HomeMy WebLinkAboutLocal_Initiatives14.1
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LOCAL INITIATIVES
Local initiatives allow local people to make decisions that affect change in the community, protect natural resources,
and combine professional and historical expertise to holistically understand the challenges and opportunities of tackling
watershed protection. By working in coordination across jurisdictions and agency lines, more funding opportunities are
available, and it is easier to generate necessary matching or leveraging funds. This could potentially allow local entities
to do more work and be involved in more activities because their funding sources are diversified. The more localized the
project, the better the changes for success.
CLEAN WATER MANAGEMENT TRUST FUND (CWMTF)
Created in 1996, the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) makes
grants to local governments, state agencies, and conservation nonprofit groups to help
finance projects that specifically address water pollution problems. The CWMTF has
provided nearly $16.4 million for projects in the Broad River basin. Projects include
land acquisition for greenways, parks, and recreational areas, capital improvements to
wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and stream restorations. Table 14-1 at the
end of this chapter, lists the projects funded by the CWMTF from January 2002 through
December 2006.
Ta b l e 14-1: CWMTF Fu n d e d Pr o j e C T s in T h e br o a d ri v e r ba s i n
Pr o j e c t
Nu m b e r
AP P l i c A t i o N NA m e Pr o P o s e d Pr o j e c t de s c r i P t i o N Am o u N t
Fu N d e d
co u N t y
2006A-002
Carolina Mountain Land
Conservancy - Acq/ McCraw
Tract, Worlds Edge, Broad
River (Assigned to NC Div of
Parks and Recreation)
Protect through fee simple purchase 301 acres along
the Broad River. The tract will become part of the
newly authorized Hickory Nut Gorge State Park.
$2,309,000 Henderson
2005B-005
Carolina Mountain Land
Conservancy - Acq/ World’s
Edge Tract, Pool and Wolf
Creeks (Assigned to NC Div
Parks and Recreation)
Protect through fee simple purchase 1,568 acres
along Pool and Wolf Creeks. The tract will become
part of the Hickory Nut Gorge State Park and will
encompass a trail system.
$3,900,000 Henderson
2005B-702
Carolina Mountain Land
Conservancy - Storm/ Upper
Broad Watershed Protection
Program
Continue Upper Broad River Watershed Protection
program for another two years. Includes installation
of erosion control practices (including livestock
exclusion), stream restoration, and outreach.
$82,000 Buncombe
2004B-003
Carolina Mountain Land
Conservancy- Acq/ Ball
Tract, Green River
Minigrant and subsequent purchase of a permanent
conservation easement on 628 acres, including 311
riparian acres, along the Green River and tributaries.
$1,523,000 Henderson
2004B-007
Carolina Mountain Land
Conservancy- Acq/ Schenk
Tract, Green River
Minigrant and subsequent purchase of a permanent
conservation easement on 2,600 acres, including
1,225 riparian acres, along the Green River and
tributaries.
$5,141,000 Henderson
2005D-013
Carolina Mountain Land
Conservancy- Donated Mini/
Linneman Tract, Rock Creek
Minigrant to pay for transactional costs for a donated
conservation easement on 58.7 acres in the Upper
Green River watershed along Rock Creek.
$13,800 Henderson
lo C a l ini T iaT ives in T h e
br o a d ri v e r ba s i n
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Pr o j e c t
Nu m b e r
AP P l i c A t i o N NA m e Pr o P o s e d Pr o j e c t de s c r i P t i o N Am o u N t
Fu N d e d
co u N t y
2003D-001
Carolina Mountain Land
Conservancy- Donated
Minigrant, Linneman Tract/
Green River
Minigrant to pay for a donated easement on 69 acres
along Rock Creek and tributaries of the Green River.$22,000 Henderson
2002A-009
Foothills Conservancy of
NC- Acq/ Carpenter Broad
R. Tract
Protect a total of 235 acres along the Broad River
and tributaries. CWMTF to acquire 56 riparian
acres through fee simple purchase and acquire a
permanent conservation easement on 77 riparian
acres. Landowner to donate 102 acres upland (fee
simple).
$191,000 Rutherford
2004D-015
Foothills Conservancy of
NC- Donated Minigrant,
Stensland-Alline Tract
Minigrant to pay for transactional costs for a donated
permanent conservation easement on 95 acres along
a tributary to the Broad River.
$25,000 Rutherford
2005B-804
Lake Lure, Town of - Plan/
WW/ I & I Investigations,
Lake Lure
Conduct a detailed evaluation of infiltration and
inflow problems and needs in the Town’s sewer
system to provide information toward reducing fecal
coliform and nutrient delivery to Lake Lure.
