On behalf of Land for Tomorrow, we want to thank all of our advocates for your strong support during this session of the N.C. General Assembly.

The Legislature officially adjourned on Tuesday, August 11 and is scheduled to reconvene on Wednesday, May 12, 2010. Prior to adjournment, the General Assembly approved a $19 billion state budget with the Senate voting 27-18 and the House 66-52.

The final appropriations bill included $50 million each year for two years for the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) and $2 million for one year for the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund (ADFTF). Dedicated revenue streams for the N.C. Natural Heritage Trust Fund and the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund were left intact. In addition, there were no changes to the state's highly successful Conservation Tax Credit program. Continuing this program will ensure that private landowners who choose to conserve, rather than develop their land, will be able to do so.

While the level of funding secured represents significant cuts from previous years, we appreciate that Legislators preserved substantial funding in the face of unprecedented budget deficit and many competing interests.

The tireless efforts of our supporters and continued outreach to Legislators ensured our state will continue to receive funding to help protect North Carolina's water quality and drinking water supplies, and help safeguard our working farmlands, forests and natural areas. Your calls, visits, e-mails and letters of support made a big difference in convincing members about the importance of land and water conservation to the state's economy and environmental quality.

Again, thank you for all that you did to help secure this result, and we look forward to continuing to work with you to protect North Carolina's land and water for future generations.

Land for Tomorrow Executive Committee

Will Abberger, The Trust for Public Land

Katherine Skinner, The Nature Conservancy