§ 143-215.74M. Community Conservation Assistance Program.
Part 11. Community ConservationAssistance Program.
§ 143‑215.74M. Community Conservation Assistance Program.
(a) ProgramEstablished. There is established the Community Conservation AssistanceProgram. The Program shall be implemented and supervised by the Soil and WaterConservation Commission.
(b) Purposes. Thepurpose of the Program shall be to reduce the input of nonpoint sourcepollution into the waters of the State. The Program shall be subject to thefollowing requirements and limitations:
(1) Subject tosubdivision (5) of this subsection, priority designations for inclusion in theProgram for State funding shall be established by the Soil and WaterConservation Commission. The Soil and Water Conservation Commission shallallocate the cost share and technical assistance funds under the Program.
(2) Areas shall beincluded in the Program as the funds are appropriated and technical assistancebecomes available from the local Soil and Water Conservation District.
(3) Funding may beprovided to assist community conservation practices approved by the Soil andWater Conservation Commission.
(4) State funding shallbe limited to seventy‑five percent (75%) of the average cost for eachpractice with the assisted applicant providing twenty‑five percent (25%)of the cost, which may include in‑kind support of the practice, with amaximum of seventy‑five thousand dollars ($75,000) per year to eachapplicant.
(5) Priority designationfor inclusion in the Program for State funding shall be given to projects that improvewater quality. To be eligible for cost‑share funds under thissubdivision, a project shall be evaluated before funding is awarded and afterthe project is completed to determine the impact on water quality.
(6) Participation in theProgram shall be voluntary.
(c) Availability ofFunds. State funds for the Program shall remain available until expended.
(d) Advisory Committee. The Program shall be reviewed, prior to implementation, by the CommunityConservation Assistance Program Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committeeshall meet quarterly to review the progress of the Program. The AdvisoryCommittee shall consist of the following members:
(1) The Director of theDivision of Soil and Water Conservation or the Director's designee, who shallserve as the Chair of the Advisory Committee.
(2) The President of theNorth Carolina Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts or thePresident's designee.
(3) The Director of theCooperative Extension Service at North Carolina State University or theDirector's designee.
(4) The ExecutiveDirector of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners or theExecutive Director's designee.
(5) The ExecutiveDirector of the North Carolina League of Municipalities or the ExecutiveDirector's designee.
(6) The StateConservationist of the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the UnitedStates Department of Agriculture or the State Conservationist's designee.
(7) The ExecutiveDirector of the Wildlife Resources Commission or the Executive Director'sdesignee.
(8) The President of theNorth Carolina Conservation District Employees Association or the President'sdesignee.
(9) The President of theNorth Carolina Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils orthe President's designee.
(10) The Director of theDivision of Water Quality or the Director's designee.
(11) The Director of theDivision of Forest Resources or the Director's designee.
(12) The Director of theDivision of Land Resources or the Director's designee.
(13) The Director of theDivision of Coastal Management or the Director's designee.
(14) The Director of theDivision of Water Resources or the Director's designee.
(15) The President of theCarolinas Land Improvement Contractors Association or the President's designee.
(e) Report. The Soiland Water Conservation Commission shall report no later than 31 January of eachyear to the Environmental Review Commission and the Fiscal Research Division.The report shall include a summary of projects that received State fundingpursuant to the Program, the results of the evaluation conducted pursuant tosubdivision (5) of subsection (b) of this section, findings regarding theeffectiveness of each project to accomplish its primary purpose, and anyrecommendations to assure that State funding is used in the most cost‑effectivemanner and accomplishes the greatest improvement in water quality. (2006‑78, s. 1.)