Loading...
The URL can be used to link to this page
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Home
My WebLink
About
CFE 061200
LE f ' Orange County , g � 6 000 nv ronn� ent and Resource Conservation De ar ment .P . O . Box 8781 c Hillsborough, NC 2 72 78 Phone : (91. 9) 245 - 2597 _ Fax : ("9 .1. 9 ) 644 ~3002 Email : ccraw � 7 � �, 5 �vrd Ou . or ante 17r. . if � ' _ ,. :�' . . 41, Memorandum To : Commission for the Environment From : Kris Price , Chair Date : June 5 , 2000 Re . June 12 Meeting Agenda Please find attached the agenda and materials for the next meeting of the Commission for the Environment , which is scheduled for : Monday, June 12, 2000 7 : 30 p . m . Southern Human Services Center 2505 Homestead Road Chapel Hill , NC Please note that the discussion of the American Stone Quarry issue may be affected by action from the Carrboro Board of Aldermen on June 6 ( if Carrboro votes against the quarry expansion , the proposal Is effectively vetoed ) . If you have questions , or will be unable to attend , please contact Carol Crawford ( 245 - 2597 , ccrawford@co . orange . nc . us ) . I look forward to seeing you on the 12t " . f AGENDA Orange County Commission for the Environment Monday, June 12 , 2000 7 : 30 p . m . Southern Human Services Center 2505 Homestead Road Chapel Hill , NC 7 : 30 I . Call to Order 7 : 30 II . Additions or Changes to Agenda 7 : 32 III . Approval of Minutes ( April 10 , May 8 ) 735 IV . Discussion of Proposed American Stone Quarry Expansion As discussed on May 8 , the Commission received material via e - mail for review prior to the meeting ( please bring this material to the meeting if desired ) . Additional information requested is attached . The Carrboro Board of Aldermen will be considering the issue on June 6 , which may make discussion moot . 810 V . Composting Toilet Pilot Project Marc Marcoplos of the Economic Development Commission and a number of environmental groups would like to share an idea for a pilot project on the use of composting toilets . 8 : 20 VI . Draft Agenda - Timber Harvesting Techniques Information Session Attached . A date needs to be scheduled for this event , and publicity plan developed . 8 : 40 VII . Agenda Items for Next Meeting ( August 14 ) Note : There is no July meeting . Items for August would include the Natural Areas and Open Space Element of the Plan and a report from the New Hope Corridor Advisory Committee . If item IV above is deleted , the Natural Areas Element could be discussed in its place . 8 : 45 VIII . Committee Breakout Sessions 9 : 30 IX . Adjournment 1 II ,II . I� . I i i i DRAFT Timber Harvesting Practices Citizen Information Session (names are tentative and not confirmed) September 25 , 2000 Proposed Session Agenda 1 . 7 : 30 Introductions ( N . C . Senator Ellie Kinnaird ? ) 2 . 7 : 35 Purpose of Session (Andy Sachs , Dispute Settlement Center — moderator) 3 . 7 : 45 Panel Discussion Each member of the panel will have five minutes to address " what you see as the most important issue in timber harvesting techniques today . " Panel members Judson Edeburn, Duke Forest Resource Manager Rick Hamilton, Extension Forestry Specialist, NCSU Xxxx 00000(x, Dogwood Alliance Dan Richter, Duke SOE (chip mill report) Fred Cubbage, NCSU (chip mill report) , NC Forest Service David Owens, Institute of Government Also invite Haven Wiley, UNC Biblo professor and Li ivy Ludington (TLC report), representative from timber industry; Kirk Pelland, UNC forester, citizens concerned with clear-cutting from previous discussions; Forest Service Employees for Responsibility; Environmental Law Center. Other advisory boards and civic groups to be invited. 4 . 8 : 20 Question and Answer (Andy Sachs , moderator) 5 . 8 : 55 Next Steps / Needed Follow- up ? Could include forum once everyone is more knowledgeable . Explore alternative techniques . Other follow- up meetings ( regional ? ) 6 . 9 : 00 Adjournment and " Mingling " • Publicize — get word out to people who want/ need to know how things work • Videotape — The People 's Channel • Location ? ? s i � . ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Summary of Meeting April 10 , 2000 Held at Orange County Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill , NC Members Present : Roy Fortmann , Cara Crisler, Julie Tucker, Kris Price , Dan Okun , Richard Pratt, William Glaze , Loraine Kohorn , Annette Jurgelski , Laura Cotterman , Hervey McIver . Excused Absences : Mark Smith , Rosalinda Lidh , Lee Rafalow . Staff Present : Rich Shaw , ERCD Land Conservation Manager, Carol Crawford , ERCD Administrative Assistant . I . Call to Order . Chair Price called the meeting to order at 7 : 35 p . m . II . Additions or Changes to Agenda Fortmann requested to add a report of the Intensive Livestock Operation committee meeting . Shaw reported that Stancil was giving a presentation at Chapel Hill Town Council meeting and would not be in attendance . Price welcomed and introduced new members , Laura Cotterman and Hervey McIver . Cotterman has worked with the NC Heritage Program and Land Conservation Program , Inventory of Rare Species and Natural Areas , Protection of Natural Areas , botanist an ecologist background , and is now working as Technical Editor in the protection natural and conservation areas . McIver works with NC Chapter of Nature Conservancy and Eno River Association , Shaping Orange County 's Future Task Force , Hillsborough Occoneechee Park Committee . Tucker requested to add an item to discuss a proposed rock quarry expansion . III . Report on Intensive Livestock Operations Fortmann reported on the Intensive Livestock Operations meeting . In February the Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution to form an Intensive DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 1 of 6 Livestock Operation Study Committee , The BOCC joined with the Board of Health in desiring investigation and further study of the issue surrounding the development of intensive livestock operations in Orange County . The first meeting was held on April 5th . The representation of the committee was reviewed as Orange County Agriculture Districts Advisory Board , BOCC , Board of Health , CfE , Cooperative Extension , Farm Bureau , Animal Control , Environmental Health , Natural Resources Conservation Service , Planning Dept, Orange Dairy Heard Improvement Association , Soil and Water Conservation , Poultry and Livestock Farming Community representatives . One of the main concerns with ILO committee is hog farm lagoons . Three topics were discussed : l - Defining an ILO was discussed at length . Concluding with certain number of animals below which there are no requirements for permitting or inspections and , there are some guidelines such as 60 , 000 pounds steady state weight which is defined differently with poultry, cattle or other animal types , number of animals and method of waste disposal which determine intensive livestock operations . 2 - Subsidy of regulations in Orange County and , 3 -What rules currently exist . The first meeting was informational and to define what the group is going to do . There is an Orange County Animal Agricultural facts and trends document put together by the Agricultural Extension agents which found that there are only three hog operations in the county . One is free range , one has very small number of animals , and one is a contract farm where about 4000 hogs are raised for an outside agent . That farm is a fairly large operation and has lagoons . In 1980 there were thirteen swine producers in OC, in 2000 there are only three . Poultry operations in the county include operations where eggs are produced for contract with 5 operators in Orange County which have dry litter waste systems . The dry litter stays in the farmhouse for 11 months of a year followed with a shutdown , cleanup and field fertilizer broadcast operation once a year . Also there is one independent laying operation with approximately 60 , 000 birds which has a liquid waste system . There are no turkey farms in Orange County . The dairy farms history was reported that in 1966 there were 99 herds in Orange County — in 1999 there were 21 herds . The average size herd is 105 cows per operation . Dairy operations use holding pit waste systems , where the waste is collected in the pit with agitation and distribution during certain times of the year as field fertilizer . The pits can be earthen or concrete and below ground and are not operated as a lagoon . The findings concluded that there are no big hog operations in Orange County . The question raised was if there is any need for regulations . Cooperative Extension and farm representatives stated that large operations would not come into Orange County because of the expense of lands , and there are too many residential areas existing to ever build a large enough hog operation . Setback requirements and state siting regulations for large operations are in existence . DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 2 of 6 Chatham , Columbus , Halifax , Moore , Randolph and Robeson counties all have more stringent requirements on large livestock operations . In most cases the setbacks have been increased . For example in Chatham County the setback from confinement buildings and lagoons has to be 2500 - 5500 feet to residences . A question was raised that if the livestock operation was in place first and a house was built would the same restrictions would apply . Action results from first meeting : Planning department is to gather GIS data to see how many locations in the county are suitable for large livestock operation with the siting requirements of 1500 feet . Then the Cooperative Extension and another group are putting together a complete summary of all the state and county requirements in terms of permitting and inspections . A livestock operation has to be inspected four times a year . The resolution called for a report to the BOCC by June 1st . At the end of the first meeting a possible time for the next meeting was discussed , it was expressed that some were concerned that this study is being done during this busy time of year for farmers and called for the next meeting to be in October . Fortmann to continue to inform the CfE of further developments . IV . Approval of March 13 , 2000 Minutes . MOTION : Kohorn made motion to approve the March 13 , 2000 minutes . Seconded by Pratt . VOTE : Unanimous . V . Quarry Expansion Discussion Tucker reported that a concerned citizens group had contacted her and requested that the CfE be made aware of the quarry expansion and consider making a statement prior to a public meeting scheduled to be held April 12tn , Tucker explained that American Stone is in negotiations with OWASA to expand the quarry operations . The area is reaching capacity and looking to expand into OWASA owned land . Upon depletion of the original quarry it became a reservoir . Parts of the negotiations are to address water needs . Tucker expressed that it would be good to investigate what analyses have been done to determine the best alternative for the water needs for the area . Other topics discussed included the size of the pits , relocating Bethel Hickory Grove Church Road , and preserving wetland areas . Shaw described the location as at Hwy 54 and Bethel Hickory Grove Church Road and showed a map . Okun described the area as lying between University Lake and Cane Creek . The drainage area for University Lake is about 30 square miles and Cane Creek is DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 3 of 6 similar . The quarry was built in 1932 at a much smaller size than it should have been , so it is not sufficient . For example , there is 30 square miles of water pouring into the reservoir and the capacity is too small to hold it so a lot of water is lost . Cane Creek reservoir was built to a size , which was compatible to the 30 square miles . The quarry reservoir should have been built to that size also . Extensive studies have been done on increasing the size of the reservoirs . The storage necessary could be easily reached by expanding the quarry reservoir . The yield of each reservoir — one being 3 - 1 / 2 million and the other 10 million gallons per day was noted . With the additional reservoir there could be 20 million gallons per day yield using the same watershed area . The blast effects were reported as being similar to daily California tremors that move pictures on walls . Other concerns discussed were effects on wells , water supply issues , and stone needs , Jordan Lake — increase size unlikely because it has drains of heavily industrialized areas with problems , and other safety issues of drinking water . Two requirements of the quarry company and OWASA could be to provide piped water supply to people in the watershed if their wells are adversely effected , secondly they should be recompensed for any damages that occur . An example was given that when gravel is lost on the roadways by trucks hauling rock this causes damage to others using roadways . A possible solution might be that as a truck leaves a construction site it could be washed including the wheels to remove stones and also the loads should be covered thereby alleviating further damages by flying rock . The costs of these types of compensations will be small compared to the value of the water supply . Other concerns discussed were the water issues surrounding growth and development, using water to discourage growth , being at the headwaters of all the streams the water will be valuable whether for OWASA service area now or future , growth will occur and the water will be an valuable resource . The excess water we now have flows downstream and could be used in the future . The CfE concluded to reserve making a statement until further investigation and detail studying of this issue is completed . Tucker volunteered to attend the meeting in a citizen capacity and report back at a later time . Another idea was to assign investigation of this issue to the future water committee if the CfE determines to take on this study . VI . CfE Goals for FY 2000 - 01 The CfE adopted to goals as distributed with the following changes . Reword the fourth goal under the Air Quality Committee to say , " Investigate potential for state to establish additional air quality monitoring stations in Orange County . " And change the completion date to " June 2001 . " DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 4 of 6 Add "Track transportation issues as ongoing " . Delete the fourth goal listed under Environmental Indicators and Education Committee . Adopt the Proposed Water Committee goals with the understanding that there will be allowed flexibility to change the goals as the committee is established and begins working . MOTION : Jurgelski moved adoption of the goals with changes as noted . Seconded by Crisler . VOTE : unanimous VII . Water Resources Committee The CfE discussed the name of the proposed committee favoring "Water Committee " or " Water Quality and Resources Committee " because most people think of water quantity when they hear " water resources ", and developing a timetable for formation relative to completion of existing WRC project possibly of Fall 2000 . The idea of filling a CfE vacancy with a member of the current Water Resources Committee and inviting other members to participate in development of the new Water Quality and Resources Committee . This item was tabled until the CfE receives further guidance from Stancil . VIII . Update on Lands Legacy Program and Resource Land Acquisitions Shaw gave an update of the Lands Legacy Program noting that the BOCC adopted the LLP on April 4th . Land acquisition is underway with ERCD , other county departments and other land management groups to move forward . The criteria for acquisition of natural areas and wildlife habitat that the CfE developed is included in the Lands Legacy Program and will be one of the