Preservation, Conservation and Restoration of North Carolina’s Water Resources CWMTF March 7, 2008

The Clean Water Mission Restore/enhance degraded waters Protect/conserve unpolluted waters Eliminate water pollution Create a network of riparian buffers and greenways Fund innovative systems as demonstrations Not strictly conservation Alligator River

Trust Fund Background Created: 1996 by General Assembly in response to fish kills Grants: protect pristine waters, restore degraded waters Board of Trustees: 21 members Not regulatory

Trust Fund Projects Stream and wetlands restoration Wastewater treatment improvements Stormwater management Conservation land acquisitions Clarendon Tract, Cape Fear River; Lake Fontana

Who Can Apply for Grants? State agencies Municipalities, counties and other local government agencies Conservation non-profits

CWMTF Funded Projects 1,148 grants since 1997 Over $832.7 million awarded Leveraged over $1.4 billion in public and private funds

CWMTF Funded Projects

Amount Funded by Region ( )

Number of Projects by Primary Purpose ( )

The Trust Fund’s Accomplishments - by the Numbers 4,560 miles of buffers preserved 435,573 acres protected Over $443.4 million invested in land and water conservation 135 buffer, stream and wetlands restoration projects funded totaling over $82.5 million Waynesville Watershed

Key Acquisition Grants Grandfather Mountain - TNC Partnership Chimney Rock State Park DuPont State Forest Bird Island DuPont State Forest

CWMTF, Water Quality and Military Base Protection $10 million invested to protect 10,000 acres near key bases in 2003 & investment increased to more than $12 million to help preserve over 6,100 acres Beck Tract, Onslow County; Ft. Bragg

Local Government Funding Local Government Funding $378.6 million to local governments 46% of the all CWMTF grants issued Projects in all 17 river basins CWMTF Grants to Local Governments

Local Government Funding Local Government Funding 232 Local governments assisted with wastewater improvements Over $215.3 million to repair leaky sewers & more effectively treat wastewater Emphasis on helping low- income communities Goldsboro Constructed Wastewater Polishing Wetlands

Local Government Funding 68 stormwater treatment projects - $47.4 million Stormwater remains the state’s most serious NPS pollution concern New CWMTF initiative underway to identify effective innovative solutions to stormwater management City of Greensboro Stormwater Project

CWMTF Annual Funding Funded 100% by annual appropriation (not a dedicated funding source. FY01-02: $40 million appropriated; $19 million received FY02-03: $66.5 million FY03-04, 04-05: $62 million FY 05-06, 06-07, 07-08: $100 million

Grant Application Process Grant Application Process Accept applications once a year: Feb. 1 Field representatives visit project sites Staff review, score and rank applications Recommendations to Board of Trustees Grant selections/decisions made by Board

2007 CWMTF Grant Cycle 186 applications totaling $155 million Plus 28 applications deferred from previous cycles totaling $102 million 217 grants awarded totaling $119 million (includes additional funding awarded to previously approved projects) $22.8 million in remaining funds awarded for TNC IP Tracts in 2007 cycle

2008 CWMTF Grant Cycle 195 applications totaling $177 million $93.7 million requested for 89 acquisition projects TNC:  10 projects  Requesting $15.8 million  Total project cost - $38.7 million

CWMTF for the Future: Questions to Consider How will we identify or be identified with conservation in the next decade? Move from acquisition/planning driven toward stewardship? Increase focus on taking care of what we’ve protected? Town Creek

CWMTF for the Future We must work closely now with our partners to make sure we are protecting the right places

North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund Website: Application forms Funding criteria Press releases Project highlights Meeting schedules