Shane Levy - shane.levy@sierraclub.org, 201-679-9507
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. - The town of Hillsborough, North Carolina on Monday became the first town in North Carolina and 43rd in the United States to commit to transition to 100 percent clean and renewable energy.
On Monday, the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners voted to establish a goal of powering all of Hillsborough with clean and renewable sources of energy like wind and solar by 2050. The vote comes just one week after the Orange County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a goal of moving to 100 percent clean energy by 2050, making Orange County the first county in the state of North Carolina to adopt this goal.
Six North Carolina mayors, including most recently Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane, have endorsed powering their communities entirely with renewable energy as part of the Mayors for 100% Clean Energy initiative. Other North Carolina communities, including Boone and Asheville, have passed resolutions calling for a national transition to 100 percent clean and renewable energy by 2050.
In response, local Sierra Club organizer Caroline Hansley issued the following statement:
“Transitioning to clean, renewable energy holds the promise of a safer and brighter future for North Carolina.
Throughout our state, we’ve seen the benefits that clean energy brings to our communities like more jobs and cleaner air and water. At the same time, we know that dirty fuels like fracked gas put North Carolina at risk.
Hillsborough’s commitment to move to 100 percent clean, renewable energy represents true leadership from our community and sends a powerful signal to cities and towns across North Carolina.
Now, as we move forward to achieve this important goal we must ensure that all people stand to benefit in the transition away from dirty, costly fuels towards more clean and renewable energy.”