tools used in identifying and acquiring land in the future . The section of the State of the Environment report that refers to the top ten areas for conservation in Orange County gives staff guidance to implementing the LLP . The County now holds the 63 acres that were formally part of the Duke Forest west of Hillsborough , and will begin working on suitable access for low impact trails . The BOCC approved the terms of Orange County 's participation in the acquisition of some property in the northeast of the County . We are working jointly with Eno River Association , Triangle Land Conservancy and Durham County to acquire the property, which has over a mile of frontage on the north fork of the Little River for a park . Shaw showed and described the parcel on a map . A media day that the Eno River Association and TLC are hosting is set for April 13th to let the media ask questions of the different partners involved . DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 5 of 6 It is also a kick off for a fund raising campaign by the ERA and TLC to raise funds to contribute to the acquisition of this property . Discussion followed of stewardship , access , types of recreation , grants , funds , and that the two counties are deemed as joint owners and responsible for upkeep of the proposed park . Shaw also reviewed the Green Tract property . In March the BOCC along with the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro decided to have a historical and biological survey done to identify the different resources . The BOCC has decided that 60 acres ( of the 160 acres) should be turned over to the county for preservation in a natural state . These 60 acres include the more mature hardwood areas including preserving a 500 foot frontage on the railway designation . IX . Agenda Items for Next Meeting ( May 8 ) Price reminded the CfE to forward proposed agenda items to her or Stancil approximately two weeks before the regular meeting dates . Noting that the agenda mail out deadline is one week prior to meetings . X . Committee Breakout Sessions Price adjourned the meeting to committee sessions noting that this is . a good time to begin work on the adopted goals and a reminder of the State of the Environment report being due December 2000 . The CfE discussed committee assignments for new members , McIver and Cotterman . Considering their expertise , both were assigned to Biological Resources Committee . Jurgelski volunteered to move to the Environmental Indicators and Education Committee , XI . Adjournment The CFE Adjourned at 10 : 30 p . m . DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 6 of 6 ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Summary of Meeting May 8, 2000 Held at Orange County Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill , NC Members Present : , Cara Crisler, Julie Tucker, Kris Price , Loraine Kohorn , Annette Jurgelski , Laura Cotterman , Mark Smith . Excused Absences : Roy Fortmann , Dan Okun , Hervey McIver, Richard Pratt, William Glaze , Rosalinda Lidh , Lee Rafalow . Staff Present : David Stancil , ERCD Director, Rich Shaw, ERCD Land Conservation Manager, Carol Crawford , ERCD Administrative Assistant . I . Call to Order . Chair Price called the meeting to order at 7 : 45 p . m . II . Additions or Changes to Agenda . Stancil reported that Shaping Orange County Task Force would hold a community forum on May 18 at Stanback Middle School . The provisional report is on the ERCD web page for review . CfE members will receive in the mail a summary document about the report and are invited to attend the forum . Price noted a change in the agenda to move up Item # V — Quarry Expansion Discussion , to allow Tucker to attend another meeting at Chapel Hill Town Hall . III . Approval of Minutes (April 10, 2000 ) . Approval of the April 10th meeting minutes was postponed due to lack of quorum . V . Discussion of Mitigation Measures for the Quarry Expansion . Tucker reported that she brought this issue to the CfE 's attention at the April meeting and said she would attend the April 12 public hearing and report back to the CfE . First, she asked Stancil to review the status of the proposed American Stone quarry expansion . Stancil reviewed a handout with a summary of the proposal that was prepared for the Chapel Hill Town Council , including a memo from the Town Manager and a draft of the post hearing report . The proposed quarry expansion would create another water supply reservoir/ holding area once the quarry operations are completed in 30 years . To do that DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 1 of 6 requires an amendment to the Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan , which covers some of the unincorporated area surrounding Chapel Hill and Carrboro . The first step of the proposal would expand the extracted use category of the LUP thereby allowing quarry operations to expand onto adjoining property . Tucker then provided additional information . The project would require establishment of 180 . 51 - acre rural industrial activity node in the University Lake Watershed . She noted that Joyce Brown had reported that in the memo from Manager Horton under `" Key Issues " there was an inaccuracy in the first item . The Chapel Hill Town Council did notapprove the amendment in 1994 . It had been discussed but never approved . Tucker noted that a resident of the quarry area had asked the CfE to consider making a statement concerning the environmental issues involved with the expansion . Tucker said that it appears that not enough attention has been given to the environmental concerns and as the different jurisdictions were beginning to vote on the issue , time is critical . It was noted that Orange County Planning Board is scheduled to hear the item on June 6tn . Tucker asked if ERCD had evaluated the quarry expansion proposal . Stancil explained that the amendment is to the Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan , which traditionally goes through the Planning Board and Elected Boards . He said staff would review the proposal if requested by the CfE . Tucker noted that Orange County has an Environmental Impact Ordinance that should be considered in this review . Stancil relayed a message from Okun (who was attending the on - going Chapel Hill Town Council meeting ) to the CfE that he thought there are sufficient environmental issues at hand for the CfE to discuss and submit a formal comment . Cotterman asked if the commission could also review the Environmental Impact Statement report . Tucker summarized issues raised in her personal letter to the Chapel Hill Town Council concerning the project : The EIS report does not adequately evaluate the environment impacts of a no - action alternative , the supplement report only updates impacts on humans , such as noise and traffic accidents ; when the original EIS concluded that a search of the area found no records of any rare , threatened or endangered species , it should have documented the source of this information ; the data is more than seven years old and could be considered invalid . Finally, as Orange County could be designated as a non - attainment area for ozone soon , the county would be required to demonstrate how it is reducing ambient levels of ozone . Tucker noted that this proposal would conflict with that effort because the quarry could combust approximately 750 thousand gallons of diesel oil , kerosene , gasoline and other fuels based on an 1996 air pollution report from the state . Radon gas was noted as another controversial issue . DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 2 of 6 Tucker reported that the supplement EIS claims " the greatest proportion of homes with elevated levels of radon are in piedmont and mountain counties , and compared to the rest of Orange County there is a disproportionate number of homes within 1500 feet of the quarry with unsafe levels of radon gas " . Another issue that could be investigated is the air emissions from the site , including combustion and grinding and suppressions and whether it is meeting the state mining requirements . Tucker also noted that a small wetland will be completely displaced and there is no requirement for re - establishment . The CfE also heard concerns on the necessity of the quarry expansion and projected water use , water reclamation , stone usage and , benefits verses costs involved , quarry capacity calculation discrepancies , and road relocation implications . The CfE discussed the process for review of the EIS report and whether it might be prudent for ERCD staff or the CfE itself to review the document . The CfE decided to send a letter to the BOCC Chairman Carey , asking that the CfE to be allowed to comment on the quarry expansion proposal . The CfE requested copies of the Environment Impact Statement ( original dated 10 / 14/93 and Supplement dated March 2000 ) , a summary of the public hearing , materials from Mr . Erwin Danziger and Elliott Cramer about water usage , and Tucker 's letter for review and further discussion at the June meeting . IV . Formation of CfE Water Committee . Stancil reported that the existing Water Resources Committee ( WRC ) is scheduled to complete its groundwater project once the USGS report on the county's groundwater resources is completed in August 2000 . The WRC has prepared a draft outline for a report and is expected to issue its final report in either October or November . At that time , the WRC is expected to be dissolved and one of its members could be appointed to CfE . Other members of the WRC may continue to be involved in an ex officio capacity with the proposed new Water Committee of the CfE . Stancil noted that Pratt, Okun and Glaze have expressed desire to serve on the Water Committee . The new committee will develop guidance on how to implement the recommendations of the WRC ground water study and integrate what we know about surface water with ground water knowledge into a new Water Resources Element of the County 's comprehensive plan . The existing WRC expects to be merged into the CfE . The CfE considered forming the new " Water Committee " and making formal appointments at a later date . MOTION : Kohorn made motion to form a new Water Committee of the CfE at this time and take proxy votes . Seconded by Crisler . VOTE : Unanimous . DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 3 of 6 Next, on behalf of the BOCC , Stancil honored the CfE members with a token of appreciation for contributing their personal time to serve on this important advisory board and for making a difference for the people of Orange County . VI . Updates a . Shearon Harris Stancil reported that the judicial arm of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has responded to Orange County's technical contentions regarding the storage of , spent fuel rods at Shearon Harris nuclear plant . In a recent newspaper article , Paul Thames , County Engineer, explained that the NRC rejected the technical contentions and a public hearing is not required on that issue . Senator Edwards , however, has called for a voluntary public hearing from CP &L . There are also environmental contentions that have been raised by the county and consultants , which are on going and , are not related to the judicial review . In talking to Diane Currin , attorney representing the county, it is felt that the environmental contentions are still on track . In fact, the panel indicated they want to see the information related to some of those issues . The County Commissioners could appeal the NRC finding on two levels - - first to the NRC Commissioners and second to the US Court of Appeals . An appeal would need to be filed by May 22 , 2000 . b . Lands Legacy Orange County adopted the Lands Legacy program on April 4 , 2000 . The BOCC also recently adopted an Interim Action Plan for the upcoming fiscal year . Stancil reviewed the Interim Action Plan for CfE members , noting that in future years the CfE and other advisory boards would review and comment on development the action plan related to related its charge . Since the budget process is well underway, the commissioners asked ERCD to develop an interim plan for FY 2000 - 01 based on comments from the advisory boards . Stancil noted that this first action plan is weighted heavily towards land banking for parks , which was recommended in the Joint Master Recreation & Parks Report . Other priorities are listed in each of the five areas of resource preservation : Natural Areas and Wildlife Habitat, Farmland Preservation , Parklands and Open Space , Riparian Buffers and Cultural & Archaeological Sites . The top priority in terms of natural areas is working to acquire areas of Seven - Mile Creek in conjunction with other partners , which was identified as one of CfE 's priorities for conservation in the 1999 State of the Environment report . ERCD plans to work with Eno River Association and Eno River State Park on any other opportunities that arise in the Eno River basin . Staff is also participating in an effort to preserve a natural area adjacent to the Mason Farm Biological Reserve . Staff will continue to monitor efforts to preserve Pickard 's Mountain natural area and work with TLC if conditions become favorable to preserve additional lands along the New Hope Creek Corridor . DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 4 of 6 Stancil reviewed the Priority List for May 2000 -June 2001 . He highlighted Item 3 : " Purchase or otherwise acquire lands in the Seven - Mile Creek Natural Area , especially those that are part of the identified natural areas/wildlife habitat adjacent to County lands . He noted that the purpose is to preserve one of the County 's largest intact identified natural areas ( which already contains land preserved by the County and other entities ) . Stancil also reported on the proposed Little River Regional Park and Natural Area . He said the BOCC would consider exercising the option to purchase the property , on May 16t" . The BOCC will also consider applying to Land and Water Conservation Fund for a grant to develop an access road and parking areas for the park . Stancil noted that the County closed on the purchase of land for the McGowan Creek Preserve ( March 31 , 2000 ) and is also working on expanding land holdings for the proposed new Cedar Grove District Park . CfE members asked about the process for developing trails at County parks . Stancil reported on a process for development of trails in coordination with the Recreation & Parks Department . c . Green Tract / C &D Issues The BOCC has proposed the dedication of 60 acres in the northern portion of the Greene Tract to Orange County . The plan will go to Chapel Hill and Carrboro for their review and approval . The C&D Task Force held its last meeting on May 1st and will present a draft report to the BOCC in June . The major recommendation is asking the BOCC to consider adopting a solid waste ordinance that might mandate recycling of certain C& D materials . The report will also suggest how to handle those materials , how they would be processed , and also extensive outreach/ education to the groups who produce C&D materials . d . Alternative Fuels (AFLEV) group The Alternative Fuels and Low Emission Vehicle work group is scheduling a meeting soon . ERCD had a meeting with Senator Kinnaird and Representative Insko about a month ago . Senator Kinnaird identified some Department of Commerce money that might be available for an alternative fueled vehicle . Staff hopes to continue efforts to convert the county motor vehicle fleet over to low - emission vehicles on the replacement schedule where feasible and to apply for a grant for mobile source emission reductions . VII . Planning for Clear - Cutting Forum and Joint Meeting with Durham Environmental Board . Stancil noted that these two proposed meetings were identified in the CfE Goals for FY 2000 - 01 . He noted that the Planning