$77,000 Rutherford
2002A-013
Mountain Valleys RC&D -Acq
& Erosion Control BMPs/
Upper Broad R. & Reedy
Patch Cr
Protect 250 riparian areas through permanent
conservation easements on seven properties
along various tributaries in the Upper Broad River
watershed. Funds also provided for implementation
of sediment stabilization BMPs and sediment
monitoring.
$300,000 Rutherford
2006B-017
NC Div Parks & Recreation
- Acq/ Chimney Rock State
Park, Fall Creek
Protect through fee simple purchase 996 ac, including
87 riparian ac, along Fall Creek & the Broad River.
Tract would become part of the newly authorized
Hickory Nut Gorge State Park and would help protect
rare aquatic species and trout waters.
$1,533,000 Rutherford
2003A-030
NC Wildlife Resources
Commission- Acq./ Bolin
Knob Tract, Silver Creek
Acquire through fee simple purchase 468 acres along
Cane Creek, Cane Branch and Magazine Branch. The
property is adjacent to South Mountain Game Lands
and the Rollins Mountain Natural Heritage Area.
$236,000 Burke
2003A-034
NC Wildlife Resources
Commission- Acq./ Lone Mt.
Tract, Little First Broad
Acquire through fee simple purchase 1,265 acres
along Little First Broad River, Sudlow and Walker
Branches and tributaries of Cane Creek. The tract
will become part of the South Mountain Game Lands.
$561,000 Rutherford
2005B-409
Rutherford Soil & Water
Conservation District -
Rest/ Ag BMPs & Cattle
Exclusions, Broad River
Tributaries
Continue a program to implement agricultural best
management practices in the Broad River Basin.
Includes livestock exculsion, stream crossings, water
supply systems, gully stabilization, heavy use areas,
cropland conversion, and riparian forests.
$480,000 Rutherford
Total Funded $16,393,800
SECTION 319 GRANT PROGRAM (EPA)
The Section 319 Grant Program administrated at the federal level through the USEPA was,
established to provide funding to curb nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. EPA provides funds to
state and tribal agencies, which are then allocated some funds to local watershed groups and
organizations to address current or potential NPS concerns. Funds may be used to demonstrate
best management practices (BMPs), establish a TMDL for a watershed, or to restore impaired
streams.
In NC, the NCDENR DWQ administers the 319 Program. Each fiscal year the State is awarded
nearly $5 million to address NPS pollution through the 319 Program. Grants are divided into two
categories: base and incremental. Base projects concern research-oriented, demonstrative, or
educational purposes for identifying and preventing potential NPS areas in the state, where
waters may be at risk of becoming impaired. Incremental projects seek to restore streams or
319 Grant Program
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other portions of watersheds that are already impaired and not satisfying their intended uses. State and local governments,
interstate and intrastate agencies, public and private nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions are eligible
to apply for Section 319 monies. An interagency workgroup reviews the proposals and selects those projects that are to
be funded. Thirty percent of the funding supports ongoing State NPS programs. The remaining seventy percent is made
available through the competitive grant process. Two projects in the Broad River basin have been successfully applied for
and completed (Table 14-2). More information and final reports can be found on the Section 319 Program web site.
Ta b l e 14-2: 319 Pr o j e C T s in T h e br o a d ri v e r ba s i n
Fi s c A l
ye A r
co N t r A c t
Nu m b e r
NA m e de s c r i P t i o N Ag e N c y Fu N d i N g
2001 EW03039 WaDE Program Onsite Wastewater, BMP
Implementation
NCDENR Division of
Environmental Health (DEH)$326,673
2003 EW04013 Upper Broad River Watershed
Protection Program Agriculture, Education Mountain Valley RC&D $150,000
Total Funding $476,673
NC CONSTRUCTION GRANTS AND LOANS PROGRAMS
The NC Construction Grants and Loans (CG&L) Section provides grants and
loans to local government agencies for the construction, upgrade, and
expansion of wastewater collection and treatment systems. As a financial
resource, the section administers five major programs that assist local
governments. Of these, two are federally funded programs administered
by the state: the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) Program and the State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG). The
STAG is a direct congressional appropriations for a specific “special needs” project within the State of North Carolina.
The remaining programs - the High Unit Cost Grant (SRG) Program, the State Emergency Loan (SEL) Program and the State
Revolving Loan (SRL) Program - are state funded programs, with the latter two being below market revolving money loans.
In the Broad River basin, four facilities have received over $4.1 million in grants and loans from CG&L (Table 14-3).
As a technical resource, CG&L in conjunction with the EPA has initiated the Municipal Compliance Initiative Program. It
is a free technical assistance program to identify wastewater treatment facilities that are declining but not yet out of
compliance. A team of engineers, operations experts and managers from the section work with local officials to analyze
the facility’s design and operation. For more information, visit the CG&L Web site.
