Community Election Resource Page

Election Day is November 2nd, 2021

Want to vote for a candidate that represents your values? To help you make an informed decision, Toward Zero Waste has asked candidates, running in the November 2021 elections, to answer a few environment-related questions. We emailed the questionnaire to 60 candidates filed to run in 18 Triangle-area November municipal elections. Click on your municipality to see if any of your municipality’s candidates provided answers. If you don’t see answers, please reach out directly to the candidates themselves and/or attend a candidate town hall in your area.

Please note that Toward Zero Waste is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which cannot endorse any candidate. This information provided is the unedited responses we received to our questionnaire from the candidates for whom we were able to find contact information for and subsequently responded. There may be additional candidates running so please check the NC Board of Elections website for all of the details regarding your local election.

Directory

Angier | Apex | Carrboro | Chapel Hill | Durham | Fuquay-Varina | Garner | Goldston | Hillsborough | Holly Springs | Knightdale | Mebane | Morrisville | Pittsboro | Rolesville | Wake Forest | Wendell | Zebulon

Angier

Apex

1. Do you believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate change? What role, if any, do local governments play to protect the environment and its citizens from climate change?

Yes. Local governments can switch to renewable energy and encourage the same through encouraging use of renewable energy through utilities. We have made it easier to use solar and made it more financial feasible, becoming a SolSmart Gold city in the last several years.

2. Have you read the most recent IPCC report (summary)? If so, what was your biggest takeaway?

Yes. Although I don’t have scientific training in this respect, the data is very clear. Our world is getting warmer, our CO2 levels are increasing, and we need to work together globally to decrease the rise of both or humanity will have catastrophic changes worldwide.

3. Are you familiar with your municipality’s Waste Management Plan? Please share one way that the plan is handling/encouraging landfill diversion. Please share areas of opportunity for improvement of the plan.

We have a program to pick up yard waste that is diverted to a different place especially for that. We have a recycling program as well. We hired a sustainability manager in the last couple of years to help us meet our renewable energy goals. I believe education is key. The more information we can put out to encourage people to reduce, reuse, and recycle, the better.

4. Where is the environment on your list of priorities? Please include a link to the webpage or other documentation of your policy priorities.

The environment is one of my top 3. https://friendsofaudra.com/policyandinitiatives/

5. Have you supported pro-environment legislation at the state or national level? Would you, if elective, support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 (NC HB230), U.S. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (HR 2238), and COMPOST Act (S 2388)?

Yes, I’ve encouraged our state and national level elected officials to work to protect our environment. Climate change is one of our biggest threats to civilization and whatever we can do at each level of government to reduce the temperature rise and CO2 emissions will help.

6. What are your thoughts on the Dillon Rule limiting what the city can do? How can municipalities encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon capturing behaviors among private and business citizens?

I’m very frustrated by this rule in NC. And it seems like the more we try to protect our environment, the more the current GOP-led state government tries to take away our ability to do so. I believe we can simply ask our local businesses to start with. Maybe it hasn’t been on their radar. Possibly an education program or tax/fee reduction to participate in these programs.

7. Do you support curbside composting as a public utility in Apex?

I believe Wake County has such a program that is already of use in Apex. We could possibly partner with them if they could use the help.

8. What are your thoughts on the recycling crisis? How do you see the Apex addressing this issue?

We need to build more recycling facilities here in the US instead of shipping them overseas to be broken down and reused. We have barely had a surface conversation about this. I think this is something we need to discuss more at the local level.

9. What role do you feel Apex can play in addressing plastic pollution? Do you support a plastic bag fee or ban?

I believe an education program is where we can start, especially with our businesses, then our population. I would support a plastic bag fee. Some places like Lidl and Aldi already do this, which encourages people not to use bagging at all, or to use a reusable bag.

  1. Do you believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate change? What role, if any, do local governments play to protect the environment and its citizens from climate change?

Yes. As a someone with a PhD in Atmospheric Science, I’m in agreement with nearly all of my colleagues that humans are contributing to climate change. In Apex, we’ve tried to do our small part in addressing this by expanding public transit, installing solar panels on nearly all Town buildings, and committing to the goal of having 100% clean energy by 2050 and 85% by 2035. We’ve also tried to mitigate the future impacts of climate change by reducing the allowable residential density in the western part of Apex near Jordan Lake and by strengthening our stormwater requirements in the Beaver Creek watershed.

2. Have you read the most recent IPCC report (Summary for Policymakers)? If so, what was your biggest takeaway?

I’ve closely followed the IPCC reports since I started graduate school at NCSU, and my biggest takeaway from the recent report is that the scientific certainty has substantially increased and the warnings have become more dire. This is very concerning to me as a scientist because I was taught to be very careful about describing my level of confidence and in making predictions. On a happier note, a fun fact about me is that my 2011 article was referenced in Clouds and Aerosols chapter of the previous IPCC report (https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/WG1AR5_Chapter07_FINAL-1.pdf).

3. Are you familiar with your municipality’s Waste Management Plan? Please share one way that the plan is handling/encouraging landfill diversion. Please share areas of opportunity for improvement of the plan.

Yes, and one thing that Apex is doing differently than other municipalities is continuing our recycling program despite substantial increases in prices due to changes in the Chinese market for recycled material. If re-elected, I’ll prioritize the evaluation and possible creation of a Town-wide composting program.

