Clean Water Management Trust Fund Tentatively Approves Funding for 22 water Quality Projects

November 16,1999
Contact Persons (CWMTF Field representatives): In the west, Tom Massie, 828-586-4133; in the piedmont, Bern Schumak, 704-947-0506; and in the east, Damon Tatem, 252-441-6672. CWMTF Director: David McNaught, 252-830-3222.

Clean Water Management Trust Fund Tentatively Approves Funding for 22 water Quality Projects

This week the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) tentatively approved funding for twenty-two water quality projects across North Carolina (at approximately $21.6 million).

The largest of these awards will be a grant of $5.7 million to the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for a program entitled, “Floodplain Management – Phase I: Purchase of Conservation Easements on Confined Swine Operations”. One of the major water quality concerns in the wake of the recent catastrophic floods in eastern North Carolina has been that considerable hog waste was washed from lagoons located in the 100-year floodplain. Siting new or expanded hog lagoons in the floodplain is now prohibited by state rules; but many of the existing hog farms located in the floodplain can and will restock and continue operation. This voluntary, incentive program will provide an economically viable option for livestock owners, who want to close and clean up lagoons in the floodplain.

While the DENR program was clearly in prompt response to the devastating floods, most CWMTF projects will mitigate the negative water quality consequences of future flood events, wherever such events may occur. Many of the other approved projects are in areas that were affected by the recent floods, including a grant of up to approximately $3.2 million to Edenton/Chowan County. This project is perhaps the most comprehensive project funded to date by CWMTF. In addition to decommissioning an old hog operation, which has been located within 100 feet of Pembroke Creek, the program also includes the restoration and preservation of substantial riparian buffers, relocates a welding operation out of the floodplain, and assesses remaining sources of pollution in the immediate watershed.

The Trustees also approved three creative projects to improve treatment and control of stormwater. The largest of these grants will be to the Town of Tarboro for up to $1.8 million to treat the stormwater runoff from approximately 30% of their urban area (1,900 acres). The NC Wetland Restoration Program and Duke University will use a grant of up to $582,500 to collaborate on a project to restore stream banks and riparian areas of Sandy Creek in the Cape Fear watershed. Near Greenville, the Mid-East RC&D will use a grant of up to $333,535 to restore and construct wetlands along Mill Creek in the Tar Pamlico basin.

In addition, several grants were made to acquire and preserve critical riparian buffers. The NC Coastal Land Trust was approved for up to $258,000 to preserve 127 acres along Otter Creek and the Tar River just above Greenville. The Catawba Lands Conservancy received two separate grants for a total of up to approximately $1.5 million to preserve two parcels of land on tributaries of the lower Catawba River Basin. The NC Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) also received two separate grants; for a total of approximately $4.5 million, they will preserve approximately 10,000 riparian acres. One WRC project in Hyde County will use several thousand acres of forest lands to filter the runoff from expansive, adjacent agricultural lands; and the other WRC project is the preservation of the buffer to Little Singletary Lake in the lower Cape Fear watershed. Two Counties will receive grants for preservation projects: Dare County (up to $623,000) and Orange County (up to $143,000). Ashe County will receive a grant of up to $636,000 to acquire easements and continue the Virginia Creeper Trail 14 miles into North Carolina, along Big Horse Creek in the New River watershed.

The Trustees also approved several projects to restore eroding stream banks; such eroding banks are often the major source of sediment pollution in our waterways. The Land Of Sky Council of Government will receive a grant of up to $605,000 to continue the coordination of a comprehensive effort to preserve and restore riparian lands throughout the French Broad River. Most of the cost of this project is for the acquisition and restoration of a site that the on-going planning initiative has identified as a most critical opportunity. The National Committee for the New River received a grant of up to $90,200 to continue their restoration along the New, which is one of only 14 rivers in the nation classified as an American Heritage River. Small restoration projects were approved for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation (up to $8,000), Durham Soil and Water Conservation District (up to $30,000), and Gaston County (up to $36,000).

In another small, but interesting program, the Trustees approved a grant of up to $18,550 to the Cape Fear RC&D for the purchase of a no-till drill, which will be available for rent by farmers in several impaired watersheds in Bladen County. The idea is that by coordinating this program, the applicant will be better able to encourage the practice of no-till farming, which is very beneficial to water quality.

The Trustees supported an innovative strategy for wastewater treatment for small, rural communities. A grant of up to $790,000 was approved to the town of Hookerton to install a tertiary wastewater polishing system onto its existing treatment plant. The system grows and harvests duckweed as a means of reducing nutrient loads in waste stream.

The NC Department of Commerce will use a grant of up to $400,000 to capitalize a loan program for the repair of illegal discharges or failing septic systems. This pilot program will be established in an economically distressed county in the western part of the state.

Finally, the Trustees approved a grant of up to $165,000 to the Conservation Trust for North Carolina to expand its planning initiatives on important riparian corridors in North Carolina.

Through December 1, CWMTF is accepting applications, which will be evaluated by staff and Trustees this winter. As to applications to assist in recovery from the recent floods, CWMTF will accept them at any time, and deal with them in as expedited a fashion as is practicable.

CWMTF is fulfilling the vision of the North Carolina General Assembly. In response to public concerns about water quality problems across the state, the Legislature established CWMTF in 1996 to assist in financing projects to protect or restore water quality in the rivers, creeks, lakes, and estuaries of North Carolina. To date, CWMTF has approved 174 grants for a total of approximately $162 million, and has committed substantial support to the Conserve Reserve Enhancement Program.

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