North Carolina's Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) was created by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1996. The Fund is an independent non-regulatory agency housed in the Division of Land and Water Stewardship in the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The special revenue fund was created "to clean up pollution in the State's surface waters and to protect and conserve those waters that are not yet polluted. The intent of the fund is "to focus on the cleanup and prevention of pollution of the State's surface waters, the establishment of a network of riparian buffers and greenways, and the preservation of property for establishing clean water supplies, the General Assembly believes that the results of these efforts will also be beneficial to wildlife and marine fisheries habitats." The CWMTF issues grants to a variety of entities including local governments, state agencies and nonprofit corporations "whose primary purpose is the conservation, preservation, and restoration of our State's environmental and natural resources".
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Fund Purposes
Local governments, state agencies, and nonprofit conservation organizations, such as land trusts, are eligible applicants. Grant applications to the Fund are due February 1 every year that the Fund has requested proposals. The enabling legislation lists 10 eligible expenditures of funds:
• acquire land for riparian buffers
• acquire conservation easements
• coordinate with other public programs involved with lands adjoining water bodies to gain the most public benefit
• restore previously degraded lands to reestablish their ability to protect water quality
• repair failing wastewater collection systems and wastewater treatment works
• repair and eliminate failing septic tank systems
• finance stormwater quality projects
• facilitate planning that targets reductions in surface water pollution
• finance innovative efforts, including pilot projects, to improve stormwater management, to reduce pollutants entering the State's waterways
• fund operating expenses of the Board of Trustees and its staff
Funding
The Fund receives allocations from two primary sources: annual appropriations from the General Assembly and Scenic River special registration plates under G.S. 20‑81.12.
The historic annual NC General Assembly Appropriations are as follows:
Structure
A 21 member board of trustees is appointed by state elected officials including the Governor of NC who appoints seven members with varying staggered terms, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate appoints seven members with varying staggered terms, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives who also appoints seven members with varying staggered terms. The qualifications must include knowledge in one of the following areas: acquisition and management of natural areas, conservation and restoration of water quality, wildlife and fisheries habitats and resources, or environmental management. An advisory council composed of the Commissioner of Agriculture, Chair of the Wildlife Resources Commission, Secretary of DENR, and Secretary of Commerce or their designees advises the board of trustees.
Staffing
As of July 2012, the Fund centrally employs 9 individuals including: Executive Director, Deputy Director, Acquisition Project Manager, Business Officer, Executive/Acquisition Administrative Assistant, Restoration/Stormwater Project Manager, Wastewater Infrastructure Project Manager, Infrastructure Administrative Assistant, Real Property Agent/State Property Office and three field representatives representing the three geographic areas (western, central and eastern) of the state. The 2012 Executive Director of the Fund is Richard Rogers.
Key Investment Sectors
The Fund typically makes key investments in NC's four primary economic sectors:
$74 Billion Agriculture Economy - The Fund partnered with the NC Soil and Water Conservation Program to buyout swine farms in floodplain areas assisting farmers to transition to more traditional crop production.
$28 Billion Military Economy - The Fund has assisted military bases with downsizing mandates resulting in the protection of water quality by preventing pending development pressure.
$17 Billion Tourism Economy - Tourism destinations such as Chimney Rock and Grandfather Mountain were secured through the use of Fund resources.
$4 Billion Recreation (fish & wildlife) Economy - The Fund has restored and protected thousands of acres of wetlands and forestland, protecting fish and wildlife habitat enhancing resources attracting hunters and anglers.
2012 Grant awards includes funding in 5 distinct categories: Protection of Military Installations $2,291,797, Wastewater Infrastructure $4,390,000, Restoration/ Stormwater Infrastructure $2,799,995, Land Acquisition $4,353,714, Donated Minigrants $350,000
Historic Project Totals
Acquisition Projects - 750 projects funded as of 2012 for a total investment of $523,000,000 (fee simple and conservation easements combined)
Donated Easement Minigrants - 170 projects funded as of 2012 for a total investment of $3,900,000
Stream Restoration Projects - 175 projects funded as of 2012 for a total investment of $116,000,0000