Board might be interested in co - hosting a proposed forum on forest management practices in Orange County . Potential dates , topics , speakers , and target audience were discussed . The most DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 5 of 6 preferable format seems to be a panel discussion followed by a question & answer session . Such a format would better inform participants of the current regulations for "' clear cutting " and lead to another kind of follow- up meeting at a later date . The Dispute Settlement Center was suggested for moderating the panel discussion , specifically, Andy Sachs . Suggested panel members included a person from the NC Forest Service , Judson Edeburn , Duke Forest Manager, Jake Wicker, Institute of Government, and someone from the Dogwood Alliance . Panel speakers would be allotted 10 - minute segments . Some of the stakeholders that were identified were large landowners , timber industry representatives , rural / urban neighbors , and advocates of protecting wildlife habitat, such as Dr . Haven Wiley ( UNC ) or Livy Ludington , co - authors of the 1997/ 1999 TLC reports that identified prime forestland in Orange County . Inviting other boards was also suggested . The Durham Open Space and Trails Commission , which advises on the building of greenways , site plans for developments and changes with environmental impacts , was considered as being another interested party . Marketing issues of mailing lists and how to get the word out were discussed . A target date of September or October was considered . The CfE also discussed holding a joint meeting with counterpart advisory boards from a neighboring jurisdiction . The Durham County Environmental Affairs Board was suggested as a group to meet with to share concerns and interests in air quality, transportation and conservation issues . It was suggested that a joint meeting be scheduled for January 2001 , perhaps with a presentation by each board about current projects and goals, and how to accomplish common goals . VIII . Agenda Items for Next Meeting (June 12, 2000 ) Items identified for the June meeting include Shaping Orange County's Future , the proposed quarry expansion and the Natural Areas and Open Space Element . IX . Committee Breakout Sessions XI . Adjournment The CFE Adjourned at 9 : 30 p . m . DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 6 of 6 Informational Items Commission for the . Environment Tune 12 ,, 2000 Agenda " 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date : May 16 , 2000 r Action Agenda Item No . SUBJECT : Public Hearing on Orange County' s Legislative Agenda for 2000 DEPARTMENT : County Manager PUBLIC HEARING : (Y/N ) Yes ATTACHMENT( S ) : INFORMATION CONTACT : John Link , ext 2300 Public Hearing Notice Potential Legislative Items as TELEPHONE NUMBERS : previously discussed Hillsborough 732 =8181 Resolutions and other materials Chapel Hill 9684501 From County Attorney Durham 688 =7331 ( separate cover) Mebane 3364274031 PURPOSE : To hold a public hearing on potential items for inclusion in Orange County' s . legislative agenda package for the 2000 North Carolina General Assembly Session , BACKGROUND : The 2000 North Carolina General Assembly Session begins on May 8 , 2000 . This is planned to be a " short session " of the Legislature . The BOCC has expressed a desire to formulate a legislative package to pursue for the 2000 North Carolina General Assembly Session . The Board has previously discussed and approved a coordinated plan for making direct contact with legislators and legislative committees and becoming more actively involved in the legislative process in support of Orange County' s legislative package . The Board has also discussed potential legislative items at both its May 3 , 2000 regular meeting (very briefly) and May 9 , 2000 work session . A list of potential final items , as outlined on the "green " list with "yellow" attachment , was approved at the May 9t' meeting . Members of the Beard also recently met with Orange County' s legislative delegation to discuss various legislative items . The Board now needs to hold a public hearing on the potential legislative items to present during the 2000 General Assembly Session . After the public hearing , the Board will likely need to review and consider approval as necessary of the resolutions and other materials as developed County Attorney ( provided via separate cover) so that they can be delivered in final form to Orange County ' s legislative delegation and to the bill drafting division of the General Assembly . FINANCIAL IMPACT . None at this time . RECOMMENDATION ( S ) : The Manager recommends that the Board proceed as it desires based on the public hearing . 2 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE • I FOR TUESDAY, MAY 16 AT 7 : 30 P . M . A public hearing will be held on the following list of potential legislative items for the 2000 North Carolina General Assembly Session : ' ♦ School Impact Tax ♦ Preserve Farmland/Promote Small Farms ♦ Promote Viable Agriculture/Alternative Farming & Agricultural Practices ♦ Farmer to Farmer ♦ Reduce Property Tax on Homestead Exemption ♦ Community College Initiative ♦ Billboard Advertisements on I40 ♦ Metropolitan Planning Organizations ♦ De-Annexation ♦ Attachment/Garnishment for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Bills + Open Burning/Emission of Pollutants ♦ County Financial Responsibility for Troubled Children ♦ Maintaining funding levels for the Division of Soil and Water The Orange County Board of Commissioners welcomes all comments . The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill beginning at 7 : 30 p.m. If you need additional information please call Greg Wilder at 245 -2314 or visit, our website at www. co . oran eg nc .us and click on hot topics . 3 INITIAL LIST OF POTENTIAL LEGISLATIVE ITEMS FOR 2000 NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION An initial meeting occurred on May 2 , 2000 involving Commissioner Halkiotis , Commissioner Jacobs, County Attorney Geof Gledhill, County Manager John Link, and Assistant County Manager Rod Visser to consider on a preliminary basis potential legislative items for Orange County to pursue during the 2000 North Carolina . General Assembly Session . Following the discussion, it was proposed that the items below be noted on an initial list of potential legislative items to address with Orange County ' s legislative delegation . The Board may want to review this list and modify, add to, delete, or revise it in any manner. School Impact Tax (H857/S725 ) This legislation seeks to replace the current school impact fee with a school impact tax . Presetv_e FarmlandlPromote Small Farms The House version of this bill, H1132 , was approved during the 1999 session. The Senate version, S930, has been referred to the Senate Agriculture/Environment/ Natural Resources Committee. The House legislation seeks to establish a North Carolina Farmland Preservation Trust Fund for the purpose of purchasing agricultural conservation easements including transaction costs . Promote Viable AS dcultureWtemative Farming & Agricultural Practices There exists a need to address this matter on several levels . One pertains to addressing regulatory processes which may impact farmers ' pursuits of viable options to enhance, augment, or supplant standard farming activities . Current regulatory processes should be evaluated and, where reasonably possible, streamlined to diminish any impediments to these ventures. The other related area concerns funding availability for agricultural activities in Orange County. This funding could be for an Agricultural Center, for assistance with alternative farming activities , and for other areas . Farmer to Farmer (H869/S 1103 ) This legislation relates to the deferral of accrued taxes when agricultural property changes hands from farmer to farmer. The issue was presented during the 1999 Session, but was deferred to a legislative study committee and remains there at this point . 4 Reduce Propelly Tax on Homestead E ern tion This legislation would involve raising the exemption level on "homesteads " , thereby diminishing the property tax owed . The 1999 budget bill called for a study of the homestead exemption, and a bill could emanate from that study during the Short Session and be eligible for consideration . Community College Initiative It may be prudent for Orange County to initiate a proposal requesting funding from the state for a satellite community college property and facility. Current information indicates that it would be wise to begin this process now and that a complete college plan is not necessary to initiate this request . Billboard Advertisements on I40 A moratorium prohibiting new billboards on I40 from the Orange-Alamance county line to the Wilmington city limits in New Hanover County was approved by the General Assembly in 1999 . The moratorium is scheduled to . expire on July 1 , 2000 . The Town of Chapel Hilt has already adopted a resolution requesting that Orange County ' s legislative delegation seek a permanent prohibition against billboard advertisements along Interstate 40 . MetropolitanPlanning OragWzations Discussions are on-going among local leaders and state representatives regarding proposed legislation to consolidate metropolitan planning organizations . The terms under which the DurhamwChapel Hill-Carrboro MPO and the Greater Raleigh MPO might be merged could be influenced by the language of any proposed legislation. It is suggested that Orange County note its general support for the Durham- Chapel Hif -Carrboro MPO ' s Position Statement on Senate Bi11 1164 . Senate Bill 1164 is sponsored by Senator Daniel Clodfelter. The Position Statement notes 1 ) principles that should be considered in merging MPOs , 2) potential funding level questions and funding allocation issues, and 3 ) weighted voting and representation characteristics that a merged organization ' s policy body should incorporate . De_Annexation As the Board of Commissioners is aware , the state has established the Smart Growth Commission, of which PCon= ssioner Jacobs is a member. As this Commission reviews all aspects of growth and its impacts across the state , it may be worthwhile to S encourage the Commission to review the current status , practices , and impacts of annexation and de - annexation . Attachment/Gamishment_forr Emergency Medical Services (EMS ) Bills Eighty- five counties in North Carolina currently have authorization to attach/garnish for the collection of EMS bills . Orange County is not one of those counties . The counties that do have this authority are : Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Caswell , Catawba, Chatham, Cherokee, Chowan, Cleveland, Columbus, Craven, idson, Davie, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Cumberland, Dare, bav Gaston , Graham, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Iredell , Johnston, Jones , Lee , Lenoir, Lincoln, McDowell , Macon, Madison, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Onslow, Pasquotank, Person, Pitt, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes , Surry, Swain , Transylvania, Tyrrell , Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Watauga, Wilkes , Wilson, Yadkin and Yancey Counties . Orange County should consider requesting to be added to the authorized counties . The county ' s current EMS collection rate is 35 =40 %, and this would likely * allow the County to raise its rate to 60- 65 %. Open BurningXm.ission_of Pollutants (H843 /S724) This matter passed the House during the 1999 Session. However, some issues relating to constitutionality were subsequently raised by the legislative drafting section, and, along with some other questions, limited consideration by the Senate. A similar bill which applied to the Town of Chapel Hill, H841 , was adopted in 1999 . f County Financial Responsibility for Troubled Children w NC G. S . 7B -2502 . Evaluation & Treatment of Undisciplined and Delinquent Children. Under current state law, a judge, in the case of a child that needs special care and/or assistance, can direct that the county of present location pay all the costs indefinitely to support the needs of that child . This provision allows a county to be unexpectedly assigned the responsibility of a child for an undefined time period and thereby incur expenses which can run into the tens of thousands on a yearly basis . This scenario can create significant budgetary problems for a county. The County may want to urge that this responsibility be borne by the State or at least urge some statutory - framework whereby a county can plan for this potential event . From : " Sen . Ellie Kinnaird " < Elliek@ncleg . net > Date : 6 / 1 / 00 10 : 32am Greetings from Raleigh . This week the Senate took an important. step toward protecting our environment when we approved a new proposal to protect North Carolina ' s open space . Senate Bill 1328 makes the goal of preserving 1 million acres of open space by 2010 part of state law . As anyone from the Triangle already knows , new development and population growth are eating up much of the open space North Carolinians have enjoyed for generations . In the last few years , 190 , 500 acres were lost to urban development in just the Triangle . I believe that if we don ' t get started soon , there won ' t be much open space left to protect by the time my grandchildren become adults . Conservationists agree • that ' s why they and Gov . Hunt have made the million • acre goal a top priority for North Carolina ' s environmental agenda . The million - acres bill passed this week puts the goal on North Carolina ' s law books and allows state agencies to earmark resources to meet it . It will also begin the process of encouraging our cities to preserve undeveloped land instead of letting sprawl gobble it up . And it will give our next governor • regardless of who wins in November a starting point for developing an environmental agenda for the new century . The million - acres bill now moves to the House for consideration . I will keep you posted about its progress . You can also visit www . sierraclub . nc . org/ millionacres < http : / /www . sierraclub • nc . org/ millionacres > to send an e - mail message to legislators supporting the million • acre goal . Warmest Regards Ellie Kathie Young Legislative Assistant Senator Ellie Kinnaird Room 2115 phone 733 . 5804 )rth Carolina General Assembly - [ H 16 . . . : Million Acre Open Space Goal . (Public) http :Hwww .ncga. state.nc . us/htmll999/bills/house/hbi11633 , full . html GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 1999 H HOUSE BILL 163 3 * a,�Wvte/l r Y/ Short Title : Million Acre Open Space Goal . ( Public ) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sponsors : Representatives Baddour , Wright , Gibson , Culp ( Primary Sponsors ) , Adams , Alexander , Allen , Barefoot , Blue , Bonner , Bridgeman , Brown , Church , Cox , Culpepper , Cunningham , Dedmon , Fitch , Ford , Goodwin , Gray , Hackney , Haire , Hall , Hensley , Hill , Horn , Hunter , Hurley , Insko , Luebke , McAllister , McCrary , McLawhorn , Melton , Miller , Nesbitt , Pope , Redwine , Rogers , Thomas , Tolson , Tucker , Wainwright , Warner , Warren , Weiss , G . Wilson , Womble , and Yongue . Referred to : Environment and Natural Resources . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - May 18 , 2000 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ENCOURAGE , SUPPORT , AND ACCELERATE THE PERMANENT PROTECTION OF FARMLAND , FORESTLAND , PARKLAND , GAMELAND , WETLANDS , OPEN SPACE , AND CONSERVATION LANDS IN NORTH CAROLINA , AS RECOMMENDED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COMMISSION . Whereas , the citizens of North Carolina have committed themselves to conserve and protect their lands and waters in numerous ways . This commitment is stated in Article XIV , Section 5 of the North Carolina Constitution and finds expression in the many State , local , and private programs that provide for the acquisition and protection of lands to protect the water quality , wetlands , drinking water sources , natural beauty , and ecological diversity of North Carolina as well as provide opportunities for public recreation ; and Whereas , despite these many disparate programs , the General Assembly finds that the quality of life that North Carolinians have come to expect is threatened by the continued alteration and development of the State ' s natural areas , the loss of its farmlands and forests , the shrinking amount of open space in its urban areas , and the loss of cultural and historic sites . As the State ' s population continues to expand , loss of open spaces to development will continue to increase , damaging North Carolina ' s economy and environment , and Whereas , the General Assembly further finds that additional permanent protection of lands for environmental protection and public use is needed to complement our State ' s economic growth and to meet our citizens ' needs for generations to come , Now , therefore , The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts : Section 1 . The General Assembly reaffirms the strong desire of the State and its citizens to conserve and protect the lands needed to provide a high - quality environment for present and future generations , while also preserving , to the maximum extent possible , the liberty of each individual to pursue their interests . 6/ 1 /2000 12 : 52 PM North Carolina General Assembly - [ H 16 . . . : Million Acre Open Space Goal . (Public) http : //www . nega. state . nc . us/html1999/bills/house/hbil1633 . full , html Section 2 . Chapter 113A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read : " ARTICLE 17 . " Conservation , Farmland , and Open Space Protection and Coordinat ion . 113A - 240 . Intent . ( a ) It is the intent of the General Assembly to continue to support and accelerate the State ' s programs of land conservation and protection , to find means to assure and increase funding for these programs , to support the long - term management of conservation lands acquired by the State , and to improve the coordination , efficiency , and implementation of the various State and local land protection programs operating in North Carolina . ( b ) It is the further intent of the General Assembly that the State ' s lands should be protected in a manner that minimizes any adverse impacts on the ability of local governments to carry out their broad mandates . " S 113A - 241 . State to Preserve One Million Acres . ( a ) The State of North Carolina shall encourage , facilitate , plan , coordinate , and support appropriate federal , State , local , and private land protection efforts so that an additional one million acres of farmland , open space , and conservation lands in the State are permanently protected by December 31 , 2009 . These lands shall be protected by acquisition in fee simple or by acquisition of perpetual conservation easements by public conservation organizations or by private entities that are organized to receive and administer lands for conservation purposes . ( b ) The Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources shall lead the effort to add one million acres to the State ' s protected lands and shall plan and coordinate with other public and private organizations and entities that are receiving and administering lands for conservation purposes . " Section 3 . The Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources shall report to the Governor and the Environmental Review Commission annually beginning on September 1 , 2000 , on the State ' s progress towards attaining the goal established in Section 2 of this act . Section 4 . This act is effective when it becomes law . F 6/ l /2000 12 : 52 PM With Hunt' s efforts curtailed, the focus of growth policy-making is now squarely on the legislature' s grow smart- th commission , which convened in January. The 37 -member commission , which G1 VLPWth includes legislators , academics , local politicians and representatives of various business groups , is expected to make recommendations and intro- duce legislation as Hunt prepares to leave office. Still, the Hunt administration is pushing mod- effort est growth policies this year, ones that don't cost the state money in the near term . First and fore- most are bills that would commit the state to pro- tect an additional 1 million acres of land from devel- i opment by 2010, a goal Hunt announced in January. The administration also supports a bill that would stalls allow local transportation planning agencies to merge into regional organizations that could more logically plan road projects across metropolitan areas like the Triangle . With the governor 's ambitions to The administration is also backing abill topro- manage growth Constrained by budget ' vide property-tax breaks to developers who fix up polluted sites . The tax breaks , which would be problems, a legislative commission will phased out over five years after a project is com- have tomake recommendations. pleted, are supported by both the N . C . League of Municipalities and the N. C . Association of County BY RICHARD STR.ADLING Commissioners , which fought a proposed 10-year STAFF WRITER tax break last year. Last fall, Gov. Jim Hunt set out to make man- "We felt this was a fair incentive but at the same aging the state' s rapid growth a top priority of his time not giving away the ranch , " said Andy final year in office . Romanet, lobbyist for the League . But the state ' s $ 450 million budget shortfall has Hunt's task force hearings last fall prompted the dampened Hunt' s ambitions . The budget the gov- Department of Public Instruction to amend its ernor sent to the General Assembly this month school construction guidelines to help school dis- includes only one new item related to his growth tricts redevelop old schools or build new ones on agenda — $ 1 .2 million for farmland preservation, smaller lots . Preservationists and others repeat- " If things had been different, you might have edly criticized the department' s guidelines dun- seen an actual smart- growth package in the leg- ing the hearings , saying they promote sprawl by islature ," said Beau Mills , the governor ' s adviser encouraging school districts to abandon older on growth issues . "It' s clear that he had hoped to schools and site new ones on the edge of town . do more on this . " "There' s a perception that on older inner-city Hunt created a task force on growth issues last school buildings that we routinely say, `Tear them August and sent it across the state for a series of down, ' which is not the case," said Jerry Knott, public hearings . He became a vocal proponent of chief of school planning. smart growth and led 100 government and busi- Hunt deserves credit for even taking on growth ness leaders on a field trip to Atlanta to learn about issues , said Paul Meyer, assistant general coup- that city's growth problems . Smart growth was an sel for the county commissioners association , issue whose time had come , Hunt said . , which co - sponsored last fall' s hearings . Hunt The governor wanted to include more money in helped set the tone for the legislative commission, his budget for mass transit, revitalizing downtowns Meyer said. and preserving land, Mills said. Just a month ago, "I really think that the governor has a pretty Hunt endorsed tripling the minimum size of the good sense that people around the state are ready state ' s Clean Water Management Trust Fund to for something to change," Meyer said. $ 100 million over the next three years , something that has been delayed at least a year. "Clearly there' s no money to do that now," Mills said. pro u alters regulatton s . . or '.i cons �rnc ion o subdivisions By R.J. Beatty 04 464/— oa "'The main [benefit] is the eaten- " [I'he . minor ' . subdivision rules] lion of the amount of time before The hews of orange county were designed so we could help the [developers] can start fresh, " said little guy who just wants to add a Constructing residential subdivi- Gordon . "Before, developers would few lots, " said Jacobs . "People ma- sions in Orange County just got a do a series of minor subdivisions to nipulated it piece by piece -- do little more difficult — at least for get around the rules. " four lots, then two years later do { the developer who would seek , to _ four more , ' skirt around long-range county de- The regulations adopted at the velopment plans, May 16 meeting increase the al- 111 lowed time between resubdivisionsIn addition to the expanded review of land from two to ten ears and period, regulations were amended } By unanimous vote, the Orange y regarding the Planning Board review County Board of Commissioners include a cumulative provision to process itself. Whereas before May last week approved a number of text gauge the impact of minor subdivi- 16 the board approved all concept amendments to county subdivision sions over the complete ten-year pet - { regulations, amendments that in- . riod . , The hope is that the new plans whether flexible or conven- . ! crease the Planning Board review rules will keep _ developers from tional; after which the developer period for subdivisions and measure ceaselessly subdividing property and chose the plan they wanted, the periodic additions by their cumula- adding dwelling units, in a manner board now will approve only one tive effect on the county . The that leads to haphazard, sprawl-style concept plan option . amendments alter the distinction be- development, said Gordon. tween "minor" subdivisions, which A flexible plan, in development often consist of private owners sub- parlance,making the change, the county parlance, is a subdivision plan that dividing their own property into wants to encourage developers to includes " at least ' 33 percent , . open lay out -their complete plans all at space, while a conventional plan r. lots to rent out to family members once, rather than , stretching out quires no open spaceAin its design, and acquaintances, and "major" sub- construction over the course of divisions subject to far more scru- years, said Gordon. Forcing large In the past, with the # power to de- tiny and evaluation by county Igov- developers to submit to an in-depth, cide for themselves which plan to ernment. deliberative review by . the Planning use, developers have more often Board enables the county to discern than not chosen a conventional The amendments were approved, how well the subdivision plan will plan, which inIt creases the potential said Commissioner Alice Gordon, fit in with the county ' s long-range returns on their investment by per- to close a loophole used in the past plans for development, the com- mitting them to build more closely by developers to .' get around the missioner added, together, more stringent rules for major4sub- . divisions , Before the amendments, "Usually; it ' s a better plan - if you "That ' s the way business has a mere two-year period of review by do it all at once, said Gordon. been done for much too long, " said the Planning Board meant that de- Jacobs, velopers wishing to put up a sig- Commissioner Barry Jacobs, who . nificant number of units could add in his year and a half in office has Jacobs said that the new regula- them incrementally as "minor" sub- achieved something of a reputation tions would hopefully make for a divisions — tracts of land divided for environmental protection and more pleasant landscape, and help into no more than five lots — carefully mange$ commercial and the county 'to ' reserve more open every two years ,. eventually adding residential development, agreed that space for .park land and recreation, the same � number of units as in a the new regulations represented a things in short supply in - northern major subdivision, said Gordon . big improvement. Orange County , rh , - Land b '111 LAND CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A 30 years are now free to benefit ould rural parks and urban recreation centers. " Eleven of the state ' s 12 repre - sentatives voted for it, including N. C .apid Democratic Reps , Bob Etheridge of Lillington and David Price of Chapel Hill . Rep . Howard Coble , a The U.S. House passes a Greensboro Republican, was a co - measure that would send sponsor but did not vote ; he was in ' Geneva to address an internation- nearly $ 47 million a year al conference on the proposed to North Carolina to buy Patent Law Treaty. public land . The bill 's fate North Carolina would get -$46 .6 million a year from the bill for in the Senate is uncertain . a wide range of programs, with the money divided among state and BY JAmEs RosEN local governments . WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT More than three-quarters of the WASHINGMN — The struggle for money is designated for land pur- open space in the Triangle, beau- chases to build parks , protect wet= tiful beaches on the coast and lands ' and develop wildlife pre - pristine trails in the mountains serves , and for various initiatives got a big boost Thursday when to shield the beaches and other lawmakers approved a landmark coastal areas . federal conservation bill that David Carter, who has been direc- would provide North Carolina for of parks and recreation in Wake with tens of millions of dollars County for 20 years , said the coup- each year for parks , greenways ty' s booming population is taxing and other public lands . its 25 parks, spread over 2,000 acres . . The House voted 315402 to "We have 50 new people a day pass the Conservation and Rein- moving into Wake County every day vestment Act — legislation to of the year, " Carter said . " The spend $45 billion from oil and gas minute we open up a new facility, drilling fees over 15 years to pro- it' s inundated. This money is going tect open space, wildlife and his. to be a godsend for us when it tonic sites threatened by . devel- comes to acquiring unique natural opment across the country. areas across the county. " Supporters hailed the bill as the most significant congres - Threats from senators sional commitment to land con- Despite its wide margin of pas - servation in decades. During two sage in the House, the legislation days of fierce debate, they over- faces difficulties in the Senate . It came attacks from conservative, has strong support there , but a mainly Western lawmakers who handful of Western senators have accused the federal government vowed to block it. of a massive land grab . "We have been fighting for this for . " The passage of this bill is monumental to everyone in the years , said Phil McKnelly, direc- tor of the state Division of Parks and state , from the Outer Banks to "While While I am terribly Asheville , " said Rep . Richard Burr, aWinston - Salem Repub- excited, it still isn t a done deal. It lican. "Plinds tied up for the past still has to go through the Senate . " In recent weeks , state conserva- SEE LAND, PAGE I 9A tion officials in Raleigh and parks and recreation directors from ' throughout the state have lobbied North Carolina lawmakers to sup- port the bill, making trips to Wash- ington and sending hundreds of let- , ters and e-mail messages . _ s. Y ,y��Y ,�� � '^ ' � F�� yx ��t�5,'drs j �� y; _ ' �k� t >r-q � — • • • • • • • ��� r 1 �• Ors C t� ry�„ SNg' t1' J�1 7� ; � '•'L�, �` �1 ' r • - • fiP(1Ttl f . �51 � +."' tt i C � 'y ri�1b( , • • • { f'Ct�{ ��.�JC � ��•R. �� J Lt� �'�' r '�a I '4r $ 32. • r� i �.ga : rt h f + • • • - • • — • F��m It x � 54 N �� ,r_. C: �rfa �i { � �' '�+k� h '���i � �3r '�{ • • • • • • III - C �' F� •f P.�i " � T tC .1' iry f Fay Nl; i �i .sntir. � iy ,� jj,.�yt s � - i T r� / • • sat n a} "iaj " • - 2- .dk3.-. �Sr'• It Ite �;;����. 1 1 1 1 ' ' 1 j� 1 1 1 • • • • • • - - • • • • • • - 1 I 1 • 1 1 • . • 1 1 - • 1 1 • • 1 1 - 1 1 11 1 ' 1 111 1 1 • - • 11 Alk 1`04 I • 1 • • • 11 1 ! 