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As an Orange County Commissioner since 1990, Alice Gordon has been a consistent champion of the environment during her entire tenure as a county commissioner, voting for measures to protect watersheds, to fund studies of the county's ground water, to promote recycling, and to protect the rural buffer near Chapel Hill and Carrboro, to name some examples. Her votes are dependably on the side of protecting the environment. In recognition of her record, she has been endorsed by the Sierra Club in all four of her campaigns for commissioner (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002).If elected to another term, she will provide continuity and continued leadership on environmental matters. This is particularly important because of the recent turnover on the Board of County Commissioners. One new member was elected two years ago, and one incumbent chose not to run this time. Thus Alice's presence on the board as a dedicated leader for the environment is even more important. Her leadership on environmental issues is described below. Environmental Protection  As part of the Lands Legacy Program, Orange County purchased the Blackwood Farm for conservation and future education/recreation purposes Alice's service as a commissioner includes the following initiatives to make environmental protection a significant function of Orange County government:
 Orange County joins the Clean Cities Coalition Alice has also served as a member and/or commissioner liaison for the Water Resources Committee and the Commission for the Environment, and she is a member of the new multi-jurisdictional Air Quality Advisory Committee. 
A. The Water Resources Committee was established in 1992 to go beyond the county's good work in protecting watersheds and expand it to include an emphasis on ground water as well. As a result of studies completed in cooperation with the USGS, the county now has valuable information concerning ground water availability and quality in Orange County. Alice was far-sighted in advocating for these studies of our ground water supplies, well before there was any crisis (like a drought), to help us plan for our long-term water needs. She is also an advocate for the implementation of the new Water Resources Initiative to protect and more responsibly utilize the county's water supplies. B. The Commission for the Environment was established in 1997 to advise the commissioners on environmental matters such as air quality and biological resources and other natural resources. As a result, the commissioners for the first time had a group to provide advice on air quality, for example, and for the first time the county produced a State of the Environment report. In addition, the county now hosts an Environmental Summit. In recognition of her contributions, the Commission for the Environment dedicated the 2004 State of the Environment Report to Commissioner Alice Gordon. C. The Environment and Resource Conservation Department (ERCD) was established as a new department in 1998 and began operations in January 1999, during the early part of Alice's term as chair of the Board of County Commissioners. As a result, the county now has the expertise and the staff to evaluate resources and to buy land and conservation easements. D. The Lands Legacy Program, authorized in April 2000, is the first comprehensive county land acquisition program in North Carolina. The program tries to acquire or otherwise protect the county's most critical natural and cultural resources before they are lost. After almost six years of operating the nationally recognized Lands Legacy Program, Orange County has acquired or protected about 1600 acres of land, both for natural resource and farmland preservation, and for parks. This program has been a finalist for two years (runner up this year) for the National Association of Counties and Trust for Public Lands "County Leadership in Conservation Award." The ERCD has also received for this program the N.C. Soil and Water District Society's Unit of Government award in 2004 for "outstanding achievement and contribution to resource-related programs." Regional Transportation 
Alice has worked to improve public transit in the region, as well as to increase our other transportation options. She has been a dedicated advocate for a balanced transportation system that provides alternatives to cars. As part of her work on the Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) Board of Trustees, she spearheaded the creation of the new bus route between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill which began operation in January. It provides continuous weekday bus trips between the towns.Alice's regional service includes the following responsibilities on two transportation policy boards:
 Triangle Transit Authority Board of Trustees Rural Buffer While she was chair of the Orange County Planning Board, Alice worked toward establishing the historic Joint Planning Agreement (JPA) for Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Orange County. She has been a staunch supporter of the JPA and rural buffer from the very beginning, and received the endorsement of the Alliance for the Rural buffer in the past. The most recent illustration of her support came in the commissioners' decision concerning the county's new solid waste building. She was the only commissioner to vote against the extension of water and sewer into the rural buffer to serve that facility. That decision has now been changed by a unanimous vote of the commissioners; a well and innovative wastewater treatment system will be used instead. Parks and Open Space, Sustainable Growth Alice has advocated for wise long-range planning and for environmentally responsible and sustainable growth policies, starting with her service as chair of the Orange County Planning Board, and continuing with her service as a county commissioner. She has also been an advocate for creation of new parks and recreational facilities for people all over the county. The $20 million bond referendum passed in 2001 has money specified for land and a list of new parks projects. Alice will work for prudent choices of land to purchase and will continue to advocate for an aggressive schedule to complete the park facilities. She co-chaired the planning work group for Twin Creeks Park, is the commissioner liaison to the county's Recreation and Parks Advisory Council, and chairs the Intergovernmental Parks Work Group. She was one of the the elected officials who took the lead in establishing the New Hope Preserve in Orange and Durham Counties.  |