4. Where is the environment on your list of priorities? Please include a link to the webpage or other documentation of your policy priorities.

Environmental protection is part of the motivation for each of my three main priorities: 1) thoughtful growth, 2) improving walkability, and 3) enhancing Downtown Apex. More information on these priorities can be found at www.GanttForApex.com.

5. Have you supported pro-environment legislation at the state or national level? Would you, if elected, support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 (NC HB230), U.S. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (HR 2238), and COMPOST Act (S 2388)?

Yes, especially State and Federal legislation around air quality and climate change. In particular, I believe that a carbon dividend which puts a price on carbon and returns the money to taxpayers would be a great way to encourage free-market innovation while not burdening the people least able to pay higher prices for electricity or gasoline. Whenever I’ve had the opportunity as an elected official to communicate with our State and Federal representatives, I’ve advocated for legislation that would strengthen Apex’s authority to better protect our environment.

6. What are your thoughts on the Dillon Rule limiting what the city can do? How can municipalities encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon capturing behaviors among private and business citizens?

I believe that local government best understands the needs of its residents, and the Dillon Rule limits that local self-governance in North Carolina. There are many policies that I would love to implement here in Apex that are not allowed due to the Dillon Rule. Although municipalities have limited influence on the environmental behaviors of our residents and businesses, one thing that Apex has done is establish an Environmental Stewardship Award (https://apexeconomicdevelopment.org/1336/Environmental-Stewardship-Award) which encourages all citizens, whether residential or non-residential, to be good stewards of our natural environment.

7. Do you support curbside composting as a public utility in Apex?

Yes, although I think an evaluation of the costs and effectiveness of curbside composting in other municipalities is needed first.

8. What are your thoughts on the recycling crisis? How do you see Apex addressing this issue?

The recycling crisis has shown us that the recycling industry is not sustainable, and that reducing waste overall needs to be part of the solution. In Apex, we’ve established an Environmental Advisory Board (https://www.apexnc.org/1348/Environmental-Advisory-Board) with duties including 1) supporting the Town’s efforts to reduce waste and 2) providing a venue for community feedback on environmental issues such as recycling.

9. What role do you feel Apex can play in addressing plastic pollution? Do you support a plastic bag fee or ban?

I believe that Apex’s authority on this issue is limited, but I would support the Town’s participation in any county-wide effort to reduce plastic pollution.

Carrboro

  1. Do you believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate change? What role, if any, do local governments play to protect the environment and its citizens from climate change? 

Yes, the science is clear that human activities are a major contributor to global climate change. Local governments should adopt and implement policies and plans that reduce per capita greenhouse gas emissions. In Carrboro, these efforts include implementation of the town’s climate action plans. We are making capital improvements to address local effects of climate change, such as energy efficiency upgrades to town facilities. This year, we adopted a definition for “net zero” buildings by agreeing that new and renovated town buildings will be evaluated in terms of their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. We are also developing the Carrboro Connects comprehensive plan, which should include updates to land use policies to promote more compact, walkable, transit-oriented development with less environmental impact. I have long advocated for a comprehensive plan, and I’m glad the town is now reviewing a preliminary draft. Finally, we should work with other jurisdictions to advocate for changes in state and federal laws and policies, collaborate in joint efforts to achieve greater impact, and set an example for other communities. Much of the work we would like to do—to address everything from climate change to affordable housing—is blocked at the state level by regressive lawmaking and excessive preemption of local authority. Carrboro should be a leader in driving a statewide progressive agenda on these and other issues.

2. Have you read the most recent IPCC report (summary)? If so, what was your biggest takeaway? (Summary for Policymakers) 

Yes. Most of the warming over the past several decades is attributable to human activities, and this warming is changing the climate and having impacts that will last for centuries.

3. Are you familiar with your municipality’s Waste Management Plan? Please share one way that the plan is handling/encouraging landfill diversion. Please share areas of opportunity for improvement of the plan. 

Orange County has made significant progress in removing recyclables from the waste stream. Through Carrboro’s Community Climate Action Plan, we are looking to make progress in other ways too. Staff is leading these efforts. A few examples include composting programs in the first phase of our Green Neighborhood Initiative and educational events to promote the benefits of composting. We are also exploring a neighborhood-level pilot test to reduce the frequency of garbage collection. This effort will reduce the town’s carbon emissions by reducing the use of our garbage trucks. Finally, the county’s Solid Waste Advisory Group should explore options for ending the transfer of our waste to other communities. This is an environmental justice issue, and we need to show greater leadership in dealing with our own waste rather than sending it to less affluent communities.

4. Where is the environment on your list of priorities? Please include a link to the webpage or other documentation of your policy priorities.

It is high on the list, because it is inextricable from my broader emphasis on developing and implementing a comprehensive plan that promotes smarter land use. I have been a strong advocate for adopting and implementing a comprehensive plan that includes updates to our zoning and land use policies and plans to promote more compact, walkable, transit-oriented development. This mode of development is the best approach to promoting livability, affordability, and environmental sustainability.

5. Have you supported pro-environment legislation at the state or national level? Would you, if elective, support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 (NC HB230), U.S. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (HR 2238), and COMPOST Act (S 2388)?