Ta b l e 14-3: Pr o j e C T s su P P o r T e d b y Co n s T r u C T i o n Gr a n T s & lo a n s
Pr o g r A m Pr o j e c t de s c r i P t i o N AP P l i c A N t oF F e r dA t e
lo A N /gr A N t
oF F e r e d
SEL Lyman Street sewer outfall replacement Boiling Springs 5/23/2001 $403,000
SEL Collection system rehabilitation and sewer extensions Columbus 10/23/2003 $1,767,751
STAG Upgrade existing WWTP Lake Lure 9/30/2005 $305,000
SRL Upgrade existing 30 MGD WWTP Rutherfordton 12/15/2005 $591,952
SRF Pump Station modifications Boiling Springs 2/21/2006 $1,051,348
Total Funding $4,119,051
SEL: State Emergency Loan Projects / STAG: State and Tribal Assistance Grant Projects / SRF: State Revolving Loan Projects
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CLEAN WATER BONDS – NC RURAL CENTER
Outdated wastewater collection systems - some more than 70 years old - allow millions of
gallons of untreated or partially treated wastewater to spill into the state’s rivers and streams
each year. The NC Rural Economic Development Center, Inc. (Rural Center) has taken the lead
role in designing public policy initiatives to assist rural communities in developing, expanding
and repairing local water and sewer infrastructure. The Rural Center is a private, nonprofit
organization. The Rural Center’s mission is to develop sound, economic strategies that improve
the quality of life in North Carolina, while focusing on people with low to moderate incomes and
communities with limited resources.
To support local economic growth and ensure a reliable supply of clean water, the Rural Center administers three Water
and Sewer Grant Programs to help rural communities develop water and sewer systems. The Supplemental Grants Program
allows local governments and qualified nonprofit corporations to improve local water and sewer systems by addressing
critical needs for public health, environmental protection and/or economic development. The Capacity Building Grants
Program provides funding for local governments to undertake planning efforts to support strategic investment in water
and sewer facilities. Projects typically include preliminary engineering reports, master water/sewer plans, capital
improvement plans, feasibility studies, and rate studies. The Unsewered Communities Grants Program funds the planning
and construction of new central, publicly owned sewer systems. This grant is designed to cover 90 percent of the total
cost of a project, not to exceed $3 million. Qualifying communities for this program must not be served by an existing
wastewater collection or treatment system. For each grant program, priority is given to projects from economically
distressed counties of the state as determined by the NC Department of Commerce.
Since the program’s beginning, the Rural Center has awarded nearly 500 communities and counties more than $64 million
to plan, install, expand, and improve their water and sewer systems. As a result, these communities have served new
residential and business customers, created and preserved thousands of jobs, and leveraged millions of dollars in other
water and sewer funds. Table 14-4 lists the grants that were awarded in the Broad River Basin between 2002 and 2006.
More information on the Water and Sewer Grants administered by the Rural Center can be found on their Web site.
Ta b l e 14-4: Cl e a n Wa T e r bo n d s aW a r d e d b y T h e nC ru r a l Ce n T e r in T h e br o a d ri v e r ba s i n
co u N t y re c i P i e N t ty P e ye A r Ad m i N i s t e r e d gr A N t Am o u N t
Rutherford Rutherford County Supplemental August 2004 $400,000
Cleveland Town of Polkville Supplemental February 2004 $400,000
Rutherford Broad River Water Authority Supplemental February 2004 $400,000
Rutherford Rutherford County Supplemental February 2004 $289,500
Rutherford Town of Forest City Supplemental August 2003 $400,000
Rutherford Town of Bostic Supplemental August 2003 $400,000
Cleveland Town of Boiling Springs Supplemental December 2002 $400,000
Cleveland Cleveland County Supplemental December 2002 $400,000
Cleveland City of Shelby Supplemental December 2002 $400,000
Cleveland Cleveland Co. Sanitary District Supplemental December 2002 $400,000
Rutherford Town of Forest City Supplemental August 2002 $400,000
Rutherford Broad River Water Authority Supplemental August 2002 $400,000
Polk Town of Tryon Capacity August 2004 $40,000
Rutherford Town of Lake Lure Capacity February 2004 $40,000
Rutherford Town of Spindale Capacity February 2004 $40,000
Polk Town of Tryon Capacity August 2003 $40,000
Polk City of Saluda Capacity August 2003 $40,000
Rutherford Broad River Water Authority Capacity August 2003 $26,500
Cleveland Town of Polkville Capacity June 2003 $10,000
Cleveland Town of Grover Capacity August 2002 $40,000
Polk Town of Tyron Capacity August 2002 $40,000
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co u N t y re c i P i e N t ty P e ye A r Ad m i N i s t e r e d gr A N t Am o u N t
Rutherford Town of Forest City Capacity August 2002 $40,000
Cleveland Cleveland Co. Sanitary Dist.Capacity March 2002 40000
Cleveland Town of Waco Capacity March 2002 $20,000
Rutherford Town of Lake Lure Capacity March 2002 $40,000
Rutherford Town of Ellenboro Unsewered August 2002 $3,000,000
Total Funding $8,146,000
NORTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURE COST SHARE PROGRAM (ACSP)
The NC Agriculture Cost Share Program (ACSP) primarily addresses agriculture’s
contribution to NPS pollution by encouraging voluntary participation by the agricultural
community. This approach is supported by financial incentives, technical and
educational assistance, research, and regulatory programs. BMPs that are supported
by the ACSP include vegetative, structural, and/or management systems that can
improve the efficiency of farming operations while reducing the potential for surface
and ground water pollution. The Division of Soil and Water (DSWC) implements the
ACSP. Table 14-5 lists total BMPs implemented throughout the Broad River basin. Table 14-6 lists the water quality benefits
achieved through the ACSP. More information about the ACSP and the BMPs approved through the ACSP can be found on
the DSWC Web site.