1 1 - • 1 1 I • 1 1 - • 1 1 • - 11 1 1 1 1 • 1 � 1 • 11 • 1 � 1 I � 1 • - • 1 r • 1 , • 1 • • � 1 1 - I 1 . � • 1 I • M 1 - • 1 • I • - 1 • " 1 • ! • • • 11 . 1 ' � 1 • I � • • 1 11 1 - • ' 1 • • • 1 1 I • 1 • I - r • • • / - • • • 1 • • 1 • • 1 • ' I 11 • M I 1 • I991 1 1 1 . 1 1 1 1 • - - 1 1 • 1 1 - • • • • I ' ! - ,�3 . 1 • - • 11 1 • 1 1 1 I • • 1 • ' 1 1 1 • . 1 1 � 1 � 1 1 1 - • • 1 . 1 II • 1 1 1 1 1 • 1 • • I _ 1 • 1 11 • / 1 1 I 1 1 . • r I 'i II � � State Grants for Land Conservation Copyright 2000 by The Associated Press (via ClariNet ) Date : Mon , 8 May 2000 13 : 40 : 11 PDT Money slated to be received by states and territories under the $ 3 billion a year Conservation and Reinvestment Act , which the House is to vote on this week . Alabama , $ 53 , 144 , 194 Alaska , $ 163 , 428 , 884 Arizona , $ 51 , 778 , 910 Arkansas , $ 21 , 414 , 856 California , $ 324 , 296 , 687 Colorado , $ 44 , 075 , 427 Connecticut , $ 23 , 694 , 529 Delaware , $ 13 , 732 , 100 Florida , $ 141 , 281 , 313 Georgia , $ 40 , 374 , 315 Hawaii , $ 32 , 468 , 492 Idaho , $ 39 , 312 , 907 ' Illinois , $ 56 , 075 , 425 Indiana , $ 32 , 303 , 494 Iowa , $ 14 , 979 , 552 Kansas , $ 13 , 537 , 934 Kentucky , $ 21 , 161 , 061 Louisiana , $ 311 , 660 , 117 Maine , $ 36 , 335 , 853 Maryland , $ 36 , 991 , 674 Massachusetts , $48 , 339 , 672 Michigan , $ 59 , 899 , 110 Minnesota , 36 , 198 , 656 Mississippi , 78 , 373 , 341 Missouri , $ 32 , 035 , 855 Montana , $ 48 , 327 , 624 Nebraska , $ 16 , 357 , 125 Nevada , $ 50 , 643 , 833 New Hampshire , $ 16 , 357 , 125 New Jersey , $ 59 , 884 , 945 New Mexico , $ 39 , 209 , 139 New York , $ 100 , 728 , 951 North Carolina , $ 46 , 645 , 133 North Dakota , $ 14 , 322 , 844 Ohio , $ 54 , 672 , 058 Oklahoma , $ 16 , 699 , 657 Oregon , $ 52 , 429 , 235 Pennsylvania , $49 , 971 , 039 Rhode Island , $ 17 , 069 , 683 South Carolina , $ 26 , 997 , 683 South Dakota , $ 16 , 808 , 843 Tennessee , $ 27 , 204 , 317 Texas , $ 236 , 209 , 526 Utah , $ 38 , 531 , 915 Vermont , $ 8 , 976 , 889 Virginia , $ 51 , 134 , 427 Washington , $ 54 , 724 , 767 West Virginia , $ 20 , 050 , 937 Wisconsin , $ 28 , 382 , 330 Wyoming , $ 30 , 080 , 903 Puerto Rico , $ 20 , 831 , 078 Guam , $ 2 , 848 , 916 Virgin Islands , $ 8 , 476 , 404 Samoa $ 1 , 404 , k936 Marianas , $ 1 , 531 , 067 District of Columbia , $ 7 , 315 , 509 Micronesia , $ 936 , 063 Marshall Islands , $ 568 , 642 Palau , $ 568 , 642 o�y i rYr K` WWI A. ; �}tii d N � C7 Roy. • n -'-+ ! S a �t^� ,It Gft�T-"y ;dWoM '[�- _ Q• ((CpD �n+ • O O �•�y = a, r .. cY t: lfts � �T ,Jw••t^; Y'� F7. b r7' p, W 0 �S d� r ,r s r t st t a4 �1 it i7i" r . CD n CD r7 N O CYO CJ 0 _# F. MW_ SAY '/ { t F sJS l•F "f I�••J� ° t•�• QO• � ° 1•r1 , W w � •�•_ wA r ,! 1 h 4 1 .� _ I ° G. hp� r"� tWpr.1 N ■ = 0 ! _G - .1 * . '� krSti' r'�'Jtcr ,, !?• ' � � x �O �. ��. w N '� Q Q M W,ft1fiv arl� �s } NO on �' EV +it7rt * �u . � a� x VJ Pf ..� Ctq O Cy tbo W w lima CJO P + Ta ` t : 4lF i' �YCD b f�� � G En '�J' FC R' r0S O : O .yT. w ° y _ t fD PIS Wool, Z �' tr a,. x a �. co cn t� ., rya pvr]�! '0 ca C7 O . .r• 2 `� .. • hrs - J1 .. g'• � �i • `C i� I p .� O 0 C 0 a t , a z , Wit t , _ ,� ag � R, CD v c am} O t ; So c % �, O '�� `c CV Sol PON Ca Pod It CD w'E ! : . J rri} :rwO g4 ' O l�j. ►�f W C �•r CAD � , t k O e~-' ►7- Roy CD i� co _ 'C� w o n H ,o 0 c � coo H ,'c`7 • ti . EP •� � fD O .T rfDjWO ?Xa f a CD 5VCCi UT O CD !'S Rossi CD wa oAS'uM� i zpj r?. p� "Ij O FjT t � s . xte } . c0'41tr� 1 � , O F9 � pO �yjfrom—•CID � rrQgC p t' 1 hi• .. r.L ` tt.f7 .r N �aF•f •5 4f!7C ai pis A,P' r' C� �'�• ' b ! Fiuy 4i iSy ;tvrWo a. M � 7 Ent p�� fD a tR1ra } �� e :4s �if7U 5• a ,.h ° Ea , p t T � ! hj r f i yW:ra CD Ci CD ty i `+ IL, Mhlf t1Gf.; $y 3�vta'.r 73 rY, ty O ,.7 ` ti 3 g �° 4 < :1: � �" ... • a. ° sCi b O feetR,�-•t/ MEN tit; '� �' r� y � •� QQ O to O s R ! £Fit a }- �S �J ! i'i 00 `C r f ►• tr1+ CD b . ` . C .i7TAW a vL'v rital W. � f l . . ® d• �T• "f' O # f ' ' $ �- ° En z3" F x- , q !t• ,�r+,(:t w�j ,}'s. ;+t` T O a ��.•, to C - i ' F C.iCr1 - L War {+fy+ F t hrtt:!' t! (D M A�•r rA q " V C s N( 1 a" rr ., , �r arr r s. z G•1 �t a� }`ri- F + 1 ;1 }t 1 . fc ,�t O �Jf yO Remold u� } 9 a r tR . rY VIwOe-TfD � ° �^ fr NO OW! «�;<. ' � ' st } i , a ' � ltX11.F" CD 1 CT M . M V1 g jar 1 fl � amIr�# NYF t�iTMsTr ¢ � , p, C tf` ay � Fl. ; *r, fy.' 7 i�'cs �O b :J '.'=1 In E C cD !-� �,.� • tT as a '• r„ t �•}�, rAda ; ,y L ! . F �J4 '• `7. r I CFj O -r} t/1 'p !]kRome "S � 'i L • 1 4 irJa l r - to$. r{ O to `G V O 4�1'M 4 st vt a i, r t i !�� z f i y to A. 7 r 1 O 1 s " a , .F4 . ' '� '�a : �••r Ci r^•s G ci Room 61 QT O r t _ ..hj t ,vk . � + c.•t � ". `- 3 �t r Qq cD K Qq N �J �J07 O n a .al. VOW rr A i IW e7` ` 10 w• �y! 5 �c; 1 Fief � '.tr { c ' pa'10111 � sC, O 0� �� F f �` y;c 7 if 7 O r`nr P per . O CD C 1i.tT:T:f'rxt '+ r.. r- r y�d ot.. ,` �.* .,wk p CD p, i, .�j tB .gar s_ty �t�• y! "C;�.t'.a".iT�r't� • rn'"' Q° r'! r'S to R O fD Mi _ r `a r f '''7r `�"•r' ,• j,;y: - ; qr"" •,w CD O CD O � '? b ros a ti v "Mot r ; ` CD � ' 8� 1r, d C M O O �' b1 CD O P {!, C:2 . a� Ross 7:: to O v, O•• CD Ro7P G1 p7 k ' tr ��3 " i c 2 st �} Cp Qq Cp L' cad CD t' w°i 'FT 3 r` ` � h� ar CD N �. �nlL7 w• /'11 A 't q J ] ® Eli �D ('d V ter, /� r• , `i ; � err ssvolts CD p . O O .'3H' n OQ Lp to 1•:i t -s�; " '��''F�,, %� j�a- � CD O - .f'i. ' F. t'. In L . ,���s�,+y,Y- .'�„cY,r p at v INC cr tion ISO: no CD IMM Aden OCR %We ApAlto Ws t t �r s Sol �•' C CD CD CD ? Ft •A .� ;y�„ lkw ' f1 • ,..: CD n d> > "-F+ C7 w �n • • • ,o r^ it `S �s,�`-•;. ,�t�r+• - t_; f>•^ •• '. : O 07. '„* C� Op e••!• !—r E ,•-r yid `xi sr "E " =S. T F; x,r. +• 4''4'' `" " _t' `j.�• O to r"! ICJ pwp c •� "7 CD Qo! 3x ':*`• - � " F�L "�tfi kC ►.� ty CD �,t ►i Vi C C c Q' CD 6 c,; : . - eWoo ms r°•SCDD ��(p� PITS b0mm00 eb a �x CL con Ind 10 F+ IS co } .:,pper h - t C '�Ti' Q !d O 46 run O J,o?• 4 Tl y Sd r' � t Ro+, CD 'L7 ►t O CD H ° C '7 uq ►! n:' WC Wool✓X GC ,Z n� t c a. O 7 �'' S C N CD � 1ot- 5 i d Lw�' c d i��t s 5 ' ! CD n Soj O " ye;S'• , e4. 1 .} r :.Z i .5.. !••r to Q Fd t7 �` 'rT' Ro v Q, �'h rid a w Cf `O� ° e-h p7F2amill s le ; bWoo } ; t : C i a w � s � t '"' [Oo ,�iin a' ( CD Nj, O � � �+� s3 .f ,JWAw_ . d., .ti, •'9k'r :a •��nL;j 3 �• t ..i ;j M CD Ci Al i� O !°7 CD R r•f a• 'C i� M�k: g A� ►+ `••y {'!� At (] Cam, tz I CD B 9 , :z CD 0 PA P1 POIS rmm+ b npd 0 D '� o Q. ' Mom� ,CIO CID s cc via CDC c m CD `C r'r' cp Cn Cm �' 0 CD CD Imp 0 CD WAR CD G ,d O t'�J CDrr -0 � tD CDCD Ro� Rondo ° o CID t—r Id CD rommia ftool '_' pi 0) � MoSo 0 CD CAC< CD PIS En 0 CD CA ;Z4 min Ind 0 rn cn 0 C. C:L w ^ n CD 0 c ® ■ gun : .! EA CDp m '� it I V. eySMaN , o aq o � t To- So CA crQ W to t < —i con cn p m n C SC Co. Into CD CD A7 fD D N CD d A CL ��� to F C, O � . CD N c°QD M o '�q: W�s ;r� Q9 County o w ch cn 9� CD 1••r t/1 G ' o SM -�•'�1 tA!'r L i WV _ M �• -Q r�/1 -o Q 0 o f� 7E Y a�+� �Aa ?h' wVot ►s cD Ros °� oq p r , _ . , , r. w cn w w cn o M • `C t r ;Ft -p t7a CJo t7a O a• Qp7d • oq o 1`01 , ,, to �' t : ,. , T Xt uN . ... _ p, CD cv v cc w m � owo to A '7ca . CP bj RoY CD i • ` � - `t .. !! . I�41 , :. .':: ; • CD CCO W owo n tQ°v cSolm 0MCD CD 0 CD rot oho ° oho• , a ry cm D t' �c ° CD AM Adc2lb. nto F m ^' IL Awro"M �j R ')r . . .11 � . iY CD O !'9 fD r°a•, K REC td p kp;.t�.:k'�... n,' . . . ,L. ` PAGE 2 THE CHAPEL HILL HERALD PARK Orange s-tud ' ng d .ulan� se FROM PAGE 1 land the c al ® n Eno � Corporation Lake g counties well face costs in � � � r� � �C� � developing and maintain ing a park From staff reports ment . � � � � � ® r® � � � there . HILLSBOROUGH — By August, Low-impact recreation such as The commissioners tonight will Orange County Commissioners hiking likely will be among the pos- CARRBORO — A m; consider authorizmg -Ocounty staff to should have some options to consid- sible uses , but the emphasis will be into a home on Eugene submit a joint proposal with er for ways to use and access 63 on protecting the land as part of the 5 : 50 p . m . Sunday and F Durham County for a state Land acres of Duke Forest that the coun- watershed for the Eno and Corpora- gun at a female reside) and Water Conservation Fund grant ty recently purchased . tion Lake, Stancil said , people inside the homE of approximately $ 100 , 000 . The In late March, the county closed Hence, the working name for the woman told police , money would go for initial steps like on the $280 ,000 purchase of the land property is the McGowan Creek Chapel Hill police de developing a park entrance, parking just west of Hillsborough . That Preserve, rather than park, he said. three men who had be( areas and trails . property is north of U . S . 70 West Corporation Lake is a water from the man with the In approving a 2000-01 budget for and includes land along Corporation source for the Oran ge-Alamance ' they did not identify tY the county, the commissioners also Lake and the Eno River, Water System 's 6,000 custt;mers in by name, according to A state Clean Water Management Carrboro police re will consider creating a new posi- the Efland and Mebane areas, and p port tion in the Recreation and Parks Trust Fund grant of $ 143 ,000 for the the town of Hillsborough pumps So far, none of the vi Department . If approved, the s e- purchase was approved last fall, water from the Eno . pressed charges ; polio p pp p with the county responsible for the cialist would focus on designing and remaining cost . developing trails , As part of the grant agreement, a said . interpretive areas County staff members are devel- 300-foot easement between the land and educational programs in parks oping a plan for uses and access at and adjacent bodies of water will be Man charged such as the Little River area. Initial that property, said Dave Stancil, designated . The state will oversee salary and benefits for the specialist . director of the Environment and that buffer, in which no structures hmlt - and - run ' would be about $38, 000 . Resource Conservation . Depart- besides trails can be placed . CARRBORO — Polic Raleigh man Saturday driv ing while impaired Iva � 4 6r5OO&nX " • �/ " '7 r� CuArtunty wins grant f * ttle iver or Li R • Park Orange and Durham counties have also contain trails for hiking and other received notice of a grant in the potential recreational uses . amount of $ 25000 from the N . C . In March , the Clean Water Man - Parks and Recreation Trust Fund to - agement Trust Fund awarded a grant ward the purchase of a 391 - acre par- of 'up to $ 377, 000 to the partners cel along the two counties ' border. '. toward this project . These two grants , The counties submitted the grant combined with fund - raising commit - application jointly to assist in the meets from the Triangle Land Con - purchase of land that would become servancy and Eno River Associaiion , the Little River Regional Park and will lower the county ' s total costs for Natural Area . The two counties have acquisition to around $ 89 , 000 (or entered into a unique partnership in $ 656/acre) . this effort with two non -profit orga- The Little River Regional Park and nizations — the Triangle Land Con- Natural Area is part of the county ' s servancy and the Eno River Associa- new Lands Legacy program, adopted ificant by the Board of Commissioners on tion . The land contains sign frontage along the Little River in April 4 . This program , and its comm Durham County , where identified panion action plan ( adopted May 3 ) , natural areas and wildlife habitat ex - provides a " green print " for resource ist containing species such as the rare land acquisitions for the upcoming yellow lampmussel . In addition to 14 months in Orange County . A sig- natural areas along the river, the Little River Park and Natural Area would See Park, Page 7A Park . continued from Front nificant . focus is on acquisitions for and done so with minimal cost to Chapel Hill - Carrboro . " parklands, with a deficit of 645 acres local taxpayers , " said Commissioner The Parks and Recreation Trust of parkland having been projected by Barry Jacobs . Fund was created in 1994 by the N . C. a parks and recreation report last year. "The Little River project reflects a General Assembly for the purposes The Laridss Legacy program , .the positive response to concerns raised of improving the quality of life in first *of its kind by a local 'government by residents of the area , and repre - North Carolina by preserving natural in North Carolina, is comprehensive sents an unusual and hopefully pre - resources and public parks and recre - in nature, and features an extensive cedent -setting case of cooperation be- ation . A total of. $ 5 . 8 million in 32 GIS a database to track and identify . tween governments and private enti - grants was awarded this week by the open space, along with criteria for ties to preserve the environment and Parks and Recreation Authority , evaluation of acquisitions in five key to create recreational opportunities More information on the Orange areas : natural areas and . wildlifehabi- now and for generations to come . " County Lands Legacy program may tat, parklands , farmland preservation , "This award is unique, ¬ only be found on the Orange County Lands cultural resource preservation , and because it is the. result of a joint Legacy program may be found on the riparian buffers in watersheds .4 partnership, but also because it is a Orange County web site at " I ' m pleased and gratified with the component of Orange County ' s plan www . co . orange . nc . us/ercd . Informa- . support demonstrated by the' state , to become a leader in the state in tion on the Parks and Recreation Trust Within the span of a few months sitingparks and open spaces through- Fund may be found at we ' ve increased by4 about two -thirds out our county , particularly in Cedar www . ils . unc . edu/parkproject/partf/ thelandsproteciedby, Orange County , Grove , Bingham Township and partf. html . Scarcity ® 'green A / An inventory of land in the Triangle protected from development points up the region's vulnerability to continued loss of open and green space. This regional challenge cannot be ignored . , ust like a sitting duck, all but 6 per- visual and recreational pleasure , cent of open and green . space . in six Certainly, a more pleasing landscape , Triangle counties is susceptible to more birds and abundant wildlife , bet- ' being lined up in the sights of develop ter air and cleaner water are goals ers . . As a Triangle Land Conservancy worth striving for. : study discloses, government and other The Triangle Land Conservancy ' s conservators have sielded from devel- report shows that federal acquisitions opment a mere 121 , 541 acres in Wake , of acreage for Falls and Jordan lakes , Durham, Orange , Chatham, Johnston account for most of the protected land . and Lee counties . Umstead State Park in Raleigh and Eno What a sad commentary that is on River State Park near Durham, as well . land stewardship in the Triangle , as smaller park holdings , are also Between 1987 and 19Q7, the study points shielded from development. Raleigh has out , developers in •Lhese six counties an extensive greenway system in place ; converted an estimated 190,000 field and other towns are attempting to follow forest acres into largely suburban res- suite idences , offices , shopping strips and Even so , Kate Dixon , the Conserv- parking lots . In Raleigh, even N. C . State ancy s executive director, laments the University is ready to auction 159 acres piecemeal efforts at preserving green of what has been rec'earch farmland at space , with the Triangle ' s cities and the city ' s western edge . And though counties rarely working together to State pledges to acquire open space acquire it . It ' s a situation that badly elsewhere, intensive development there needs to change, for there undoubtedly will only add to congestion and pollu- will be fierce future competition for tion nearby. much of the million or so forested acres . Much of the 1987-97 development