Yes, I support pro-environment legislation at the state and national levels, including the legislation mentioned. I have also led at the local level in supporting state legislation to assist us in our environmental goals. For example, in my first year in office, I led a response to legislation in the North Carolina General Assembly that threatened local environmental rules, resulting in new protections for Carrboro’s stream buffers and tree canopy. I worked closely with staff to identify good opportunities for updating the land use ordinance, and I advocated for these changes with my colleagues as a strategy for protecting the town from the General Assembly’s attacks on sensible local regulations.

6. What are your thoughts on the Dillon Rule limiting what the city can do? How can municipalities encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon capturing behaviors among private and business citizens? 

State preemption of local authority on a wide range of issues is a major obstacle for communities like Carrboro in advancing a progressive agenda. We can incentivize smarter land use and development by using our zoning authority to make certain types of development easier than those that have greater negative impacts on the environment. We can work with the county to make it easier for residents and businesses in better waste diversion practices, such as composting. And we can work with other jurisdictions to more effectively advocate for better environmental policy making at the state level.

1. Do you believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate change? What role, if any, do local governments play to protect the environment and its citizens from climate change?

Humans are a contributing factor to climate change. We account for most of the greenhouse gas emissions in the world. Local governments play a key role by educating community on climate change/environmental justice and by leading the way on the mitigation efforts. It is important to interweave climate resiliency into our everyday lives and at the local government level. We can also find shared solutions to mitigate climate change and address other community needs like affordable housing and transit.

2. Have you read the most recent IPCC report (summary)? If so, what was your biggest takeaway?

The biggest takeaway is that humans are still contributing to climate change at a high rate and will continue to do so into the 21st century. Global warming, decreased snow cover and increased precipitation have also been observed as well as higher temperatures and higher precipitation levels. We need to act now to address climate change as the window is closing and there is little time left to act.

3. Are you familiar with your municipality’s Waste Management Plan? Please share one way that the plan is handling/encouraging landfill diversion. Please share areas of opportunity for improvement of the plan.

I am familiar with the waste management plan for the Town of Carrboro. We also adopted a Toward Zero Waste Resolution back in 2002 in an attempt to eliminate waste and pollution and to come up with strategies to that end. One way is through recycling within the town and the use of recycled materials.

4. Where is the environment on your list of priorities? Please include a link to the webpage or other documentation of your policy priorities.

I recognize the urgency of taking actions to address climate change. We must interweave climate change mitigation into all of our solutions. Globally, we’ve seen the dire impacts of climate change and we need to act urgently to create policies and take actions to reduce energy usage, conserve water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As I set policy and make decisions, I consider the environmental implications of every choice.

5. Have you supported pro-environment legislation at the state or national level? Would you, if elective, support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 (NC HB230), U.S. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (HR 2238), and COMPOST Act (S 2388)?
Yes

6. What are your thoughts on the Dillon Rule limiting what the city can do? How can municipalities encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon capturing behaviors among private and business citizens?

I am concerned about the Dillon Rule. It is another instance of the state stripping town councils of their power to carry out their residents’ priorities. Municipalities can continue to educate community on the value of climate change mitigation and waste reduction and diversion. We can also interweave the value of these important issues into our policies and practices as well as incentivize new businesses that are making environmentally-sound choices to reduce their environmental footprint.

  1. Do you believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate change? What role, if any, do local governments play to protect the environment and its citizens from climate change?

Yes, absolutely, without a doubt the cause of the climate crisis is anthropogenic. We need to take responsibility for what humanity has caused. Local government, within our capacity, can be the thought leader, frame and set the policy and as a primary influencer, model the way from policy to community action. Environmental protection depends on understanding the importance of actively engaging and supporting the needs of the ecosystem to exist. In Carrboro we have the Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) and education outreach modules.  As a science, climate and environmental educator, a member of the Town of Carrboro Council and liaison to the Environmental Advisory Board and the Community Climate Action Plan (CCCAP) Task Force, I have worked to implement the CCCAP through the aligned educational outreach modules: I was the architect and curriculum content planner, I co-constructed the presentations with community module model builders. The goal is to engage and promote neighborhood awareness, action and advocacy. The current library of Carrboro Community Climate Action education outreach modules consist of:

    • Emissions: Transportation
    • Energy Efficiency (including Solarization and Weatherization)
    • Ecosystem Preservation and Protection
    • Food Footprint and Emissions
    • Composting: Community and Neighborhood
    • In development: Stormwater and Repurposing Stuff

2. Have you read the most recent IPCC report (summary)? If so, what was your biggest takeaway? Summary for Policymakers

Yes, I have read the plan. I trained at the Climate Reality Project in Atlanta in 2019 and mentored trainees July 2021. I co-founded the Climate Reality Project Orange County, NC Chapter. My biggest takeaway is the horrific realization that certain changes that have occurred are irreversible. Antarctic and Arctic and permafrost ice melt and its acceleration, rising sea-levels, are critical to the health of the ocean ecosystems, global ocean and air currents. Back in the 1990’s I wrote Oceanography and Barrier Island curriculum under the mentorship of Dr. Orrin Pilkey. The data on barrier island migration then showed the effect of sea level rise. As a science educator, the reason this is a primary takeaway is that it forces us to recognize that, for plantary survival, all of the other factors that MUST be modeled and changed.

