Expands current county-based Voluntary Agricultural District programs, offering additional protection and benefits to farmers willing to commit to a program of sustained agriculture and conservation for at least 10 years.
Current Status: Ratified by the General Assembly on August 23, 2005, and signed byt he Governor on September 13, 2005.
Fully funds Clean Water Management Trust Fund at $100 million. House version appropriates $62 million. Appropriates $250,000 of Natural Heritage Trust Fund for operational costs, reduces State Parks and Recreation Division’s Operating Reserve Funds from $3.2 million to $2.2 million, does not include equity funding for state park rangers. No funding for Farmland Preservation Trust Fund in Senate budget, $40,000 for start up of advisory committee in House.
Current Status – Ratified on August 11, signed by Governor. Includes $100 million for Clean Water Management Trust Fund and $50,000 for Farmland Preservation Fund
Two Additions to State Parks Systems (H 1008, S 586)
Adds Carvers Creek State Park and the Hickory Nut Gorge/Chimney Rock area to the State Parks System, declaring the plots to have biological, geological and recreational significance
Current Status: Ratified and signed into law 5/4/2005
Copies of all bills can be obtained through the NC General Assembly’s website at: www.NCLEG.net
