Executive summary 8 I. Introduction 26 II. State government capability 28
STATE SOURCES OF MITIGATION FUNDS
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- Clean Water Management Trust Fund (Potential)
- North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (Potential)
- LOCAL SOURCES OF MITIGATION FUNDS
- PRIVATE SOURCES OF MITIGATION FUNDS
- VIII. LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR HAZARD MITIGATION
- Federal Emergency Management Agency Regulations, 44 CFR
- North Carolina General Statutes
STATE SOURCES OF MITIGATION FUNDSNC Natural Heritage Trust Fund (Potential)The North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund is a supplementary funding source for state agencies to acquire and protect the State’s ecological diversity and cultural heritage and to inventory the natural areas of the State. The Natural Heritage Trust Fund was established by the General Assembly (N.C.G.S. 113, Article 5A, 113-77.6.9) in 1987. It was provided with a continuing funding source by the General Assembly in 1989 and an additional source in 1991. A 12-member Board of Trustees administers the Natural Heritage Trust and awards grants to state agencies. Members are appointed by the General Assembly at the recommendation of the Governor, the Speaker of the House, and President Pro-Tempore of the Senate. The Natural Heritage Trust Fund is financed by receipts from the annual fees for automobile personalized license plates, and in 1991, by a 15 percent of the deed stamp tax. Moneys not expended remain in the interest-accumulating Natural Heritage Trust Fund account and do not revert to the general fund. Approximately $12 million is available to the fund each year. Grant applications are accepted from State agencies (North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, and North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) for purposes of acquiring natural lands for state parks, preserves, wildlife conservation areas, coastal reserves, natural and scenic rivers, historic site properties, and other outdoor recreation and natural areas. Inventories by the Natural Heritage Program are also eligible for grants. Funding priorities are given to projects which will protect areas of state or national ecological significance or outstanding cultural significance. Grant agreements are executed between the Board of Trustees and the recipient agencies. The Board of Trustees requires that qualified lands be dedicated as North Carolina Nature Preserves. Clean Water Management Trust Fund (Potential)(For a description of the structure of the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, please see the discussion of the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the State Government section of the Capability Assessment.) Projects funded by the Clean Water Management Trust Fund include those that enhance or restore degraded waters, protect unpolluted waters, and contribute toward a network of streamside buffers and greenways for environmental, educational, and recreational benefits. Some of the types of grant made include: Swine Operation Grant In November, 1999 the Clean Water Management Trust Fund approved a grant of $5.7 million to the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for a program titled, “Floodplain Management Phase I: Purchase of Conservation Easements on Confined Swine Operations.” One of the major water quality concerns in the wake of the catastrophic floods of Hurricane Floyd in Eastern North Carolina has been that considerable hog waste was washed from lagoons located in the 100-year floodplain. CWMTF has since granted an additional $6.1 million to fund the second phase of the program. In its first grant cycle of 2004, CWMTF trustees considered a third grant of $7.7 million for phase III of the hog lagoon buy-out program. While the siting of new or expanded hog lagoons in the floodplain is now prohibited by state rules, many of the existing hog farms located in the floodplain can and will restock to continue operation. The CWMTF-funded voluntary incentive program for swine operators will provide an economically viable option for livestock owners who want to close and clean up lagoons in the floodplain. While the DENR swine operation program was clearly made as a direct response to the devastating floods of Hurricane Floyd, most CWMTF projects also serve to mitigate the negative water quality consequences of future flood events, wherever such events may occur. Many of the other projects approved by the CWMTF are in areas that were affected by recent floods and hurricanes. To date, in the Northern Coastal Plain, CWMTF has funded 68 projects totaling $68.7 million. In Central Piedmont/Southern Coastal region, CWMTF has funded 110 projects totaling $76.4 million. In the Eastern Piedmont and Central Coastal region, CWMTF has funded 88 projects totaling &65.8 million. All of these areas were severely impacted by flooding in recent years. Stormwater Management Grants CWMTF has issued a total of $29.8 million to fund 36 stormwater management projects across the state, including investing over $4.1 million in Mecklenburg County’s comprehensive project to improve Sugar Creek and Little Sugar Creek in Charlotte. The unprecedented three-county regional effort underway seeks to improve water quality overall by purchasing and protecting undeveloped property along the stream corridor, installing Best Management Practices for stormwater management on both vacant and undeveloped lands and the construction of a 20-mile greenway to provide both recreational opportunities along the waterways and increase public awareness of water quality issues. CWMTF awarded a $4 million grant to the City of Washington for a constructed wetlands project along the city’s waterfront on the Pamlico River. The innovative effort reduces the negative effects of stormwater run-off and flooding by creating a man-made wetlands area. Stormwater from nearly 75 acres of downtown Washington will be channeled into the constructed wetland Riparian Buffer, Floodplain and Wetlands Grants CWMTF has invested over $235.3 million in 223 projects to help local governments, state agencies, and land trusts acquire both conservation easements and land to