  1. Are you familiar with your municipality’s Waste Management Plan? Please share one way that the plan is handling/encouraging landfill diversion. Please share areas of opportunity for improvement of the plan.

In 1987, I authored a “Garbology: Solid Waste Management” curriculum®  to educate teachers and community about waste diversion. In 1990-92, I servesd on the NC Recycling Association Board. I have served as a Town of Carrboro liaison to the Orange County Solid Waste Advisory Board for over a dozen years. Orange County has a robust solid waste diversion program and convenience centers in place that includes and is not limited to salvage and re-purposing “stuff”.  Our award winning recycling programs have yielded about 64% waste diversion. This is an outstanding community dedication to the values and commitment to waste diversion.

Improvement?  Orange County still needs to address our own waste.

Orange County no longer has a landfill. Our waste is transported to a Durham transfer station. This is morally wrong. We must work regionally to address the waste that we cannot reduce, reuse, recycle, or re-purpose.

https://www.orangecountync.gov/795/Solid-Waste-Management?fbclid=IwAR2j15EiuUL-5eu04Y_k0z1jkHggXqTKjmoTU2CdaGBUurL0MZbzzJKi1MA

  1. Where is the environment on your list of priorities? Please include a link to the webpage or other documentation of your policy priorities.
  • Advocate the complete transition to renewable, regenerative energy, solar and wind, electrification, transitioning from all fossil fuel vehicles to EV vehicles.
  • Educational outreach and community engagement in climate action implementation. Reduce the food emissions footprint, composting, gardening.
  • Energy efficiency, weatherization, investing in renewable energy localization. Localization of solar, geothermal and wind power and the development of local energy microgrids and microgrid neighborhood link-sharing based on renewable, regenerative energy.
  • Envisioning Communitized Solar- I have coordinated discussions on the potential opportunities with solar contractors such as Eagle Solar and Light, for example, to formulate potential “out of the box” pilot programs to test the viability of communitized solar linking households to arrays in parks and open space in anticipation of microgrid localized, compact recirculation of solar energy.
  • Envisioning Microgrid Networked Energy Localization – I support and will advocate the localization of solar, geothermal and wind power in the development of local energy microgrids and microgrid neighborhood link-sharing based on renewable, regenerative energy. I will continue the work I have done and presently do to address the climate red alert priority and its existential challenge.

https://www.randeehavenodonnell.org/

  1. Have you supported pro-environment legislation at the state or national level? Would you, if elective, support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 (NC HB230), U.S. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (HR 2238), and COMPOST Act (S 2388)?

Yes, always. I am also a member of the NC Department of Environmental Quality Secretary’s Equity and Justice Advisory Board.  Please see my resume. I have also authored the Town of Carrboro local municipal legislation in support of coastal communities in Opposition to Off-Shore Drilling: https://usa.oceana.org/sites/default/files/carrboro_nc.pdf

  1. What are your thoughts on the Dillon Rule limiting what the city can do? How can municipalities encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon capturing behaviors among private and business citizens?

Dillon’s Rule is harmful to NC municipal governments as we are constrained by what the State of NC expressly grants . The goal of an elected representative is to improve the quality of living of the people they serve. Dillon’s Rule is an obstacle to enact the interests of community and the work of the participatory governance in which they engage. In Carrboro and Orange County we continue to explore and investigate ways to divert waste, expand carbon capture and incentivize private and business waste reduction. We are working expanding the solid waste programming (to include and it is not limited to) neighborhood and community-wide composting, reducing waste pick-up to bi-weekly.

Chapel Hill

  1. Do you believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate change? What role, if any, do local governments play to protect the environment and its citizens from climate change?

Yes, I do believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate. Cities and towns need to do everything they can to protect the environment and our citizens.  We can do this in several ways:

    • Taking action where we have authority to do so including making changes to town operations and updating town policies and ordinances
    • Motivating our enDo tire community to take action and make changes
    • Advocating at the state and federal level for policies and funding that support our goals
    • Committing necessary funds and applying a climate lens to everything we do
    • Keeping track of progress

As we do this work, we need to be focused on actions that will have the greatest impact so that we reach our carbon reduction goals as quickly as possible.

2. Have you read the most recent IPCC report (summary)? If so, what was your biggest takeaway? Summary for Policymakers

My biggest take-aways is:

We need to take bold actions now and move our timelines up.

3. Are you familiar with your municipality’s Waste Management Plan? Please share one way that the plan is handling/encouraging landfill diversion. Please share areas of opportunity for improvement of the plan.

Yes, I have been serving on the Orange County Solid Waste Advisory Group (SWAG) and am familiar with Waste Management Plans.  Over the past several years, one way the county has been working to reduce waste going to the landfill is through our composting program.  The county staff has worked closely with local groceries and markets as well as restaurants and the schools.  Just prior to the pandemic, we were ready to roll out a curbside materials recycling program which should get underway soon.

Other changes I’d like to see us make include:

    • Switching to recyclable products for all meetings and events – following the lead of Chapel Hill’s Cultural Arts Department’s zero waste policy
    • Making it easier for people to compost
    • Making garbage collection more expensive for overusers, following the example of other countries where people pay a base rate for a first bin and higher for additional bins.

