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Climate Change Advisory Committee Meeting

Chatham County · Climate Change Advisory Committee
Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 7:00 pm · Virtual Meeting, Virtual Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312

Advisory board meeting Environment and sustainabilityBudget and appropriationsComprehensive planData centers and large loadsFees and utility ratesGrants and outside fundingSolid waste and recycling

Agenda document Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 2Approval of Minutes, July 30, 2026 Approved

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

Chatham County's Climate Change Advisory Committee met by video on 27 August with data centers and the county's climate action plan as its two standing questions. Members took an update on their meeting with Duke Energy about data centers and asked what the committee should do next. The climate action plan update covered a proposal from the Blue Strike consultancy, the steering committee behind it, and what the committee's advisory role becomes once that work is under way.

New business was a community and business recognition program and whether to return to meeting in person, which the committee set for 24 September. The county's environmental quality director reported to the committee, and the agenda carries the full roster: thirteen voting members, seven for a quorum.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

Members came away unsatisfied from their meeting with Duke Energy about data centers. One member reported that Duke did not say how it would power a 750-megawatt data center; it defines a large customer as 100 megawatts, possibly dropping to 50. Members said ratepayers would carry added generation and fuel costs and that on-site generators would be the main local source of emissions. Keith McLaurin put the added carbon from new generation at 1.7 times current levels. Alicia Koblansky suggested recommending that the county's own ordinance keep public comment requirements on data center pollution. The Planning Board's special meetings on draft data center rules were noted for 8 and 15 September.

Environmental Quality Director Kevin Lindley said the climate action plan contract with Bluestrike was signed, with a kickoff set for 2 September and a 12-month process. He also described the Electrify campaign's October kickoff and a revised EECBG grant budget of just under $250,000, cut back because of Build America, Buy America and Davis-Bacon requirements. The committee confirmed it will meet in person on 24 September, when Deb Gallagher is to present a business recognition program. Eleven members attended. These minutes are a meeting-software summary and do not say whether they were approved.

Speaking at this meeting

Chatham County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (9)

Discussion item · 4Procedural · 3Minutes approval · 1Staff or committee report · 1
  1. 1 Certification of Quorum
    Procedural
    Eleven of the 13 voting members attended; seven make a quorum.
    Quorum present, 11 members
  2. 2 Approval of Minutes, July 30, 2026
    Minutes approval
    The July 30 minutes were approved; the minutes do not record a vote count.
    Approved
  3. 3 Announcements
    Procedural
    Vice Chair Vickie Atkinson reported on ChathamCAN's dual-language social media campaign ahead of the 12 September Hispanic Fiesta, a youth effort, and a new energy rebate navigator covering Chatham, Orange and Durham counties.
  4. 4 Update: Data Centers and Meeting with Duke Energy
    Discussion item Data centers and large loadsEnvironment and sustainabilityFees and utility rates
    Members reported that Duke Energy did not say how it would serve a 750-megawatt data center. They discussed ratepayer costs, generator emissions and the Planning Board's 8 and 15 September special meetings on draft rules.
  5. 5 Update: Climate Action Plan and Blue Strike consultant
    Discussion item Comprehensive planEnvironment and sustainability
    The Bluestrike contract is signed and the kickoff was set for 2 September, with a four-person steering committee that includes Kevin Lindley and Vickie Atkinson and a 12-month schedule.
  6. 6 Update: Development of a community/business recognition program
    Discussion item Environment and sustainability
    Deb Gallagher is to present first ideas for a business recognition program at the 24 September meeting.
  7. 7 In-Person CCAC meeting in September?
    Discussion item Environment and sustainabilitySolid waste and recycling
    The committee confirmed its 24 September meeting will be in person only, at the Solid Waste and Sustainability Department, 28 County Services Road, Pittsboro.
    In person on 24 September
    • 28 County Services Rd · no matching parcel on file
  8. 8 Report from the Director of Chatham County Environmental Quality
    Staff or committee report Budget and appropriationsEnvironment and sustainabilityGrants and outside funding
    Kevin Lindley covered the Electrify campaign's October kickoff and a revised EECBG grant budget of just under $250,000, reduced because of federal Buy America and Davis-Bacon rules.
  9. 9 Updates and Reminders
    Procedural

Agenda changes

What moved between published versions of this agenda. Item numbers shift constantly as things are inserted, so only genuine additions and removals are listed.

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