NERC in the News
DuPage Holds Off on Cool Counties Vow
Naperville (Illinois) Sun; May 10, 2012
DuPage County has delayed approval of a plan for spelling out its commitment to minimizing the greenhouse gases emitted from county sources. Officials say they don’t oppose going on record with their support for the Cool Counties program; they just want to know more about what it would entail. . . .
Lonnie Morris, chairwoman of the Sierra Club’s River Prairie Group, isn’t too discouraged by the delay. She commended the committee’s cautious approach. . . .
“I think they want to get a better idea where they’re starting, to know how to get that 2 percent reduction by 2015,” Morris said. “They don’t represent insurmountable obstacles. They just need to be worked through so this can move forward.”
The county has adopted assorted green practices, garnering recent recognition from the State Electronics Challenge, [which is administered by the Northeast Recycling Council]. DuPage is the first county to be distinguished since the program was established four years ago.
“Throughout this past year county employees saved enough energy to power 172 DuPage County homes, avoided green house gas emissions equivalent to removing 250 cars from our roadways and diverted 3,939 pounds of electronic waste from our landfills,” environmental committee chairman Jeff Redick said in a news release announcing the distinction. “We are just one entity that is making this much of an impact on our environment and I urge DuPage County businesses and households to follow our lead.”
Naperville County Board member Jim Healy has said it’s entirely possible to “come up with ways that allow us to go green without killing our pocketbooks.”
Morris is hopeful that the green momentum will build with board passage of the Cool Counties measure.
“I’m going to be so excited if this passes,” she said.
