a leader in sustainability as these efforts yield benefits in health, safety, fiscal stability, and economic stability. A key sustainability issue is energy. There is a great need for dedicated effort and innova on, both in energy efficiency as well as diversifica on of fuel types. In a concerted effort to reduce energy use, costs, and emissions, the Town adopted an opera onal Strategic Energy Ac on Plan in 2012. The plan has demonstrated efficiencies as well as cost and emissions savings in the Town fleet, buildings, water and wastewater opera ons. The Town was one of the first municipali es in North Carolina to work with Duke Energy Progress to convert our streetlights to energy efficient light emi ng diode (LED) fixtures. Diversifica on of energy sources builds resiliency, and as such the Town has been increasing the number of solar genera on facili es, both public and privately owned, as well as pilo ng alterna ve vehicle technologies like electric vehicles. The Town also provides public electric vehicle charging in several loca ons. Opportuni es exist in Cary to protect and connect exis ng environmentally sensi ve areas. Protec on of these areas would help to maintain their ecological value and serve the community as it evolves over me. Intact natural systems perform mul ple cri cal ecosystem services that have economic value. Watershed stormwater management has proved to be a cost- effec ve adjunct approach in concert with water-treatment technology in keeping drinking water clean. Water sources can become polluted when sediment, fer lizers, pes cides, oil, and other chemicals wash into them from streets, parking lots, and lawns. Providing natural vegetated buffers along the sides of streams and other drinking water sources can be cri cal in reducing the amounts of such pollutants that reach reservoirs, lakes, and watercourses. Cary has the ability to celebrate its agricultural history and support locally produced agriculture while connec ng ci zens with opportuni es to learn about agriculture and food systems. 248