Planning Board Holds Educational Session, Saves County $200

By Ron Fitzwater

Traditionally, the Ashe County Planning Board holds their first meeting in December at a local restaurant, to celebrate the holidays and to host an educational session on current issues.

However, keeping in mind the need to save county funds any way possible, board chair Rick Surber chose to forego the annual meal and hold the session in the courthouse.

The meeting was opened by Surber and, with no old business scheduled for the meeting, the board turned to new business, which for this session consisted of two educational presentations.

First to speak to the board was Brian Crutchfield, director of Sustainable Development for Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation.

"Zach and I were recently talking about different types of green business and green initiatives, and I thought it might be interesting to pass on some information about some things we are planning to do at Blue Ridge Electric, (BRE) under a new program called GreenSmart," Crutchfield said.

The program was designed, according to Crutchfield, to respond to the state mandated North Carolina Renewable and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS).

"Basically, the REPS legislation says 'we want you to reduce the amount of electricity you sell and we want you to replace it with energy conservation programs and renewable energy.'

"In the state of North Carolina, the legislation applies to both the investor-owned utilities like Duke and Progress and Dominion Power and to the 26 electric co-ops and 50-some municipal utilities as well," Crutchfield said.

The Cooperatives and the municipals were required to come up with a 10 percent reduction under the directives of the legislation.

In order to comply, Crutchfield said that BRE had begun a series of initiatives that would incrementally step-down the usage to the 10 percent mark by 2018, including solar set asides that will provide 2,593,767 kilowatts or .20 percent power through solar energy.

Also included are, set asides for energy projects that come from swine and poultry waste resources.

"These are going to be a little tougher to come up with. But, at the same time those types of waste produce methane and methane is a very difficult greenhouse gas to deal with. So with North Carolina being one of the biggest swine and poultry producers there is a lot of waste from those two producers there needs to be programs to deal with the gasses, but the potential for energy that can be produced will be pursued."

Program components that BRE will be putting forward through GreenSmart will include; Compact Fluorescent Light promotions, Power Cost Monitors, Water Heater Energy Efficiency Kits, Low-income Weatherization and promoting Energy Star appliances.

George Santucci, director of the National Committee for the New River, updated the board members on the current state of the New River Watershed and spoke in some detail about the planned Boone water intake project near Todd.

Boone is attempting to place a new water intake based on the claim that the town has nearly reached its maximum ability to provide adequate water to the citizenry. The system is expected to reach 90 percent capacity in 2009. At 90 percent capacity, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources recommends that water providers expand their systems.

Santucci said that currently there is no evidence that the intake will have any adverse effects on Ashe County for water needs and recreation, but that more studies should be conducted.

He strongly encouraged the planning board members to get involved with the situation and get some representation from Ashe County in Boone when they meet to discuss the project.

The Ashe County Planning Board will next meet on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 5:30 p.m. in the third floor small courtroom, in the county courthouse.