4. Where is the environment on your list of priorities? Please include a link to the webpage or other documentation of your policy priorities.

 https://www.pamhemminger.org/events-1

5. Have you supported pro-environment legislation at the state or national level? Would you, if elective, support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 (NC HB230), U.S. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (HR 2238), and COMPOST Act (S 2388)?

Yes.  Over the past 30+ years I have been an advocate for the environment and have held positions at the local, regional and state level – including serving as Chair for the Orange-Chatham Sierra Club, Vice Chair of the Triangle Land Conservancy, Chair for the Upper Neuse River Basin Authority and founder of Jordan Lake One Water (JLOW).

I am a member of the Climate Mayors, US Conference of Mayors and North Carolina Metro Mayors organizations and have added my name to numerous efforts to encourage better policies and more funding at the national level.  Examples include:

I have been a strong proponent for waste reduction and of keeping plastics and other pollutants out of our waterways.  I would support legislation to reduce single use plastics, increase composting and other efforts that would help us meet these aims.

6. What are your thoughts on the Dillon Rule limiting what the city can do? How can municipalities encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon capturing behaviors among private and business citizens?

Being a Dillon Rule state makes it very difficult for cities and towns to move forward in the ways we need to in order to protect the environment and address climate change.  For example, while we are currently considering adopting stronger stormwater management standards, the General Assembly is negotiating a set of policies in their budget that would limit our authority over stormwater to state levels.  A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work and each municipality needs the ability to adopt ordinances that best suit their needs.
Our community has a steady 61% recycle rate on average.  We are working to increase that by partnering more with multifamily units and our k-12 schools.

We are also increasing composting options in the community for both residents and restaurants – free for some to start and then encouragement after that.  The restaurants have noticed a drop in their waste fee so they are liking the composting program.   This also reduces the waste stream.

We also work with materials recycling and education programs.  We have given out notices when we see recycling materials in the waste stream, we tag the truck from where it came and go back and notice to the bins – cities could start charging for this and for pay as you go trash which would encourage more recycling!

We have also been encouraging our businesses and giving shout outs to those who use compostable products – it has started to catch on in take away orders!

  1. Do you believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate change? What role, if any, do local governments play to protect the environment and its citizens from climate change?

There is no doubt that we are now in the midst of a climate crisis. We must take urgent action locally, regionally, nationally, and globally to address the rapid change that is causing severe and lasting damage to the planet. This will require phasing out fossil fuels and, as rapidly as possible, ending GHG emissions. At the same time, we need to conserve and restore our ecosystems and mitigate the impacts of the change that has already occurred on our community, especially those most vulnerable. I am proud that the current Town Council has mobilized around this central existential issue. On September 25, 2019, the Council adopted a resolution to be a 100% clean, renewable energy community by 2050, with a 50% reduction by 2030. We have begun work on a Climate Action and Response Plan (CARP) to chart our path to achieving that goal.

We have already begun taking actions to address the top two GHG sources – buildings and cars. We are reducing the carbon footprint of our Town buildings by increasing energy efficiency. Such actions will not only reduce carbon emissions but will also result in cost savings for the town. We have begun composting in Town buildings and other energy efficient practices in the workplace. We will also continue the program of using LED bulbs when Town streetlights require replacement. The Town also has an important role to play in educating and mobilizing the community around investing in energy efficiency. We can do more to promote private investment in rooftop solar in Chapel Hill. We can also use the Town’s zoning authority and conditional zoning process to continue to require private development to exceed current ASHRAE energy and air quality standards. Moving forward, we must continue to invest in planning for the BRT, transitioning the Town’s fleet to electric, including the addition of electric buses, as funding allows.

2. Have you read the most recent IPCC report (summary)? If so, what was your biggest takeaway?

Yes. The speed at which change is happening has accelerated at an alarming rate, which has serious implications at every level of government in regard to how we prioritize and fund our resiliency and response efforts. We must act with increased urgency.

3. Are you familiar with your municipality’s Waste Management Plan? Please share one way that the plan is handling/encouraging landfill diversion. Please share areas of opportunity for improvement of the plan.

Yes. I represent the Town on the County Solid Waste Advisory Group (SWAG) so have played a role in guiding the plan and advising staff. Encouraging landfill diversion has been a top priority for the county, with a goal of 80% (near zero) diversion. Composting and textile collection are two of the new approaches being explored towards meeting that goal.

4. Where is the environment on your list of priorities? Please include a link to the webpage or other documentation of your policy priorities.

Here is a link to my platform: https://stegman4chapelhill.com/platform which reflects that climate response and environmental protection are among my top priorities, including establishing new policies, incentives, regulations and partnerships that impact our two largest greenhouse gas emissions sectors – buildings and transportation, and updating the Town’s stormwater management regulations to ensure use of state-of-the-art methods, including green stormwater infrastructure, low-impact design, and other flood protection technology.

 5. Have you supported pro-environment legislation at the state or national level? Would you, if elective, support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 (NC HB230), U.S. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (HR 2238), and COMPOST Act (S 2388)?

Yes, I support these and similar past bills at the state and national levels. The Town Council routinely passes resolutions to show our support for state action on bills that would positively impact environment and waste management practices and also participate in advocacy to prevent the passage of bills that would hinder our ability to regulate at the local level tree canopy, stormwater management and the like. It is especially infuriating to me that we are prohibited as a community to ban or regulate use of plastics, especially plastic bags, that are so harmful to our natural environment and fill up landfills.

