With the start of a new grant cycle for the Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF), conservation organizations, local parks agencies, and others submitted applications to fund conservation projects across the state.
A total of 144 grant applications were submitted to North Carolina’s Clean Water Management Trust Fund, totaling $82,613,060. That’s about five times more than the allocated $16,565,670 for projects in 2019. Without adequate funds appropriated to the CWMTF in 2020, many of the proposed projects could lack the necessary funding for completion.
Ensuring there are ample funds allocated toward conservation efforts is necessary for North Carolina’s economic and future development. Of the 144 applications, 100 of them are requests for funding land acquisitions, which protect North Carolina’s natural beauty and resources such as water, animal habitats and plant species unique to our state. The other 44 submissions are for restoration, innovative stormwater solutions, and planning projects.
As North Carolina continues to invest in building a more resilient state, lawmakers must also prioritize the appropriation of adequate funding for land and water conservation projects that benefit citizens today and into the future. The need for conservation funding through CWMTF and other avenues is great and impacts every district and every resident. We must continue ensuring that our trust funds are well protected and adequately funded.
To view the full list of the 2020 CMWTF requests, click here.