Mayor Kevin Foy accepted the Outstanding Achievement Award on behalf of the Town of Chapel Hill during the 2008 Mayors' Climate Protection Awards Program.

Sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the awards recognize and honor mayors for outstanding and innovative practices to increase energy efficiency in their cities and to help curb global warming.

Chapel Hill was recognized for creating a fare free transit system on a communitywide basis. Since Chapel Hill Transit became fare free in 2001, it has become the second largest transit system in North Carolina. Since that time ridership has risen from 3 million riders a year to more than 6.5 million riders annually projected for 2008. The Chapel Hill community has proven its commitment to reducing greenhouse gases and its commitment to alternative forms of transportation through this innovative program.

"Chapel Hill is honored to have been selected from such a distinguished group of cities for the Climate Protection Award," said Mayor Foy. "The fare-free transit system has had a very positive impact on our community over the past seven years. It has reduced vehicle miles traveled which means cleaner air and a better quality of life. A robust transit system is vital given the recent sudden increases in oil prices and the difficult economic times."

Outstanding Achievement Awards were also awarded to the following cities:

(Large cities) -- Denver Mayor John W. Hickenlooper; Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hanneman; Houston Mayor Bill White; and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

(Small cities) -- Chapel Hill (NC) Mayor Kevin C. Foy; Columbia (MO) Mayor Darwin Hindman; Highland Park (IL) Mayor Michael Belsky; and Orland Park (IL) Mayor Daniel J. McLaughlin.