The Boone Town Council voted 4-1 on April 18 to establish clarified energy goals for the town: climate neutrality in municipal operations by 2030, 100 percent clean renewables in municipal operations by 2040 and 100 percent clean renewables for the entire Boone community by 2050. Boone Town Council Member Sam Furgiuele proposed the new goals and years at an April 10 special meeting of the council, noting that there has been confusion about the town’s goals as previously stated. He noted that the goals were broad and could be fine-tuned through further study.
“This is a dire situation; it’s existential,” Furgiuele said. “(This) should be our No. 1 goal (and) ... a part of every decision we make.” Council Member Marshall Ashcraft cast the dissenting vote, repeating concerns he voiced at the April 10 meeting that the goals were unrealistic and that the town should model its goals after those recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which recommended a 45 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 (from 2010 levels) and carbon neutrality by 2050.
To learn more, please read the full article, Boone Council Clarifies Town Energy Goals- Climate Neutral by 2030 (PDF)