DENR Program Provides Grants For 10 Water Resources Projects In North Carolina | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Raleigh, NC – Governor Pat McCrory announced the state has awarded nearly $1 million in grants for 10 projects that will help North Carolina towns and counties restore streams, reduce erosion, study future water supplies and benefit other water resources.

    The N.C. Division of Water Resources awarded $966,177 for the Water Resources Development Project Grant Program. Money for the grants was generated by appropriations from the General Assembly.

    "These grants will further our goal of improving the quality of life and our environment for all North Carolinians," said Governor McCrory. "These projects throughout our entire state will make significant improvements possible for storm cleanup and water quality protection, conservation and restoration," continued McCrory, who thanked Secretary John Skvarla and Water Resources Director Tom Reeder for their leadership.

    The division awarded:

• Haywood County Soil and Water Conservation District a $33,577 grant to stabilize 2,300 feet of eroding streambank along Ratcliff Cove Branch.
• Haywood County Soil and Water Conservation District a $30,600 grant to stabilize 1,600 feet of eroding streambank along Rogers Cove Creek.
• Lansing a $120,000 grant to construct a 3,000-foot greenway along Big Horse Creek.
• North Wilkesboro a $96,000 grant to construct a stormwater wetland to treat stormwater before it flows into the Yadkin River.
• Surry County Soil and Water Conservation District a $121,000 grant for a restoration project along the Ararat River in Mount Airy.
• The N.C. Forest Service a $45,000 grant to improve the water quality in the Little River in Transylvania County.
• Wallace a $25,000 grant for a stormwater system upgrade along North Duplin Street.
• Wilmington a $45,000 grant to study shoreline improvements along two miles of downtown river front.
• Yancey County Soil and Water Conservation District a $200,000 grant to remove the Cane River Dam and stabilize 2,500 feet of eroding streambank.

    The state also awarded $250,000 to the N.C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation to be distributed to multiple eastern North Carolina counties for the removal of storm debris from streams. The counties include Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, Martin, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrrell and Washington.

    The water resources program provides cost-share grants and technical assistance on a competitive basis to local governments in North Carolina. Applications are accepted for general and recreational navigation, water management, stream restoration, beach protection, land acquisition and development of water-based recreation facilities.

    Local government and local political subdivisions are eligible for these grants. The full list of grant recipients can be found at: http://www.ncwater.org/files/grants/Fall_2014_Grant_Awards.pdf.

    For more information, contact Jeff Bruton, state-local grant program coordinator with the N.C. Division of Water Resources, at 919-707-9006, or jeff.bruton@ncdenr.gov.