AGENDA #7
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TO: |
Mayor and Town Council |
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FROM: |
Council Committee on Sustainability, Energy and Environment Council Members Jim Ward (Chair), Bill Strom and Lauren Easthom |
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SUBJECT: |
NC GreenPower |
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DATE: |
June 11, 2007 |
The attached resolution is a statement of the Chapel Hill Town Council’s support for the NC GreenPower Program. Tonight the Council will hear a presentation from Jeff Brooks, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, NC GreenPower, including a brief description of the NC GreenPower Program and some suggestions about how the Town of Chapel Hill could support the efforts of NC GreenPower.
NC GreenPower is an independent, nonprofit organization established to improve North Carolina’s environment through voluntary contributions toward renewable energy. The initiative was approved by the N.C. Utilities Commission, and is the first statewide green energy program in the nation supported by all the state’s utilities. The program is administered by Advanced Energy, an independent nonprofit corporation located in Raleigh, N.C.
The goal of NC GreenPower is to supplement the state’s existing power supply with more “green” energy in the form of electricity generated from renewable resources like the sun, wind and organic matter. The program accepts financial contributions from North Carolina citizens and businesses to help offset the cost to produce green energy.
Businesses and private citizens who wish to provide financial support to the development and delivery of GreenPower may make a tax-deductible contribution directly to NC GreenPower, or they may make contributions by authorizing an additional charge on their monthly electric bills. NC GreenPower uses these donations to enter into contracts with various green energy producers. In effect, the donations stimulate further research and development in GreenPower technology by buying down the incremental cost of GreenPower production.
Individuals or businesses that elect to participate in the program have several participation options from which to choose. One option is to ask Duke Power to add a monthly $4.00 contribution to NC GreenPower to their electric bill. NC GreenPower also offers the opportunity to become a corporate sponsor at several sponsorship levels including “Champion” - $24,000 or more annual contribution; “Partner” - $9,000 to $23,999 annual contribution; “Supporter” - $3,000 to $8,999 annual contribution; or “Friend” - $1,200 to $2,999 annual contribution. NC GreenPower will also accept one-time contributions in any amount.
For additional information on NC GreenPower, please refer to the attached brochure or visit the NC GreenPower website at www.ncgreenpower.org.
The Council Committee on Sustainability, Energy and Environment has investigated the potential benefits of the NC GreenPower Program, and has met with Jeff Brooks, Marketing and Communications Coordinator for NC GreenPower, to discuss how the Town may participate in NC GreenPower programs. The members of the Council Committee on Sustainability, Energy and Environment are in agreement that the goals and objectives of NC GreenPower are consistent with the Town Council’s goals and objectives for more sustainable community development, reduction of traditional electric power consumption, and a town wide reduction of carbon emissions. We understand that it may not be appropriate for the Town to make direct cash contributions to NC GreenPower, based on the legal opinion of the Town Attorney that there is no basis in law for a North Carolina municipal government to make direct financial contributions to a nonprofit such as NC GreenPower. However, the Town of Chapel Hill may support NC GreenPower in other ways, such as sponsoring public information articles in local news media, adding an NC GreenPower link on the Town Website, and encouraging businesses and citizens of Chapel Hill to make tax-deductible contributions to the NC GreenPower Program. In addition, if there were to be identified some public service that NC GreenPower could provide to the Town and/or residents of the Town that the Town itself is authorized to provide, it might be possible to develop a Performance Agreement between the Town and NC GreenPower, similar to performance agreements the Town has with other non-profits. Under such an agreement, Town funds could be provided to the organization to perform this public service on behalf of the Town.
That the Council adopt the attached resolution in support of NC GreenPower.