Ta b l e 14-5: aCsP ex P e n d i T u r e s in T h e br o a d ri v e r ba s i n
Pu r P o s e o F bmP to t A l Ac r e s to t A l uN i t s
to t A l li N e A r
Fe e t
to t A l co s t
Erosion Reduction 666 201 $162,850
Sediment/Nutrient Delivery Reduction 3 7 725 $64,806
Stream Protection from Animals -- 118 35,494 $224,311
Proper Animal Waste Management --8 -- $64,432
Agricultural Chemical Pollution Prevention --4 -- $38,516
Totals 669 137 36,420 $554,915
Ta b l e 14-6: aCsP Wa T e r Qu a l i T y be n e F i T s in T h e br o a d ri v e r ba s i n
be N e F i t s to t A l s
Total Soil Saved (tons)7,739
Total Nitrogen (N) Saved (lb.)15,878
Total Phosphorus (P) Saved (lb.)3,820
Total Waste-N Saved (lb.)83,055
Total Waste-P Saved (lb.)98,927
VOLUNTEER WATER INFORMATION NETWORK (VWIN)
The Volunteer Water Information Network (VWIN) is a partnership
of groups as well as individuals dedicated to preserving water
quality in western North Carolina. Organizations such as the
Pacolet Area Conservancy (PAC), the Environmental Conservation
Organization (ECO), the Town of Lake Lure, along with several
others provide administrative support while the University of North Carolina of Ashville (UNCA) Environmental Quality
Institute (EQI) provides technical assistance through laboratory analysis of water samples, statistical analysis of water
quality results, and written interpretation of the data. Volunteers venture out each month to collect water samples
from designated sites along streams and rivers throughout the region. The information gathered by these volunteers
Volunteer Water Information Network
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then provides an accurate picture of water quality conditions, changes, and trends. This allows community leaders the
ability to identify streams of high water quality that need to be preserved, as well as streams that are being impacted
by land-disturbing or man induced activities. Monitored parameters include major nutrients, turbidity, suspended solids,
pH, alkalinity, conductivity, and heavy metals such as zinc, copper, and lead (Patch et al., 2006). Information collected
in the Broad River basin is used to assess water quality throughout the mountains of western North Carolina. Factors
such as population density, industrial development, topography, and land use patterns all impact water quality. These
factors must be taken into consideration when comparing VWIN sites. With this comparison, local governments, nonprofit
organizations, and individuals can compare areas with similar problems or successes (Westphal et al., 2007; Patch et al.,
2006). Information exchange and comparisons can also lead to regional changes to land use management and planning.
The Town of Lake Lure and the PAC administer VWIN in Rutherford and Polk Counties. The Town of Lake Lure started
the program in July 1996 in order to assess water quality conditions in streams flowing into Lake Lure. The program also
provides continuous assessment of the lake. Continuous monitoring of the lake is vital to understanding the lake’s cycles,
and monitoring the headwater streams allows the community to pinpoint sediment and nutrient inputs before they entire
the lake (Westphal et al., 2007). The PAC started the program in April 1993. The program was named Stream Watch and
now includes monitoring of 15 sites in the Pacolet River watershed (Patch et al., 2006). More information about the VWIN
program can be found on the VWIN Web site and in Chapters 1 (Broad River Headwaters) and 8 (Pacolet River).