was , still privately held by landowners in the of course , a predictable free market Triangle . Land conservancies and trusts response to business and population can help to a point . But cities and coup= growth . And not all the development has ties , too , must come armed with both been bad, by any means , despite obvi- their checkbooks and their green space ous sprawl and traffic problems . But conservation plans . People in the what stands out starkly in •the study are Triangle may as well face the fact that shortcomings in the Triangle in acquir- it • won' t be either cheap or easy to keep Mg space for parks , greenways and pro - the open space that remains from being tected forests , even if just for people ' s bulldozed or paved over. 72 . c A )l Wvir The Conservancy report does not mention _ a key political problem that menaces open space — there is no great constituency €or 6 , ;044 : land conservation . . Beavers and .cardinals. ; , ; ;:, _ .1 • • don' t vote, obviously, but even among Regional , lann1n humans there is much more supportes eci —p ally when it comes to funding gownfor must �� � � � � parks and recreation facilities than for m6Il e preserved natural space. If we can' t use it, it seems, we don' t want it. reegn There are some rays of hope, especially in space this corner of the Triangle . Orange County oin around about has been a pioneer in creating a county There' s a lot of talk g g - Department of Environment and Resource open space these days . Conservation whose mission, in part, is to The buzz most prominently is coming . identify and conserve open space . Chapel from, Gov. James B . Hunt Jr. , who in theHill made open space preservation a priority waning days of his 16 years in office has in its new Comprehensive Plan, adopted by made a noticeable turnaround in his the Town Council Monday night. ` attitude toward the environment and land - -- • • - - preservation . Hunt last month unveiled a e. plan for protecting 1 million acres of open has been a pioneer in creating a county space over the next 10 years . He didn' t say Department of Environment and Resource how he would pay for it. ; Conservation whose mission, in part, is to Hunt' s proposal followed shortly after a identify and conserve open space. Chapel report by the Triangle Land Conservancy Hill made open space preservation a priority that documents an alarming erosion of in its new Comprehensive Plan, adopted by green space in the Triangle . The study the Town Council Monday night. found that in the last 10 years, development Orange County is working in a couple of has consumed 190,500 acres of open space areas on regional conservation — with in the six counties that make up the Chapel Hill and Durham on protecting New Triangle . Hope Creek, and with Durham County on That' s more than the entire 121 ,541 acres creating a regional park on the Little River. that have been preserved through public We have a good natural areas inventory — and private conservation efforts in the the work of UNC professor Haven Wiley region' s history. And a good chunk of that and science teacher Livy Ludington — that preserved space is underwater — Jordan ,J could serve as a model for the Triangle . (If Lake, Falls Lake, Harris Lake and other you' d like to find out . more about their water supply resources — which is fine to work, they' re speaking at a Sierra Club look at . but doesn' t do much to preserve forum Thursday at 7 : 30 p . m . at Church of species habitat. the Reconciliation on Elliott Road . ) If you look at the numbers, the But more — much more — needs to be preservationists are fighting a losing battle. done . From a broad perspective, the state Government and land trusts have targeted needs to come up with money to fund 16,000 acres for preservation over the next Hunt' s "million acre initiative ." But given five years, but that' s less than the amount the state funding crunch — induced largely , that has been consumed by development by Hunt' s acquiescence to $ 1 billion-plus in annually in recent years . Republican tax cuts in the 1990s — new The Land Conservancy cites other money for open space is not a likely problems . prospect any time soon. ®Little of the preserved property in the The Land Conservancy is calling for a Triangle is connected, which means that cru- "GreenPrint" for open space preservation cial wildlife corridors are cut off. that would identify land that needs to be ®Many local governments don' t have open protected and recommend how to protect it. space plans . That will need support from local ■There is little coordination among local governments in developing plans for land governments ; as well as private groups, and that crosses political boundaries . , we hope Orange County and the ®There is no good system for keeping track municipalities here will embrace the . of the open space that does exist. initiative . Art - T 14 1) I 0 . 4 t as F It s y � rrio 4111 IT I It _ ■ 1 • • t • 1 • - / • - • • • I • r • • • • • - 1 IAIL • • • • . I • quir . Im 1 • • 11 1 ■ 11 I - I • • I I ■ • I I Ifill - • • 1 11 I • • - • i • • - AIL ■ I • • • I • • • • • • • IF 9 AIR • • • 1 • • - 1 • • • • • - • I • Is Im Alk ■ • • • 1 / • - • 1 1 - ■ I • / i • • • AS 51 LLLLL •, '+ sir rt . 4i 2 ^.i•�k^J . i a` b-+u -'j,. CD a C) o N 01 El Pond 6 rm+ cn vi ry Oro b cn � � ro �' � OIMEA O ro d � r $ ro O ro ro �� cn . o +v bro b . a � C (PDZS Croce m 7 � � atzl � r0000 t7 �rm+ CD � � � oc�v ¢' '-� R. 00 � ' bx D # SID � ro � D wwr + wrm+ a ro � d � ro 'rJ � w � 4 � ro �. , , � � cnbpvi RLw � � � ro �" � c Z u. , drn cn yro rj • b p:r pa CD CD 3 Cn C/n CD �� „��' CD D `C 0 'n ro ro R. W 0 CD ,0 ro CD r+ �-' I N D w C ro ro `C � ' a A 4 N . WO e � roCrod w '� � roR,COD M u� '-n � w0 cn w r* � ro � � ca cn o ro o a' � • � .r+ c IrnC) '''t `CCDph � � � ' �% � � � � � � 'dp � ' p � p cn .. . �. , o w rob r, cn CD rldlo C, � v r* cn ro o � r•+ � Cn ra,+ 0 . C=D o � w m COD 8 CD � m r-P "cGD '' '' O Z 50 r-f {yg �„ rh ro cqt!i in" pal o:) � � � o � m+ Zoo 0 q m un CD CDD I=d cn � c� IF so " wCD `Cro �ftt mOooCD cn I ro D o 0 0 ~ x o CCDD � CD CBS N R4 , ! � &4) p CD r* � ' o a- C b o rna �• s o w En imcl wC � 11) C) R• Cn Cn EMAFoodO� r O O5L roCD PA a `d c rova yCD CD o CD 0 5 ' � � • +d CD CD 5 ro cnro Q ora a' � o cn � r., cn � � � +d `� � n n � � as °� � � � � ' ro � ro5 ' co ro ' � . �' � h00bro , d0 ,� wroo �' . r-r O 0 ro Ommod le" ' rY 0 O cn �-h , " Pool„ ' d p r+ '� + ° ' �� OF �' ro O� ro ro n o w cD CIDD o CD �. � r� � � ro cn t; o' C ��* �c v, CD o cn cn ro � cn co a ° �'s Noro ro �'. dd v' �, ro ro � � '� � � "<rovb . F: . . ro ro CrQ o ,_ , ro 'o a +'S " i C ' ~'' p 0 ro m o �s ro w ' � `4 w w � . CD o �. ro w d ' � w ' Y � " � ro 0 r+ r, 0 r� ro O a ] o o ,- ,r 'b i oroa. o ?Taracn oap, �5 ►- � ° cn � ''� cm � � CD pow- � � En CD � o ro � � ocn cmw � o o wo � Go O b � �CD � � 0 a' cn9 1m ror-scn �. " t� e=+ � r•r i � O � t i i CD ty r +. 'O' . i ro CD QG Ina [n Cn rm+o00000n ro �7 C w a r•, c,q rood P O Fd cDrt � c � ro � • p ® woo , oron '-n pro , — � " a = FIp CD fm+ CD da; p ° CD in, row roroor4o �' ro �* F . f ? Cn O �O � • C D tom . O ro C '.� `C ro Os y r7 ro ro +•-� rrt cr . r-+ cn t �34 CD �34 r•f CD CD r + 0 cn cn Q, � cn r•+ ro ►- • [Ln CD ` p, w ,� j C) CD >` �"h O �D r�, r n r�'�'r �+ P•r 1� P�i.,,� ^ W n " "� a 4 FF y ' cn rm+ C W rT ro '�' b ro r-+ ro a• ro N r* o r7 0 �o d b QQ r+ cn , +d r 04 CD Cn r+ �-+ ry .3 CD r+ l-h CD Q• ro ro �rwmwt� r-P ro N . CD O ro G ".3 .-. . w r3 ��" Cn + '"S ' +d ro +C7 CD � � R• O �-s p, +C C) ro �° tolw W wEn � C o ;C rti• rti• �3' CD � '�i F3 t h (D � . p rh '�3 '� r'r .'� r•+ IN. . ro oo� ro r5 O 'b CD '� 3j O `C � cn r-h C p w '' � � O p ro ro . c w `C O w O n O C ro CD _ �. w r7 d O O �' CD w v' CD CD ro C 0 CD roro n R, C w � O ' ° �' O C CG• �' O w ;+h CD r� O ro IQ Wp ' ►�� CAD ,�+ O s�. 0 O U) ► i p�MmmmwlUq I ro O ° CD �' r_+ w d w = CD 0 r* x' cn DC ro �i ro ro ro o � . a' ro � . '� '� r7 o w- �C m � aq �. O 'd P. ro ro 4 O CD a � CD i, ' i U1 _ m oo '' op. 0 Vcn CD o' er m �hdr + cn ro rod w r+ cD a o t1 �� ro cD cD ro l� p- o d C7 b n � . ^ 0 o 'b D Q' cD o � ro °A x �, � ro � o C ro �' H ° � � x' a � ra '-� � � w O A' `G ro �" w 'r� M � ' r7 Ff} ��- ` O cn "�' 'r� '' ►"T (n ro ►�. ° r + ,5 L �r. � rrt r+ o � � � A. b � oaa � o o d m Oro a � ' O O cn ro Oro O ro O O �+ ro O w y � m � CD C(D O ro C '- c" ;lDr ro o k- o ro �. , ., . �+ � S; " C(D +C CD ' O +•-h " 'y " p ' �-s N �s O°j C" a 0 CD C, ro o C) c7d o cn � � � � C°� r�. +d r-+ r° C zR. ;n �l 0 , d " � B O O rm+ '� � d � o ro � ro C)pi ch . O mWroCD �s ro rm w ro � . oC � O-hw +dcn � � cDA , �, �, a � . o �3 z C rt r`3 CD G• rs Q' r-P CD CD O � d C3� G CD "O✓ ► r-+ cn w �J a + -h a �' ro +d_ '~ ro ro � '"�pj) ro `C ' d ''� t ro w w r+ �{ ro cn S ro '�'° H wy /� t� 1��. ,., x o ' a o ° ro Yw� v o CD roCD ry W ID sI N. v up !�+ ~ • V r+ ° ro 1--• hd • P•+ w ® ' cn ~ J O ': 3 ri. . . ,•.7.. ee� .. b CD r~ CD a 'b CAD OFQ `�' � ' O O `� . ° '~"* (DD "N' ` P1 (D in En r� p, 'd ' . COD W °�. Za CAD O" CED a . . w Ca Crop o r+ ►� d "' w 0q ' +' �, ' rY �'' Q cn CD r , +� R• `C + 9 Cn '"+ CD r* ro > S�• C� CD 'Ca > �� CD O i—h ro ri " '� r+ CD `C Z Cn O C ) C f'D 'y' r� CD CD p, � . Sy Cn O" r w ,w_+, CD � � . Uq ro w O ►r3 r•+ r-1 n �i r� CD CD K r•,+ (3' , d O r-+ 'b �, "i O 0 ro d ° �' '"�' rt `� .`3 �.. CD 54 ro 'C ro r'i d . . ::2j _ w w b ro t�. o '�J ' ,� o w w � ' rrt ro a o o �s 0 �C .rz r7 r-+ F-. . 0 $ CD �. . Or r� w ro r•h v . `C n r-- Oa O on �• - + ro rr w ro ro ►' . .- C� (D rY C+ � '� O � ro CD rm+ Cn r, Z O ro � d Cn r r•f G� fm+ ro `C ►� ' i-i (D '' + ,.i Or1 O �+ ' ® ro ro - ro a r ro N � . f O Croix ''•.+ O O . N o ro °� w " s ro � ~S � O O CD CD ro O -+ w O r COD ° d 0 5 ` Q ~ ' � � w d n ' c o fm+ �H . ,-+ � ° o � o ' c�D (DD `C CD °� CD R• cn `C CD r-r, `C Cn Cn CD p ° o ro " �• v .� "'S root. UU :� R• Q > tvironment News Service: AmeriScan : May 17, 2000 wysiwyg: //3 /http ://ens . 1ycos . com/ens/may2000/2000L- OS - 17 - 09 . htm1 NEW JERSEY PROPOSES $ 55 M FOR FARMLAND PRESERVATION � i 7 TRENTON , New Jersey, May 17 , 2000 ( ENS ) - The Garden State Preservation Trust ( GSPT) voted Tuesday to approve a funding package totaling $ 55 . 45 million for permanent preservation of tfarmland across New Jersey . The package includes projects that the : State Agriculture Development Committee ( SADC ) recommended to the GSPT . The GSPT' s recommendations will now move on to the ; State Legislature for legislative action , and , once approved , to ; Governor Christie Whitman for her signature . " By ensuring the permanent preservation of productive and scenic agricultural landscapes , these funds support the efforts of local communities to implement smart growth plans that Sussextain the quality of life for fall of New Jersey ' s citizens , " said Whitman , a Republican . i " This funding package responds to the overwhelming demand by the state ' s municipalities and counties to preserve cherished farmlands from development in their communities , " said Maureen Ogden , chair of the GSPT . " In so doing , we preserve not only our agricultural industry , but also fresh produce for the table , as well as wildlife habitat and watershed lands . " The GSPT approved $ 36 . 1 million in funds for conservation easement purchases taking in 12 , 000 acres of farmland . Another $ 7 . 35 million in grants to municipalities will implement farmland preservation . The state will spend $ 12 million to purchase farms outright , then resell the properties with an easement restricting their future development and providing for permanent preservation . New Jersey established the Trust in 1999 to oversee the permanent preservation of an additional million acres of open space , as well as the state 's historic resources . AJl A/ezwir The Conservancy report does not mention _ a key political problem that menaces open space — there . is no great constituency €or J ; :*� a ;:; land conservation . . Beavers andtcardinal � ; ,.., 0�0 j don' t vote, obviously, but even among . . `. Reoq," lonal . plannin g humans there is much more support — especially when it comes to funding — for parks and recreation facilities than for must include preserved natural space . If we can' t use it, it seems, we don' t want it. regen There are some rays of hope, especially in pace this corner of the Triangle. Orange County oin around about has been a pioneer in creating a county There' s a lot of talk g g Department of Environment and Resource open space these days . Conservation whose mission, in part, is to The buzz most prominently is coming identify andkconserve open space . Chapel from Gov. James B . Hunt Jr. , who in the % Hill made open space preservation a priority waning days of his 16 years in office has in its new Comprehensive Plan, adopted by made a noticeable turnaround in his the Town Council Monday night . I attitude toward the environment and land - -- • • - - preservation. Hunt last month unveiled a _ plan for protecting 1 million acres of open has been a pioneer in creating a county space over the next 10 years . He didn' t say Department of Environment and Resource how he would pay for it . ; Conservation whose mission, in part, is to Hunt' s proposal followed shortly after a identify and conserve open space. Chapel report by the Triangle Land Conservancy Hill made open space preservation a priority that documents an alarming erosion of in its new Comprehensive Plan, adopted by green space in the Triangle . The study the Town Council Monday night. found that in the last 10 years, development Orange County is working in a couple of has consumed 190,500 acres of open space areas on regional conservation — with in the six counties that make up the Chapel Hill and Durham on protecting New Triangle . Hope Creek, and with Durham County on That' s more than the entire 121 ,541 acres creating a regional park on the Little River. that have been preserved through public . ,We have a good natural areas inventory and private conservation efforts in the the work of UNC professor Haven Wiley region' s history. And a good chunk of that and science teacher Livy Ludington - that preserved space is underwater — Jordan L could serve as a model for the Triangle . (If Lake, Falls Lake, Harris Lake . and other you' d like to find out more about their water supply resources — which is fine to work, they' re speaking at a Sierra Club look at . but doesn' t do much to preserve forum Thursday at 7930 p . m . at Church of species habitat. the Reconciliation on Elliott Road .) If you look at the numbers, the But more — much more — needs to be preservationists are fighting a losing battle. done . From a broad perspective, the state Government and land trusts have targeted needs to come up with money to fund 16,000 acres for preservation over the next Hunt' s "million acre initiative ." But given five years, but that' s less than the amount the state funding crunch — induced largely that has been consumed by development by Hunt' s acquiescence to $ 1 billion-plus in annually in recent years . Republican tax cuts in the 1990s — new The Land Conservancy cites other money for open space is not a likely problems : prospect any time soon. ®Little of the preserved property in the The Land Conservancy is calling for a Triangle is connected, which means that cru- "GreenPrint" for open space preservation cial wildlife corridors are cut off. that would identify land that needs to be wMany local governments don' t have open protected and recommend how to protect it. space plans . That will need support from local ®There is little coordination among local governments in developing plans for land governments; as well as private groups, and that crosses political boundaries . , we hope Orange County and the ®There is no good system for keeping track municipalities here will embrace the of the open space that does exist. initiative . ivironment News Service: AmeriScan : May 8 , 2000 wysiwygJ/6/httpWens . lycos . com/ens/may2000/2000L - 05 -08 - 09 .htmi POWER COMPANY PROMOTES SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT CUMBERLAND, Ohio, May 8 , 2000 ( ENS ) - American Electric Power and the Ruffed Grouse Society today signed a partnership agreement to enhance the environment for the ruffed grouse and other forest wildlife . The parties agreed on a multi - faceted approach to their common goal , including efforts to identify , develop and implement research , management and educational projects for ruffed grouse and other wildlife on forest lands administered by AEP . The utility now owns more than 200 , 000 acres of forest in seven midwestern states and placed these lands under formal - forest management in 1978 . " For years AEP has worked toward the practice of sustainable forestry , and this includes an active program of forest wildlife management , " said Gary Kaster , AEP ' s forestry programs supervisor . " Partnerships , such as this new effort with the Ruffed Grouse Society , help us to achieve mutual goals in forest wildlife management . " The partnership emphasizes habitat diversity by spacing small cuts throughout a woodland when harvesting timber . Over time , as subsequent small cuts are made , age diversity is created to provide different types of food and cover for wildlife . The agreement also includes AEP ' s pledge to reclaim new or re - graded transmission line access roads by improving or establishing habitat and providing wildlife plantings . The company also will provide information about various Ruffed Grouse Society programs to property owners who establish wildlife habitat on power line rights of way under terms of Wildlife Enhancement Agreements . " The Ruffed Grouse Society traditionally works in the areas of research , education and habitat development , and our main conservation programs have influenced many thousands of acres of woodland wildlife habitat , " said Dan Dessecker , senior wildlife biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society . " This opportunity to work with AEP extends our outreach significantly . " Click Here for Related Stories © Environment News Service ( ENS ) 2000 . All Rights Reserved , 4 : 1 Environmental Press Releases r.