6. What are your thoughts on the Dillon Rule limiting what the city can do? How can municipalities encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon capturing behaviors among private and business citizens?

It is often quite frustrating to be a Dillon’s Rule state. Given the serious limitations of what we can do at the local level, we must also prioritize collaboration with neighboring jurisdictions and aggressive advocacy to get more help from the State level. Because we are limited in what we can require, incentives are important. For example, the SWAG has asked staff to explore bringing the Durham restaurant reusable takeout packaging service, Green to Go, to Orange County, which would provide community members a low-cost option for avoiding the large amounts of waste associated with take-out meals, without adding costs to our already struggling local restaurants.

Additionally, as stated above, transportation is now the leading source of GHGs in the US. It is even more important for us to maximize use of the tools we do have at our disposal, including comprehensive and sustainable land use planning that can address equity, smart growth, connectivity, and climate change mitigation and prioritize transit-oriented and infill development to prevent sprawl and protect the rural buffer.

  1. Do you believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate change? What role, if any, do local governments play to protect the environment and its citizens from climate change?
Humans contribute greatly to climate change.  Agricultural waste (methane gas), automobile waste (carbon emissions),  construction run off (tree cutting, topsoil wash off, erosion, and other industrial waste), are just some of the issues, brought on by us humans.
Local governments need to increase the number of electric busses, improve public transportation in general to make the routes more frequent and accessible for all days of the week, and year round.
Local governments can demand that new developments have more surfaces, minimal to no tree-cutting/clearing, and other green infrastructure in place.
Local governments must incentivize businesses and communities that participate in zero-waste programs, as well as those that don’t use plastic bags or styrofoam containers for food service.  Other practices to incentivize include, but not limited to recycling cooking oil for biodiesel manufacture, using reusable food take-out containers, and recycling metal, glass, and paper.
2. Have you read the most recent IPCC report (summary)? If so, what was your biggest takeaway? Summary for Policymakers
I have read the most recent IPCC report and my take away is that we are in a climate crisis on planet Earth. The new and stronger evidence shows that most of the global warming observed over the last 50 years is brought on by human activities. Furthermore, human activities will continue to change the atmospheric composition throughout the 21st century.
3. Are you familiar with your municipality’s Waste Management Plan? Please share one way that the plan is handling/encouraging landfill diversion. Please share areas of opportunity for improvement of the plan.
I am familiar with my municipality’s Waste Management Plan.  There is a good system of solid waste sorting, (recycle, reuse (swap shop), and send to landfill.  The one area that needs improvement is providing more recycling bins in public places.  When there are just trash cans, all the recyclables go to the landfill.
4. Where is the environment on your list of priorities? Please include a link to the webpage or other documentation of your policy priorities.
The environment as a priority informs all my policy platforms. There is a connection between racial justice and environmental stewardship.  The marginalized communities in my area are hard hit with flooding, heatwaves, and other symptoms of global warming.  I believe that developments that don’t plan on a green infrastructure  do further damage to the earth’s atmosphere, by contributing to the global warming, floods, and more precipitations. www.voteforvimala.com
5. Have you supported pro-environment legislation at the state or national level? Would you, if elective, support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 (NC HB230), U.S. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (HR 2238), and COMPOST Act (S 2388)?
I have not advocated for pro-environment legislation, until now.  If elected, I will support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 and US Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act and Compost Act. These are areas where my personal and professional activities make a big difference and change.  No doubt I will work on policy change when I am in elected office.
6. What are your thoughts on the Dillon Rule limiting what the city can do? How can municipalities encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon capturing behaviors among private and business citizens?
Sometimes it seems like the local municipalities don’t exercise enough responsibility to incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion and help reduce carbon emissions among private and corporate citizens using the Dillon Rule as an excuse.  Since North Carolina is neither a Dillon Rule State nor a Home Rule State, I am convinced that the local government overlooks the need to impact climate change in banning plastic and styrofoam, for example, saying that the State Legislature would not let them.  Advocacy and  direct action are needed to impact change.

Durham

  1. Do you believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate change? What role, if any, do local governments play to protect the environment and its citizens from climate change?

When the Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus His Son created the Heavens and the earth the ecosystem was in perfect balance. The more industrialized the world became the more pollutants and contaminated products were released to disturb the ecosystem.  Pollution is a global problem.  Major corporations are the main culprits.  The federal government needs to enact laws to force corporations to be more responsible with the disposal of waste material and the discharge of air pollutants. Local governments can petition the federal government on behalf of their constituents.

2. Have you read the most recent IPCC report (summary)? If so, what was your biggest takeaway? Summary for Policymakers 

The climate is in a state of flux that has been prevalent since the ice age.  Pollutants exacerbate problems with health and the ecosystem.

3. Are you familiar with your municipality’s Waste Management Plan? Please share one way that the plan is handling/encouraging landfill diversion. Please share areas of opportunity for improvement of the plan.

Waste management is not managed equitably.   Lower income communities are not benefiting to the same degree that wealthier neighborhoods are.  Wealthier lifestyles that uses plastic and other unnatural materials that do not decay or break down naturally create the problems.  The lower income areas surrounding the Ellerbe Creek.

