We have a lot of work in front of us to make the $1 billion a reality. read more >>
Download the Land & Water Conservation Commission's Recommendations to the General Assembly (pdf, 540 KB).
The Land & Water Conservation Commission's public meetings were a resounding success.
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There are 244 partners across the state, including 54 local governments!
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The Land & Water Conservation Commission's work was big news!
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Legislative Commission Recommends $1 Billion for Land & Water Conservation |
The Land & Water Conservation Commission, co-chaired by Senator Charlie Albertson and Representative Lucy Allen, released its report asking the 2007 General Assembly to inject $1 billion over the next five years into protecting the state’s clean water, farms, forests, and critical natural and historical areas.
The Commission held three public forums across the state, with the goal of soliciting citizen input on the best ways to fund a serious effort to protect the places that matter to all North Carolinians, such as natural areas and parks, farms, river banks and historic sites. These meetings were incredibly successful, very well attended, and useful as the Commission pulled together its recommendations. |
 Spilling into the hallway, the Commission's public meeting in Greensboro had about 300 attendees, and more than 75 citizens spoke. |
Download the final Commission report (pdf, 540 KB).
The Commission agrees with us at Land for Tomorrow that “many opportunities for conservation will be lost if the State does not act quickly to secure land now and that the State will be able to buy land at lower prices now than it will in the future.” read more >>
Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Bill and Nancy Stanback, Cemala Foundation, Marion Stedman Covington Foundation, Educational Foundation of America, Foundation for the Carolinas and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Foundation, Amy Grissom and David Cohen and Ruth Ann Grissom, Robert Wilson Challenge Fund, and others. View a complete list of supporters.
4705 University Drive, Suite 290, Durham, NC 27707
919.489.8129; www.landfortomorrow.org
Kate Dixon, Director; Marge Anders Limbert, Outreach Coordinator
The Commission Makes Recommendations to the General Assembly, cont...
The Commission, charged with recommending to the General Assembly the best way to pay for land and water conservation, urged the NC General Assembly to provide $1 billion in funding over the next five years. It also recommended that the General Assembly quickly create a committee to examine the numerous other infrastructure requests for funding, and to consider land and water conservation as a vital infrastructure need.
As for how to pay for it, the Commission presented a variety of funding options for land and water conservation, including bonds, a portion of the state sales or income tax, a land transfer tax, a statewide meals tax, statewide building fee or landfill fee. A fee on water use was removed from the draft list as an option after farmers opposed it at the public meetings.
If the General Assembly approves the funding, nearly all of it would be distributed through existing state operated trusts for water, state parks and recreation, farming and forestry, and significant natural and historic areas. The money would be used to purchase land, development rights, and conservation easements.
Funds would also be distributed through the North Carolina Department of Commerce to communities for projects that use natural and historical features to generate economic development and new jobs.
The General Assembly created the Commission after hearing a report that in the last 10 years, development pressures created by population growth has resulted in the loss of 100,000 acres of forest, farms, and natural areas in North Carolina. Additionally, more than 3,300 miles of the states waterways don’t meet state water quality standards.
You really came through! There were nearly 800 people combined at the Land & Water Conservation Commission's three public meetings.
Young and old, Republican and Democrat, seasoned activists and fresh faces alike showed up to express excitement about the state providing $1 billion for protection of our land, water, and historic places. The rooms were overflowing, and legislative staff exclaimed that they had never before been a part of such lively public forums.
View the legislative notes from the public meetings (Appendix F of the Commission's report) (pdf, 120 KB).
We have been working with the Land & Water Conservation Commission co-chairs, Senator Charlie Albertson and Representative Lucy Allen, on what the next steps should be.
They expect that within the coming weeks, land and water conservation legislation will be introduced in both the House and the Senate. There is an expectation that the bills will be similar to last year's Senate and House bills, and that any changes will be negotiated as the legislation moves.
Stay tuned for a call to action - we will want to secure bill co-sponsorship from as many of your legislators as possible. And between now and then, if you see your legislator in the grocery store or around town, mention the need for North Carolina to act now to protect our land, water, and historic places.