` �,. .�' 'o ir. Y•i 1 Y �/ ( \ 2 ' :, WIN arr3r3e 'F2, � ;. 'S: • r " �*' 4 r . 'e . /" ram. Wky: 1� r ° ffRa y F rzs» yi -,✓.Ej.�r 3 t F�^ `i yK K ,j ) yk� �LY r f" � � F � • ! fA, .�,�`' r`tr ' x M"-F st : : / t ) sjx '°n � s . '; ' �� i �. , ,, <V��'a �, z iz � ��3? cr 9 3 � - M t• � �,"'•ay ' " ?°:'xY::'.;,> r. �s n . `s ) a � � ;. 3s,<a �1��a� : �s 'cF �• „ Z . 't p v3"• .,� 'yy; ; <�r,, 2` ; k +`max:/- s ._� y'� • :: -.) •�. a:�` �` w,>sLk`� � `. `,t is '4''`"?. �• ?Y � I F 1, - SlWINE f S K j4�o a�q� . .`t< 'K, r � � � 1:ia N`2'.`.4,,.Y �°:�;y ^Y � .. ZW'` S.�. ','P.E•k : � :1 (2 ' �£: . . , � A X. .. Y tt- , � sd.1 i :i -,. - .JJ.:. G . c6 . A�3fM " F, 5�. . i.�:��i°<.� ; k ,� <. ;)�i, a ., •ED1`,LS� `✓ w. r e s r - �.:L.-` x�':< •ttz«a"`" '_1 ,t.: - �; a s' 1.,Lxr ,rs, C" x'Tf'� 1` - L;; � cY ).".' �:swc':R'an ;�y,�- yy'..;1ua �. s:y a. �4 a ^.` z+2;i;?✓� dza.�<'n'n'"F'1 ?bbo _ -e. 00 „$ ' , .Ac ; qqqi •• . 3`f�'3 ,F _ ' .,` ,¢ ,F s - < `N4 ` e S >' z c ) V,ut �i S a . . s T yea _ Ns�? . 7 t" ✓z r {4: f ��r 9 �, . A v �.aY . '` r^)9. �.S�.a �r i' x'?�y��Y � •a � c �' : ➢ s��' 4 'if>1.�; t � ' r;1 � �� ,t � c .� l be y r h t� ss T < i 4 -• .i��' `�1 i§' ➢ : ,. . $. '� � i <�.� Lr '�r r �x r,~ i r � a q .' �! } , ,•.. t' t � s > .L? X'� u c y J� x �,YZZz � ,t .;� �" : bb ice4r ?cfy size ) "f�)s3 z �k =y' � Er s s •�*. `� ;7.; : ;�' `C: . . Ghig..`\' ,;..'.aMd *r'x,�rz'za,fi a',,. EdLas ax s .+•x f e:�x ,� - LRbbl .i� 3 . :M k l S � �F,' < .�•: Y�,.�6: X)�SF ♦ at: '2 l.� .a ` `C k,.�.'.�`.::jinn:;: .. 2 FL b + Si' .. „p. . :, � •� .:a�< 3 ' .:"ia ,a L ki5. •Y:1.C>�`x�<�E:iih<� `�L �,� <i\v..,. ;r..�o -� `� :.a : ;` . .);: .:iY � :� . �> f:'}':?'E:;3:`: ' Y vc::,�'i:°,r'x-:•f�'S "KfS E . '<2'a.�.<:,.:� w Tw..:. :: . . �'� . A.�. �= 1�4• rr '�:.i..ic��.a. ".;; .. r ^(<S:,t. •a.a'...«< . 1:z;., »: ov2` , 4,8a� • xS YASyY" � �i"<i"3`aw'. S�:`;kE<,:%i'u%' bf S� +`1,`F:<Y•`Y:.: `r''}) _,rt � � q�, � {s��)'j� a� x ^y #. :�r. ).>t''•�, ` �:.si �i � `si czar'�: :�;{>.s>i;: .�:�E.'.`.:,:>naT ,1 1 �. 41� S ' ); '$• Y l ; . "'f {i E£ay.'' sr �J ^ : „ .` G�, 'G2.. ^;. JY3. :i:%fS.v,:. 1. .a. , W ! r .� . . L`v rf .,. Y t t v + C . L° Y '. ..hi.��. S " P . ) ELffi v w, , aFY r ' *3 ' r4 i a i La F .' Y ?° < V45A �2 v° r Ul w of e: Z . F� x 8 z� :vs: ? �_ c ?� ;�'dt . ' 1. ..k- . > z •_.' eo ' >A .e3rS� ) . `la s:. v'.. . o s .. , �a< ,.; Yfa" • a , .S 'rt� "<s, ��iz.E" . L>. ti:' ..... - '=rt%� tWit`=, aa• l.,•.r-a �' ` "� cr � .'"¢ ,' .:nr. ,x : �� z tom . F.,t ''r'�„}ji * R 3 - ••t r+ _ .t <y" : ,"F' �E��'w.. �-±'�. .{.`d..'` :a`�2^l,. "<a2Ly� . "?$ k .v sit T' P`^ - Ys ` af .r axd ri d, tiad,;K" ? - %,S: Y .s.+h. •i[9 Cx z sF. }'y�,p nY;,rs- k -,r . •�. 'R`.el t. j$ R'f ,r� � i t >A C 3� .� ..<A.y . ' „ �::L�: �" k- <S .,.YLiOi :aC . w Z A `< �i ' �f. , ��r�dC� S, - � � � �. . L;�� w✓ • " �;: L3L"C. + ^�4%;F:�:rs<�:z>i�'z � "3�"'° ^�y •c,:, \ . ' it '£i� t��0. i. '�� ' s.,• r^'`x"'«>� .•cam: < 'L". �w .:'��a:. „�;'�. sE»zE:2ye)1y::La. . ;dazE'e;"` ;:: " . ' ,.. _ 1t ,c+�,a ;✓i�.r . �... a ,s G K f Ss1c r .<k�+,�..�a�� "s .��o>a,.z ..:rL ' coxx:::u+i i, : : c .<.s�„.+ .,�.a ,, Fx zs L �>` J�C"' :� .> > a.'�'7t;'• a � f, '`�,�, c ? . .��° o� F.»�ZX�° +.l>.•;'� . + : ':� E:, �s. c ,; ;� •t ' .. ���- zd��7 . .-!n k : S� t. •s .,, ' <n �;s> ' s . r:;� r;«r � � 4 a� eV' s . �" s ;,'�' — . +�r��'�o��� 'ca,.r. �i�:i•r � ^�,�3:\,�d,,KS �. .,+k.L �U-.<�u�., � a ; : - �.,a;, ., . a;as3 ia. . -'S� •a�j,l'�,,` - ': Elizabeth Grew, Foreground , and Ruby Sinreich chant as they march down Franklin Street to Town Hall . They were taking par in a demonstration Monday to protest the possible expansion of the American Stone quarry on N . C . 54 west of Carrboro . PHOTO BY BRAD SMITH FOR THE NEWS & OBSERVER h NT blastthe land-use change . " I think we ' re serving Orange County commissioners , which hai eighbors o saypublic purpose by getting a fixed ending. " the ultimate say about the quarry expa) The action came after more than a decade Sion to develop a proposal that force halas hurt the ' ° homes of heated debate . American Stone to pay for wells that exper G� ; The & 1 vote Monday night came after a conclude have been damaged by quarryi>y BY ANNE BLYTHE march on Town Hall by neighbors of the quar. activities . STAFF WRITER JV R ry and the landfill, some of whom called them- Chapel Mill officials also asked the count 2u°3AP Elm L 41LL — The Town Council on Monday selves victims of environmental racism , commissioners to insist that road changa Residents from neighborhoods surround- made because of the quarry expansion me, night approved a controversial land - use change that partially paves the way for the ing the quarry have complained that all the federal, state and local safety requirement expansion of an American Stone quarry in blasting from previous mining has damaged Council member Edith Wiggins tried to gt western Orange County. their wells , cracked the foundations of their her colleagues to agree to extend public watr The Carrboro Board of Aldermen and Orange homes and substantially hampered their qual- lines to the residents in neighborhoods nq County Board of Commissioners also would ity of life . They said a new land-use plan called the quarry. have to agree to the zoning change before addi- for a different use for the property. "If we are willing to modify the j oint laY{- tional mining could occur on the 75-acre parcel " We don' t want to have to listen to rock use agreement to expand the quarry, •e off N. C . 54 just west of Carrboro . The plan would crushing or the blasting forever; ' said Annie should be willing to modify 'it to get watero allow quarrying to continue until 2030 . Parrish, a quarry neighbor. "When I retire, I the neighborhoods , " Wiggins said. Eventually, the Orange Water and Sewer want to be able to sit on my porch . " But she failed to win support for her ids . Authority plans to use the quarried pit as a But as the county continues to grow, plan- The land is in a rural buffer where pube reservoir, ners say, Chapel Dill and Carrboro will need water and sewer lines are prohibited as to " The reason I 'm for this is because it puts the quarry for awater-storage area , for limiting growth. a fixed time at which quarr.1 operations will As they planned for the future , though, the be turned over to the public , " said Bill Strom , council tried to mitigate some of the con - Staff writer Anne Blythe can he reached at 9324741 .,� „ „v , ; niif ormnoii mpmhers who voted for terns of the neighborhood . They ' ll ask the or ablvtlre(c. nando.corn Chapel Hnif Is Ist, off to v expans " ionI If of quarry, Neighbors denounce plan to enlarge operation on N, . 0 as environmental raid M" By BAY GRGNBEBG The Chapel Hill Herald CHAPEL HILL — An 84 vote made Chapel Hill's town council the first govern- ment to approve the proposed expansion of a N. C. 54 stone quarry that water planners hope to convert into a reservoir. -.." . : ; The • vote followed a 21/2-hour he . d h:- i which turned acrimonious after quarry neighbors denounced the expansion as environmental ntal racism. „ "Every time a big company needs to do ' something, they start out in a neighborhood that's mostly black, " said Louise Parrish, one "Th me, it's like we don't critic of the plan. count. We don't want a raw deal, we want a fair deal. " But expansion advocates carried the debate after touting the quarry's potential to become a reservoir large enough, by most estiinates, to meet southern Orange County's water needs for at least the coming 50 years. Supporters osaid the short-term costs — which include the annoyance of frequent blasting — aren't high enough to outweigh the benefit of acquiring a supply that might preclude the need to draw water from near- by Jordan Lake. The Jordan basin lacks stringent water- shed controls, which exposes anyone drink ing its water to an array of pollution threats of unknown extent, said Dan Okun, a retired UNC environmental science professor. The only thing certain about Jordan Lake's water quality is that "it's bad now and going to be worse in the future," he said. Monday's vote was the first of three on the proposal scheduled in the coming weeks. The American Stone Co. is seeking a change to joint land-use plans for the University Lake watershed that also requires the con- sent of Carrboro's board of aldermen and the IN It Orange County Commissioners. IN The company's application went to the governments with formal backing from the Orange Water and Sewer Authority, which intends to buy the quarry property whether the plan amendment goes through. The utility's support is plainly key to American Stone's hopes, as all three govern- ments rely on OWASA to supply water to , their constituents . Critics of the plan, how ever, maintain that OWASA is using inflated projections of future water demand to justi- fy its stance. please ' see QUARRY/PAGE 2 RY " 'his could stand to wait some more years. FROM PAGE 1 We don 't know we will ever need to go to Led by Erwin Danziger, a Jordan Labe. We can always amend this in retiree who controls property the future if there 's need for expansion in the near the quarry, they say a slow- down in growth , coupled to con - future. " servation measures , is likely to reduce the need for another Councilwoman Joyce Brown reservoir. . Brown cast. the only dissenting vote Danziger and fellow critic Elliot Cramer believe OWASA and urged the Town Council to shelve the plan could get all the additional storms age it needs — or could use — by s4utting down mining when the mine 's blasting, . telling the coun - sity Lake watershed now forbid , pit can hold about 2 billion gal= cil that it has caused damage to " I am disturbed that we are Ions of water. The utility wants 3 homes and wells . Several com - assuring or attempting to assure billion gallons instead , plained that local officials seem a safe drinking water supply for " There 's only so much water willing to sacrifice the water the people of Chapel Hill , and we available comingover the dam , " quality in wells to secure • it for y aren t willing to let others share Cramer said , referring to the OWASA customers . that safe drinking water " Wig- surplus water from University " I ' m really disgusted with gins said . " That is not socially :. Lake and Cane Creek that what the county is doing to resi- OWASA would use to fill the dents who ' ve been there all the Just . " quarry. " There 's no point in mak- time , " said Melvin Parrish , one The majority of the council , ing a quarry larger and larger. critic of the plan . " The taxes I ' ve however, was content to .ask the At some point , there are dimin- paid out aren 't getting me any. Orange County Commissioners ishing marginal returns . " thing For me and a lot of other to beef up a " mitigation " pack- UNC environmental sciences neighbors , it ' s almost like taxa- age for neighbors that promises professor Donald Lauria fol - tion without representation . " well repairs and traffic controls lowed Cramer to the podium on The complaints drew sympa- to stem some of the worst per- Monday . to , endorse the expan- thy from the council , most ceived effects of the quarry. sion , notably from members Jim When the vote came , the only The professor told council Ward and Edith Wiggins . dissent came from Council - members that OWASA' s num - Ward urged OWASA and woman Joyce Brown ; who urged bers are " rough and ready, but American Stone representatives defensible . " to "pay the price no questions the council to shelve the plan . Lauria authored a study of the . asked , " when damage comm " This could stand to wait some utility 's reservoir network that plaints roll in . more years , " Brown said . ' We Cramer relied on heavily to sup - Wiggins , meanwhile , said local don 't know we will ever need to port his claim of diminishing governments should consider go to Jordan * Lake . We can returns , letting the neighbors tie on to always amend this in the future Quarry neighbors focused on OWASA' s water system , a move if there ' s need for expansion in the day - to - day effects of the land-use controls in. the Univer- the future . " /Cr N . . Carrboros � � s 1an for . orequarryingp BY ANNE BLYTHE They say a change of the county "I am very disappointed in the The News & Observer land-use plan, which requires a Carrboro board' s failure to sup- favorable vote from the Carrboro port this proposal;' said Chapel CARRBORO — For a while, it aldermen, the Chapel Hill Town Hill Mayor Rosemary Waldorf. seemed that the three Orange Council ' and the Orange County "This is extremely important for County governments were ready to commissioners, would only prolong the future of the Chapel Hill- set plans in stone. for the expansion the mining in that area and continue Carrboro area . of an American Stone quarry and to erode their quality of life. "I guess what' s puzzling to me is the eventual development of a reser- So Dorosin and three of • his col- the Carrboro board has gone on voir for Chapel Hill and Carrboro . leagues on the seven-member Board record as not wanting to drink water But Carrboro crushed that of Aldermen set out to mitigate the from Jordan Lake. So .I don' t under- notion Tuesday night. neighborhood concerns . He says he stand why they would do this ." After hearing complaints from wants a contract drafted before he' ll If the governments agreed to residents near the property, the consider the land-use change. change the land-use map to permit Board of Aldermen decided not to "There should be sufficient more mining, American Stone vote on a land-use proposal that guarantees to the residents of this planned to quarry the property would have allowed additional community, a historically black until 2030, then give the pit to the mining on a 75-acre parcel off N . C . community, to protect their water, Orange Water and Sewer 54o to make sure their roads are safe, Authority, which supplies Chapel "The real philosophical question to limit the noise and air pollu- Hill and Carrboro with public is : Are those neighborhoods going tion," Dorosin said . "The resolu- water . The water and sewer author- to be treated fairly?" Alderman tion that we had didn' t do that . " ity would use the pit as a reservoir. Mark Dorosin said . 