4. Where is the environment on your list of priorities? Please include a link to the webpage or other documentation of your policy priorities. 

I live in a largely elderly community that is building the East End Connector.  The FHA has  already acknowledged that greater pollutants will be released from the vehicles traveling the roads but the projects continues.  Students from UNC Chapel Hill have also reported to city council the harm being done to the environment without any action from local officials.  The Herald-Sun – City eyeing N C House budget plan

5. Have you supported pro-environment legislation at the state or national level? Would you, if elective, support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 (NC HB230), U.S. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (HR 2238), and COMPOST Act (S 2388)?  

Yes.

6. What are your thoughts on the Dillon Rule limiting what the city can do? How can municipalities encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon capturing behaviors among private and business citizens? 

North Carolina is one of eight states that have limited Home Rule and says yes to Dillion Rule. 

Fuquay-Varina

Garner

Goldston

Hillsborough

  1. Do you believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate change? What role, if any, do local governments play to protect the environment and its citizens from climate change?

If every local government, as Hillsborough does, limited growth to its water/wastewater capacity and had a set utilities boundary, we would have completely different growth patterns throughout. Government even at the local level has the duty and responsibility to use the tools at its disposal to protect the environment and residents from the negative effects of climate change. What local governments can do is utilize environmental constraints as growth constraints and thereby prevent sprawl, preserve the tree canopy and riparian buffers, and promote bike/ped transportation through zoning. All of these measures can have a positive, local impact on our climate.  Additionally, governments should adopt sustainability and clean energy principles as part of operational, decision-making, and infrastructure investment, and service delivery. Using the power of local government, we have been able to set our Town on a path towards zero fossil fuel use in town operations by 2050 (with an 80% reduction by 2030). We also have taken measures that will help promote greenspace, increase multimodal transportation, and increase energy efficiency.

2. Have you read the most recent IPCC report (summary)? If so, what was your biggest takeaway? Summary for Policymakers  

Yes, I have. We are in a climate emergency and we need swift action to mitigate further damage to our planet and to prevent climate refugees, economic collapse, and mass extinctions. Our mainstream reliance on consumerism, plastics, petrol in just about every aspect of living, has led to humans facing a period of crisis that will result in wholesale remake of society and living, along with complete change in our planet’s ecosystems and inhabitants.

3. Are you familiar with your municipality’s Waste Management Plan? Please share one way that the plan is handling/encouraging landfill diversion. Please share areas of opportunity for improvement of the plan.

Hillsborough, Orange County, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro continue to work together to incentivize and encourage waste diversion and reduction. OC continues to lead the state in overall waste diversion, and the Triangle J Council of Governments, of which I Chair, have taken on construction waste circular economy as the area of innovation focus given the massive volume of building trades/demolition waste generates. If we can create a true construction circular economy where the waste is reduced, recycled, or reused and out of our landfills, this will eliminate a significant source of waste associated with cities and towns. As a collaborative, our Solid Waste Advisory Board, which I served on two years, continues to explore feasibility of waste-to-energy options.

4. Where is the environment on your list of priorities? Please include a link to the webpage or other documentation of your policy priorities.

I led the efforts to adopt our clean energy resolution adopted in 2017 and ensured that as we complete our comprehensive sustainability plan and budgeting, it will serve as the road map towards achieving our 2030 adn 2050 goals. Additionally, once we initiate the upgrades to our wastewater treatment and water treatment plant and public works facilities, I will advocate that we do so according to sustainability principles. Although we already exceed nitrogen/phosphorus removal from effluent cleaner than what technical experts said was possible, the more we can reduce/eliminate chemical usage, introduce dark sky / on-demand light usage, the lower the impact utility and Town operations on the environment. My website is www.kathleenfergusonnc.com.

5. Have you supported pro-environment legislation at the state or national level? Would you, if elective, support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 (NC HB230), U.S. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (HR 2238), and COMPOST Act (S 2388)? 

I have supported pro-environment legislation at the state and national levels and will continue to do so.

6. What are your thoughts on the Dillon Rule limiting what the city can do? How can municipalities encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon capturing behaviors among private and business citizens? 

While North Carolina does not have the Dillon Rule in its purest sense, the state has placed significant limitations not favorable for local government autonomy, especially in areas addressing climate change and environmental stewardship. Nonetheless, there are ways we can still move forward on these issues.   For example, our Town vision and mission statement, which guides our policy and budget decisions, identifies sustainability and stewardship of all living beings. Working with the county, we have encouraged recycling by providing large roll-out carts to every single family address and limiting associated fees as much as possible. Additionally, when approving developments, we encourage developers to support recycling, we require green space and tree preservation, and protection of riperian buffers and against pollutive run-off. Collectively, the four local governmental jurisdictions of Orange County work collaboratively on solid waste reduction, including management of our county landfill, diverting waste, and capturing methane and other gasses from the landfill. (Those gases are then piped to UNC for use in energy generation. Wherever possible, we utilize geothermal and solar energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Collaboratively we formed the Solid Waste Advisory Group, comprised of local elected officials from each jurisdiction, to facilitate a coordinated response to waste reduction, diversion, and recycling. Our Town operations themselves limit paper, energy, and water usage. We consistently educate residents on how all can reduce, reuse, recycle, and practice environmental responsibility. As a board, we appoint persons to advisory boards who share our commitment to sustainability. And we selected a Town Manager who ensures staff are committed to the same. So successful are our efforts that our water usage per capita is low, and our recycling rates high. We continue to advocate for state and federal funding of bike/ped to reduce car usage, and our Uniform Development Ordinance (UDO) calls for limitations on parking, impervious surfaces while also preventing sprawl. I continue to believe and advocate that density is environmentally responsible, as is public transportation, and I look forward to when residents will have the option of walking to our train station for regional travel.

