News

DATE: 2/14/08	CONTACT:Lisa Schell, 919/716-0057
RELEASE: Immediate	DISTRIBUTION: Targeted

Non-Profits, Local Governments, State Agencies Request $177 Million in Grant Monies from Clean Water Management Trust Fund in 2008

RALEIGH - The North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund will consider 195 new requests for $177 million in water quality grants in its 2008 granting period.

CWMTF received the new grant applications for land acquisitions, stormwater, stream and wetlands restoration, planning and wastewater treatment improvements on February 1, 2008.

The applications received came from all regions of the state; some proposed projects address the long-term protection of very high quality waters while others are intended to clean up existing pollution problems. Many of the projects are to acquire lands adjacent to streams so that these lands might be preserved as a buffer to insure the protection of these waterways. Other projects seek assistance to deal with failing wastewater systems or septic tanks. Some of the projects are for restoration of degraded lands or for better stormwater management.

The CWMTF Board of Trustees is scheduled to begin reviewing the applications in June. Final decisions will be based on water quality benefits and availability of funds as appropriated by the North Carolina General Assembly.

Specific February 1, 2008 grant applications include:

•  Five requests from the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation totaling $7.4 million to help purchase additional parklands in Burke, Chatham, Johnston and Watauga counties;

•  Five requests from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission totaling $4.9 million to help add to the state's gamelands in Ashe, Burke, Caswell, Davidson and Richmond counties;

•  A $7.2 million request from the Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust to help purchase land to protect Big Horse Creek in Ashe County in the New River Basin;

•  A $3 million request from Lenoir County to help construct a wastewater reuse facility and protect the Neuse River;

•  A $3 million request from the Town of Parkton to regionalize its wastewater treatment system and protect the Lumber River;

•  A $2.7 million request from Resource Institute, Inc. to help fund the Griffiths Lake Stormwater Initiative in Mecklenburg County;

•  A $1 million request from the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District to help restore Upper Sandy Creek and improve water quality in the Neuse River Basin.

2008 Grant Applications Summary

Category: 2008 Applications	Requested Amount	%	# of Projects	%
Acquisition	$93,758,981	53	89	46
Restoration / Stormwater	$25,605,581	14	52	27
Wastewater	$57,700,698	33	54	28
Total Applications	$177,065,260	100	195	100
Applicant Type: 2008 Applications	Requested Amount	%	Number of Projects	%
Local Government	$82,985,644	47	106	54
Non-Profit	$73,398,308	41	71	36
State Agency	$20,681,308	12	18	9
Total Applications	$177,065,260	100	195	100

A complete list of projects submitted on February 1, 2008 can be found on line here.

In response to public concerns about water quality problems across the state, the General Assembly established the CWMTF in 1996. Local governments, conservation non-profits and state agencies are the only eligible applicants for CWMTF grants, which are to be used to finance projects to protect or, where necessary, restore water quality in the state's 17 river systems.

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For more information, contact Lisa Schell at 919/716-0057.

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