protect critical riparian buffers, floodplains and wetlands. As an example, the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust received more than $2.6 million from CWMTF for acquisition of lands within the Town Creek Watershed in the Lower Cape Fear River region. The Town Creek/Lower Cape Fear River Initiative has to date protected 10,000 acres and nearly 23 miles of contiguous forested corridor in order to protect one of the most pristine and unusual swamp systems in that part of the state. Barrier Island Grants Also, CWMTF approved a $2.75 million grant to the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management to help purchase one of the last three undeveloped, privately owned barrier islands along the state's coast. It will become the state's 10th coastal reserve. The purchase of Bird Island, located near Sunset Beach in Brunswick County, will create a 108-acre riparian buffer protecting 15,800 linear feet along the Intracoastal Waterway, Mad Inlet, Salt Boiler Creek, Dead Backwater Creek, Little River and the Atlantic Ocean. Over 1,050 acres of wetlands and tidal marsh will be protected, buffering primary fisheries nursery areas and shellfish waters. Wildlife Grants In the spring of 2003, CWMTF trustees awarded a $6 million grant for the purchase of the Needmore tract in Swain and Macon counties. Considered its highest conservation priority by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the 4,500-acre tract includes Natural Heritage Program Areas of significance and is s one of the most pristine waterways in the region. Wildlife biologists believe it will be a very important source for replenishing species lost or threatened in other waterways all across the southeast. The Needmore project will conserve 26 miles of Little Tennessee River and 37 miles of tributary streams. Stream Restoration CWMTF trustees have invested $48.2 million in 79 projects to restore eroding stream banks across the state; such eroding banks are often the major source of sediment pollution in our waterways and can pose a hazard threat from increased flooding. One of CWMTF’s most successful restoration projects is on the Mitchell River in Surry County. In 1998 the Clean Water Management Trust Fund funded Phase I of a comprehensive stream restoration plan by the Surry County Soil and Water Conservation District to restore sections of degraded streambank along the Mitchell and the South Mitchell River. Phase I is completed, and more linear feet of streambank than originally proposed was restored. Phase II received $1.13 million from CWMTF for restoration of 7,230 feet of highest priority streambank. The National Committee for the New River has received a total of $594,200 in CWMTF grants to its restoration work along the New, which is one of only 14 rivers in the nation classified as an American Heritage River. The CWMTF trustees also approved two grants totaling $385,000 to the Conservation Trust for North Carolina to expand its planning initiatives on important riparian corridors in North Carolina. North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (Potential)The North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund make dollar-for-dollar matching grants for the purpose of acquiring land, and for developing and renovating facilities for local public, park and recreation purposes. Eligible participants are county governments or incorporated municipalities. School adminstrative units may jointly apply with a county or incorporated city. The Fund is overseen by the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Authority, appointed by the Governor and the General Assembly. LOCAL SOURCES OF MITIGATION FUNDSLocal sources of funding are distinct for each jurisdiction within the state. While some local jurisdictions have money set aside specifically for mitigation activities, others never utilize local funds for mitigation. Currently, most jurisdictions rely almost entirely on state and federal dollars, but potentially, local jurisdictions could use taxes or bonds to raise funds for mitigation.PRIVATE SOURCES OF MITIGATION FUNDSSome private sector organizations utilize funding to mitigate, however, this is often exclusively implemented for private industry protection. In the future, dollars for large scale projects could potentially come from the private sector to supplement mitigation activities, but that would be done on a case by case basis. VIII. LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR HAZARD MITIGATIONThe purpose of this Section of the North Carolina Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan is to document the legal foundation upon which the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management can utilize all of the State’s resources to their fullest potential in implementing this comprehensive Plan. The following referenced Federal and State statutes, regulations and Executive Orders provide an overview of the existing capability of State agencies, as well as local governments (as delegated by the State Legislature) to mitigate the impacts of natural hazards. Please note that there are no changes to legal authority since the previous Plan Update. FEDERAL AUTHORITIESStatutes
Executive Orders
Federal Emergency Management Agency Regulations, 44 CFR
STATE AUTHORITIESNorth Carolina General Statutes
Executive Orders
* An exception to this is that Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Small Business Administration (SBA) funds can be used as match for HMGP projects because those funds are considered to lose their federal identity once they are passed on to the State for distribution to communities. North Carolina Division of Emergency Management NCHMP Update 2013 Directory: div div -> 9th May 1950 the schuman declaration div -> Supplemental demographic information div -> Introduction A. Purpose & Authority div -> This section includes changes made during the 2013 update div -> General occupational safety and health rules subdivision z toxic and hazardous substances div -> Computer Basics What is a computer div -> Mobile county, alabama regular board meeting div -> Privacy: Campus Living & Technology Download 1 Mb. Share with your friends:
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