Holly Springs

Knightdale

Mebane

Morrisville

  1. Do you believe that humans are a contributing factor in climate change? What role, if any, do local governments play to protect the environment and its citizens from climate change?

I do believe that humans are a major contributing factor to climate change, and we have been so shortsighted on the effect that increasing carbon emissions have on the environment.   All of the recent disruptive weather patterns, fires, and extreme heat are just precursors of the negative effects of neglecting this fundamental truth.

Local governments can play a significant role in reducing carbon emissions and help reach the ambitious goals laid out by the Biden Administration, to reduce emissions by 30% in the next 10 to 15 years.     We have implemented a Sustainability Program in Morrisville, led by Kimberly Conley, our Sustainability Manager, and are leveraging Smart City Technology, to better track Energy Efficiencies in our Town Buildings.    In our Fire Station 1, we have installed our first Solar Array, the first but certainly not last step on our Sustainability Journey.

2. Have you read the most recent IPCC report (summary)? If so, what was your biggest takeaway?

My biggest takeaway from the Report is that our world climate is in serious jeopardy if we do not take actions now, to make sure that our global temps do not above 1.5 degree Celsius.   Even at 2 degrees, our world, will look very different, and we also have to develop policies to ensure that the developing world, and poorer nations are ready to cope with the challenges ahead.    Less Impervious surfaces, carbon infiltration systems, plant based meats, and innovation in these areas are desperately needed to get moving in the right direction to deal with Climate Change.

3. Are you familiar with your municipality’s Waste Management Plan? Please share one way that the plan is handling/encouraging landfill diversion. Please share areas of opportunity for improvement of the plan.

The Town of Morrisville has recycling every week, and we also had our Public Works Departments install sensors on the Recycle Bins so we can track how much each resident is recycling.    I would like to see the Town move to a Pay as You Throw Program, which we are seeing in some cities and states around the country.    This is a program being offered by the company Waste Zero, and the premise is that the more you recycle, the less of a fee you pay.   We are exploring a Trash Collection Fee, but I think we need to be more innovative than just a flat fee.

Some local governments are utilizing this type of a program to reduce their solid waste costs by over $800,000 or more.   We can leverage technology and be innovative to reduce waste in the landfill.   See www.wastezero.com for more information on this solution.

4. Where is the environment on your list of priorities? Please include a link to the webpage or other documentation of your policy priorities.

Over the past year and a half, I have been able to read more on the environment, and the environment and sustainability has moved up my list of priorities.    One reason is that I am convinced after reading Bill Gates’ book on climate change that innovation and entrepreneurs have great opportunities to step forward with creative ideas to help us develop more solutions to reduce carbon emissions in a number of ways.   I used to connect our Morrisville Innovation Programs with only technology companies, but we can encourage more investors to fund sustainability start ups in Morrisville.

At the end of the day, I am proud to say that Sustainability and the environment are higher priorities for our Town.    Please visit www.townofmorrisville.org/sustainability for more information.

5. Have you supported pro-environment legislation at the state or national level? Would you, if elective,support and encourage legislation such as NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2021 (NCHB230), U.S. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (H2238), and COMPOST Act (S2388)?

At the State level, I support Governor Cooper’s efforts to protect the environment.      Governor Cooper is also leading the fight to protect North Carolina’s coast from offshore drilling. Offshore drilling threatens North Carolina’s $3 billion coastal tourism industry and could cost the commercial and recreational fishing communities hundreds of millions of dollars. Governor Cooper is working across party lines with other state and local leaders to stand up to the federal government and say, “not off our coast.”

To ensure North Carolina’s commitment to fight climate change and lead North Carolina’s transition to a clean energy economy, Governor Roy Cooper issued Executive Order No. 80. The executive order calls for the State of North Carolina to protect North Carolina’s environment while growing clean energy technologies.

I would support the NC Environmental Waste Act of 2021, and both the Compost Act and US Break Free from Plastic Act.   All of these bills reflect higher standards for sustainability policies, and and the environment.   We need more of this type of legislation to help address Climate Change.

A massive investment in composting infrastructure is needed for rural and urban America. Composting can restore depleted soils, protect the climate and create thousands of new jobs. We won’t see these benefits if we don’t help farmers, entrepreneurs, and local governments build needed systems and programs.    We need to have one Federal Standard for Composting and to encourage innovation in this area.

With respect to the Break Free from Plastics Bill, I support these efforts, and eliminating the production of plastic products will change behaviors, as we would have to use products other than plastics, and recycle more.

6. What are your thoughts on the Dillon Rule limiting what the city can do? How can municipalities encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon capturing behaviors among private and business citizens?

I come from a Home Rule State, West Virginia, so as a Council Member, I do get frustrated that there are limits to what we can do as local governments.

Pittsboro

Rolesville

Wake Forest

Wendell

Zebulon

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