1 Last week, after a heated public Such an action would be ironic, American Stone has been oper- hearing, the Chapel Hill Town Dorosin said . Residents in the ating a quarry in western Orange Council approved the land-use neighborhoods near the quarry are County, about 10 miles outside of change, the first of three govern- not on public water and sewer Carrboro, for 25 years . ments to act. on an issue that has lines because of their proximity to During that time, residents from been debated for more than a the Cane Creek watershed , nearby neighborhoods have com- decade . Those . who support the At a very minimum, he said, plained that blasting for the mines quarry ' expansion praise it as a way "these people should be provided has damaged their wells, ` cracked to- get a new reservoir several OWASA water." the foundations ;of their homes and decades from now when Chapel Hill substantially hampered their qual- and Carrboro might have to turn to Anne Blythe can be reached at ity of life . Jordan Lake as a water source. 932- 8741 or ablythe@nando . corn I ` MISSOURI PLACES MORATORIUM ON NEW CHIP MILLS 1JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri , April 25 , 2000 ( ENS ) - The State of ! Missouri has declared a two - year moratorium on all new chip mill permits . Since 1985 , over 120 chip mills have opened in the Southeast , logging an estimated 1 . 2 million acres a year with little regulation . Missouri is one of three states undertaking its own chip mill study to be completed this summer . A two year, multi - agency federal study is currently underway to assess forest sustainability in 13 states throughout the Southeast . Some Missouri citizens are hopeful that the announcement will encourage Vice President Al Gore to weigh in at the federal level and call for a regional moratorium on new chip mill permits throughout the south . " The Vice President should act to protect not only the South ' s environment , but also our local economies from industrial clearcut logging , " said sawmill owner Bob Walker . In 1992 as a U . S . Senator from Tennessee , Vice President Al Gore was instrumental in the denial of permits for two chip mills along the Tennessee River , American Lands , a Washington , DC based environmental lobby group is urging Gore to support a regional moratorium on new chip mills . i cum I - it � :* c eame U I peeli 6013 li Ol T d fqI r' �� ex 4Nl NO ON NN q NONMI` 01 If I - • 1 `vim ' ,uoIt IN s}'x: �-",'. 7,f' ri;,at: , ;�; '�, , '2- c 4.•S:'95 @. . .ai, , .;gyp•.- •", , 'key.:TqV,' `, ,F lP: h' '! y r. 'yx:y. I _y�r °sF ' '..b• F .�.,a 7- c °a°7;'M"° . r'':'i}. . ,R hr�4G �!,'i,i r.:re, f , k u.`i''• _ < 4 .rv-f• nr:d - ,7y? ,ra'c+ , .,ZI y r :, .4.. . ::fn "::r,:vT,,:fti2,ktP,^ '„tfia , " '�,.'r~n+:� » ;•aP:,: ., 4 �a'-n?�lr., ...f� - .'1:G, _ : tt r: �'.�nn.S. ... - _ .r:.n c n - . :.41. » ,..L .;:"Ew'�. ,R » e,M,n.'ayrbrrr!,r,u�: :c•: .:e',nti,S,"r2 .`,iL „nx`: 2' :reSi.:,. ,,.'rT.'?P,S:..;t;,�vf"•'cT,•, a ,n :..:::.r:.F�' • . �: L•RS'�ded ! :ia . . .y,:T3e�tr .. : ., r� .� r5ala'` u:;7Yl�i%s ' -:Tt 'r � , �, 'ji' r ;;: . » ," . r;� • r . . ,Q NO b"r, 1 "cf71. . Ye^ids twtr_1, Sh6` lsc,.' ;�! yy^4� S k , ${irs t7 *4-? F : :, _ ra'cs r•cr .s"F ylT. X t . r. + j. . Nq4ivi ,:, " ; �h�t s'�',_�, 0 •.14 in"P � .,•°Jr'( hL n.;,...:..... • f ` 1 }t it 7„ y"?- . J, FFi�y�,y� I NMI NN IN i +:, y��.•_'f/,,�. . c� _ Lim I , . sr . y+�::.. ' v � s : t1 �'t c5• . Py. .( . <.,r• � - s' ,:_sw //'$ G= . ,r Jti If : ;! •r!rrl ';at �g.: ;; r(+' , y� •,�„w : 3 qs rr >' 7,"i r k:i , Or hV an�Orfif p� q y;1'_„x . '//LP ;, R9 " T , '" ¢,n n '�,.a_ • r .nt7,"fi.F� .?-,_ '{.,. .. .<r�P._ . , :,is =_F . f •.F" w Y . ;•i3-r. 'si . •:si: ';'t•w{i•, a r F . r L' ' 4. 1Ky. • .yr :.x1 , �� ., . . . •, -,F� ;:it:`^ r . i. -F, .,,:nT _ ' r. nrr„ r -.. ,a' i. .. . , P. ,' _. .< ... ... qq sc;^,.rk 'r:::: s 7. , l '�I ': �.,d. F..: n:-n .r,;< ' : .... ,,5_ IM_ . 4w rr., ,• P i . 'fs /' yy . . `.far. iRpy n 9q.. .a...,r. �+, (xr i F':?i!^' r ,PVx a : yr: . •r - rJy_, -rY: - l, ,e ` . . _ f:q i i, m. ;. .v h , �+ n, ..�`n 1 .: t.. „ "ter y •-a •t ?F3:kr 4.0 ,. ,. a �i .t .r .. . 1_ ,. rf, . u Q, .j; u vb',r't,:.5. : , n'•. „an , n z r_ . . � : P .r .. ,.,,::.. , , , 4 rays = Mh,pr:� . v . : . % ;, �s:�y<� s A 5 3 I y n. n( :-. .�.CC a .7 aJf ! � . " r.. , ry :n:.aF : :a : �... ,r, ...r •4r! . . " .,•a. .c. * <,. . :,::c,n. .,.F . .. -...n __. �. . :.,r - ., :c . c L" . q Sr ,. 5u � J '7;,Fr__--'3-ff'� i' ; „ c_ :LS_ear . - ... ,�. .• - "r.Y: r, �'•_ e;Nl'. .. NO. , ,.7, : t!'' .:h,.;... }y +. z xrr; 'jA" ti:.r.: . . „•.• :•:t. ,. .i!i ? ,a;n., :.{;� :ni'-:',J - t'.j•'n .' '1,:77 r V .,a a. ip .. ; ,; <i ..y<. ,-r< ' fgj., af•.. . RaaAntF' E '' .,s,:r• '#.. x ,•: .,r- ,+'S - . (..:, 's yL. I r; 'N::r r .,7 '41 5!'t. ,.ta . �,:v r� .r�, }S.7 ni . P.r.,. .r�.'•'rr,.�,S N ,:I'y .Za4-a: .. _.W':L'�TJI� .. 5. .F ':r c ah•.a. ,f :rj'. ^. . .,^ . ePl,': ....° . r =: . . ui „ x . ° x,. _ . . a ^. . 4: '.r....a: "Rr. , 5< s..:Ax .. : -'R,,. u�F'M . ACT T,ar.:f.r :. . : •<7., ,,• a 3+• n..'{ ,Ia..::. ,u:r 'fn 4 .4 ,tr ns . P ... ,., .•s .. ,Yr'= ' . � s w , _�-. y: , ,f n,�. n , :Y>;:' •-`4r C�_,2 _ q ,n. .0 . .. .r. .r . .. w . . . .e ,: a: . .4: r'Y:J`r� `f . 'Ln. x. ip.y . 'n, = iu-, ,F. '�"!' P,, . n, f F. ..i.2�-{ r• .fi :5:,. rm ,h '::R:rrrn 4a;^c 6.N'ra'� '(-"i. . F� ,i'ki:7,.•. 0 . ..:. n , .... .r _ ., ,_:o F. rJ:: . +,r er (iny . ''f,' rrl' ._ "rr t .. 5'k-? r :f:. al - . - - . : . . .n �yt3•,•.:. . -. aJ. '4�„ o- .. . r. : . . nr . r. .r,.: "�a.. . •' . t.r �IiP�.. _.°p, .,-� ' rks:'r' Pf :..�i'. :a1f:35"'. _ r.:A,r;. . :.::,;° �v,� 5 .. . : . r $ a a. .n:r n n . .. . . . . .. . i . .. Y` .f Mh, _ , .t .: c " . . ... . i^ ,,J•3r ' . . :Fr��C.E r'1 ' 7°a'_ . ' iJ.�c:`:5 �,i :.yi:r. :-. .4.:' ' .... :. ,'•:i. � f �i' - .. F} :S NY•. r. 4 . -^ry J. c;.r' .: .,-.' , r .r• . .. 4,_y PA .'+1J:7 ,;,, ,y �;sc r Pt ;1z P . . . + . _ : _ . _ _ . .. , : .. .sn�. ../rry. . .: f3i . . . .,a". 4 i .r ,. .. 1._a..s.., h::, ,:r. v :•:. . (_r %?i'1r ;r•r. ,.f's:�b:=,i LL•ti- , xf, . M1 2 ,,: ... A , ,9. .!{. . ,-u Z , k7 ` . .Pn,r. ,`;7'•• :.'fJ' ,..,r.5• v: . . 4 a . x< le I .,s.. t,n, � ,n .. .w q'» . ;� r.. s . - r:�.r.. . Pra - " .��Y .Yr. : z,9 :` - ._„� „ir" �; nt:. ' '%. •� } < ,; r ^ 1ON. Eck+"=% : rrv .. , ._t,,,,. F . nx. r'ry{ c .. .., _ 5•€: < ;:rw t , . ' ,_ aP � a �.;��,.. rr. . :.., . .aa< r . atr . . . �': � ::a,r;,k:: ,. rv.;-afi� ,�r`r' . .. ,. ... , ." . ..... ..: . . . ,,.11., . , nn"ry •Tr�,,.�.. , rl,�., - r• .•n..r ... . .. .,fa. ., .r.n+'', :T,•�I,.:jb..ti• r f..�t ': G . .� . ":�,4�a, ?a • . . _�. . R C. a �; . -.t „ .. .,�.,:. ., � .= :n.t".-'.�:S..r , •L gsr". r. � ; ' r: � . . __ ,. �` • fr` worn.' •,J i .. . . .1J ... n :k :, ., ., .. - : .:=-fit L !. :rat"' ' ':Y;-,r . : :,,,. .,, ..§y.: . .. Rr- .y.n -::=vk�'. ,- .. nnx. , 'r^'K4i' ._l.;.x �'t... •,t. . .ar .. .,. 6. �f . .�{. y .. .r/<"' ,.,:r.�` `r's%..t'� ..¢--. ±. - „ , :•• v' ., ! .'�. ' . , . r' ,r'�r_ .. ... �t- P �':�. al: . _ r - ,iv: .y, . : . . � _ u.: : . ' .- . .a .v.r. .r-i.. .. . a,. ,,5u,nr .: .,-� • ��r. . ,,, ,, , s ..::�xf, •y'=: • -'r^+t� ' . - _: .�^• . .,�. , . . . . .... : ., Y 'n: • -vn�';r:�:c�'v:. ,� ..:� . i,E7 ...k`-: ::;.::,._: �r- _.. , =;'r;;� . . :,. r. "1'4� n• _ �, r,. . 1f,..,..;..,,., r a. . , � n .F. - �, r ,�s ._- . ,.. . a•P .: -<k. _ i„ n cyrf;p .,., _ _.-7� �.. •i`� . W.l• .: . . . � aH r,c•_ .,rM . . . . .,.. 'C +f��'rr��pp.,: ., .u..:_.. ... ' F: !i;x :L.n'rLW., j_.: ,. - ••3rlr� .-r ` , `": .Sk:FTJr'+ .-i.. r � ,f' a-r.n,iq^S.rs. "iseC. . e. I� ,I NO . , . , . ,•.. . '-�wrr ,� o•;'y7 ,a,:r.Fiv x ,-" a ,. .�., H, .. „ .�,�1GA . r,>r s . ^%r.: .^F:c . 5„< .::b ,. r. n , �,.. _.•::t r . /. ?Z:x. 9. .,-.,a,r±i ' r�:. r4 . .�, , � . 9.c» R -< ��evs•, _ y¢ ; r,,;�_. , .,� , v:v' s�.•'.yn-_ 5`FF:�.!s,., :.;; . . •'F._ r, .. ,-'a,,•e.: w �' . .� . ,. . , .$. ;i . •s . �' 'S; ' 'r ai: rr /rrra.,. r :ri. `.n "fa.. -.,,a a,:f_ .a , , .i • n ,n ,. - ,, ,t, :. n - e"x. '%' IF'. . .. fF RS7 , C.:-irn.. . . 'Se. .. e.'�.' F n .- .r.l.. . !r. 1!'4n :t:•-`.. 5' .:.. t:ti: 4 'i-ii~ `yi, :' 'm :'J c.;•i:,7-.:. . -J. 4, � . � . • f .3. r �r :3 1F �,. , fi<w �i'i : 'Y;k: . � . rv�t_. .. rvs'PT �.�. . �'c .;. , , � r•�<' r ;•.i:: . J'� �:, �r,'-r,.. n' P� a . ...•�, r :., 1�•r air: .., r : � :<r �ti .r,'f�r{.a .r. i• r'CArY!"-'^`:'i. ; ,6x,x. :._ rt.._ .o-. �i �:±r.� �. . F'.a yy�H/ : . :r, s ' r . 1. . .�saa'' * ' , .:µ,f .«tuk, z i': . unA , •'•°[� < . F!` :r�,n a•.ds h'ni.5.r.�n: .,. � l, r,. . u.Y•u• :`' 'R�'?nr -in��� 5 •a:� - . }r`c�rti +?!Y:. .�rr .'7!':.... T• . .c:rd' :�; ._rr.,n ' .11: kxn'''�'S i. . ' •Lx ! ,ea�. : 4 . ?+r . :, . :a . t•r .a. ,/� .r;,� l., �?'� r .s. �a..yy _^. . . . ., t :rd*f: :re . .4� ::. , r .w.:: � w inF ::r. z;'.q`-+,ems : -t�i . '. .e . ,, ,��ry . ,4 .;!kr<.fa•{ 1': �.. °.,.r.r , ;, rn J Y. .� ?`8�'..;;°f • _ . 7, y "- :' .,F!....' •:';f,=n�. . 'a r Y.T .,... t : '1' Y'r ":r�• , ..'2.y' : 7a. 1_ - a � . q.�i ', ` . 'J-'.._,x�>:r. � : <,a r.� ,f`' "a � . . t,'v ' < ,w y: at , ,! n{C ' i., .f<'y yy�� S'!' � {,J'� .. 3.�yt,t 7{4'' yy..a � . .( . .ipY•'�:i T;: ., y'kL�ej:s? ., 'EK'.r,'rr, i` •'�1-r ':i-r.^•:&. ..�. _x� ,...,� . 'rfr. n�.r � _ . .•w'�fh • .:r6r��5-'9y, . r'. m"r'�' SV- •.r~ , A . T " � , 6 ,.f.. a,Pu�<`'r i�riy4,15ur�±:i �e"• ,�'J`�:n ,.',�T. .�'n .�.dW„(•� n . l . h f 3. ,: { ,"c _ ••�:'..'•:;.11 . STAFF PHOTOS BY GRANT HALVERSON If ;:'. : . A bulldozer removes felled trees from the construclJon site ati d:lP coa•r: ee o' Enil.tln and. Sage 'roads Monday, ` . Although the Presque , Isle site has been clear cu., W NO ith `� �� � >> �' tw ^e� !�t�1e road and project. ;t IN , SQot-t Radway, the project . engineer, town ' s approval , the trees will be replaced ��rQth more " �' said the appearance may look a little ; and ®then landscape design , developer says . s1.locicin ; now, but once finished., he believes the neighbors will be pleased I BY KIRK Ross s! 1 '7l �' when the project was approved in with the design . • ' Staff Writer Ck � .✓ A /1 14.-ts June 1997 . Then, the town agreed to a ,/ I t11I111C 1t' 5 going to be a nice addi- � � thinner- than-usual buffer of trees , hozl to the Sage Road area;' he said . V . CHAPEL HILL - Until last week- oplans call for long rows of trees and which will be planted and augmented shrubs alollg the wail and more plant- end, residents near Presque Isle, a 42- by a brick wall and wrouglaN iron unit luxury condominium complex, fencing. tags i11 the courtyard areas of the con- were unable to see much of the " don1111111111 complex . on the project thanks to a Its more of an urban design, ��Z'liel"e wi}1 be a large number of progress p l Town of Chapel Hill Planning r 1a11ted - i11to 111e area," he said . line of trees along Sage and Erwin Director Roger Waldon said Tuesday . tree° p roads . The density of the development end "Including a good number of shade All that changed Friday as workers the size of the lot, he said , left less trees '" cleared out the - last of the vegetation Net space for a wider buffer of trees wee � 1OCNQJ 9 Page AS along the front of the 5 . 57-acre lot Monday . The mix of pines and hard- • :.. : .x.:.....:.: ....r. . : _:. :.. : Pr7 - + .ns•x fi . 2.;k, ::.,: is 1, the gin` If o d was s much debris on t .. qF '�" ' w o s o u t : : ' : ':: sa- _ ...,..: .,•gin . .,� � '�� , .�::; P'y R{': . :::ti,' a'."vai;:n'r ti, n.;�c !'�`5:e'"t :vfn: . cff?.Sra n4t!,� `:}J., - . - ..f'^.',:' • s, kam5 ren ., n r . . . . - . . ._ .;r. c . . .x: : - w S : !�4 . n)ilf: - ::::F•c: - n..J,n. ,C' . , a'i„k:. ,5 xr, c!�f• av . - nssR; - :a .V n. w s;,ts IN LqI4 r ., .: .�,. . ". .S"_PE'S''fri . .. .d 4 a a t a travelers �n =!5'='.� 7:kY: r�� w o the landfill and tra e s - ��ti`' - , .�7n•n pv",..d4, a n:h,'a,. s'u•: - ...,..::;nn:•n•a... .n,:,..u:a,,.rnnu.,;..n.n..r.. ...nr.�. , c.� ; :ra.,:i�le.:c:. ...,,,r_r.:,-,:,.,,..c+:y rna.,.. . try ::c:r....,z,.. ,n,:u.f., ,. . »_P:; ..:K,::r:, 1,: !c::..n';r,.w,praµ..,.:'-'iat'-: u a . ,. .,...-.:... .. ... ,,,._� .r ,� . V / n ,..n... d ....� ._.., . .. .r. ,n_. . .�_ ...2na_d_ ,'n..,a"...�.:. n i :.:, ., ,. .: n .- . .. : ... . .. . . ., . . r_ n ;.a;..r..r<.nr:crc:!e:nt„_r.'.r:r:ua`p.i:.:.:i:,7u'1r::::;ur:,:J::•: - ./ o . :. . . < a. ,. :.. . . .ar .. -.u..-,... :.... .. ... .. : ..r.u.�..:�•.,.•...•F,..r.. ara:rn�itc• ^nyid' ,c1Jn"' r,.,-n .r. .......,...rv ,., ,,..r.n..ro-n .,..,:•.n .r . r . . . ., _n r..,l ;�{_ ., . . : . . .. w . . , .:P.,y:,,:,:,,.,...,,..n:.=:r_..,. _ r '^.` "- . :......: .:..:.c n.,,. .G..,.�, •r:,u5,_.__.,..._ . . .m'_., .., .. d.:.u..,.,.,n. ,. . . . ,..c . ... :":.r.,, .n..n:,,._ ••::a .r•.: :dfc"t; :.:!h:,9 , .,.,.-r:. . ... .. ... .. ..... . - ,r ,. .,.A . ... , .. �. _ . .,_ . . . . . � . . _. ,..,,..:r. ,..-.. . r-, -.. . .�;'• .... . aas'• • .'r .:,•n:n-ti��n 1 „ iy !.µ1f !ry what 1 becoming an increasingly : ,. . .:: ,,. . .: s m :.., :. ,. ,.. :, ...,:. : .. y ' r::.: 4..cr: ::.,�:::.; ?.. �yt.=n busy thoroughfare have an unob.- r ` . structed view of Presque Isle con- q struction. t 3 � ' b 1 . "They totally zapped every tree on }� the lot," Debbie Johnson, a resident of nearby Birch Meadow, said Monday . i Johnson said she and, her husband °3 1 t ^ 5r �,, returned from a trip out of town this �� , • . �f: ' weekend to find the landscape near • i , , ll . qh. NO 1er home drastically different . • a . � . "It' s barren as can be , " Fred4� IN 4 Johnson said, adding that he' s disap- - f pointed the town didn' t do more to - ir � w . . protect the trees on the property . " I guess we felt comfortable that 3 they ( they town) had strict rules on ,Ala� W. trees ,,, he said . But town officials said the project is New trees will be planted and arlcq� � v� lit�9llt asp the 5 . 57 - acre , _ 0 _ . _ at IIIDVAL• /Y <rfaA I � lo • �Im /nhr+ rreneit d` o# ,a Pit :MAC fir / 510( 4 ` • I t • k f > -. r i - • , I For ��4 yIf t :u L ,.:..�`'va''+iIrg'• i 'e4� " -'•Y IF a:IN III 3*�:•}<�k�k`�F.��d�3 ''?.r,?4.+'/e�S�S?=�•'r Igo't�'i`•• 't`-�,b -gill" - 't. Ra i o; ;:SCS 1% " OF IN Mg . _ tidy s r �f t' - r!°'St - t. No 1ti� 1 1r � hl Y } �i� i+ Sre r If . �_ iG mg� i xv l ��t '} 3 t �,N' •><, fi 1y i1'}, � . �, �•fF• `� ` �y ^tOR fE� t Ixi� ,.+ t k e . : c s 11 tic y 2 hr ~ s ti l x. � S y k yt ° j �r'yt ! t f k _ YY _MkRj Id`h V }, C IF IF No pR y�e ti •x t i3 . f. U +. 1. ln•.11 : OR 4� r: ,r\ 1 , tr. j #� +�' . s . `` � ! To/I ANNIM It. FORJ' 1 f FI ✓, t T�IN f ' •T. r �-'ti If - •� f yto NJ i n - K ugoMIIrNgI L , i , 'r'r f�• r. , . m ' �- Y ? ,rec y s r set „ ^ l j z 'r i r ? r 9} 1 r3C u 1 tom' tArr i'4t° .1 i gi NO NMIOI no I wJ Is o oo t r5 � ,g { )K rF a jiyy4 i �. t y j ` } t, {� � � t � _ i d' '•• . ' t4i tilr ' 7 r f .,, t r4fFrr14 f t RiLJr3 r K Ef � s •� ! ' ( +t ,1 ! • a �+ r {,, «",# , < - �` !-.nd, I ]. y„ -,. • xf•'.h ; 1 r " ' f i l 'yp + _ .}. r><J>c-.w7- ,j '• h: ' Or rL `. 91 r n t"� ai-� yj •T ( e 1- ter f , - p ' � , I ` . t ra -, i = T0G -f '� 't° - cL r •, .�' � 4. ..��•f�.u,,4�, ft'y' i' Fey �t y of f . . : �k - •p "S� t , � t -i IF - i sN� {ac .xs _ - S� iJ . .Ftlr ' �P y , f ^ - lF . r l : i a t , , .,f. -. '• Jy t _ - �- a n :. . ,t ♦ _ -ri' 1 t r� f -. 1 ar ,.y a•-" 4s ; , ^ .rv#- it-� '" `` w't ' �•'i' 4F '� .rµ �"�. ^_e F ,r r! ( N' {tt s t � r t u s i 1 s� 'f 7 IN . ti't tk''1 4` 1• F ( ( ?i n -k� km `. A :a .•f j If NJ fir p �V. y.v . J- x tiy , 1 ac 5 . 3 {� v irs 3 r. thr � '+_ o ra -. Ss - 3 NOV IRA )Of gg It Polo '? F YiC41•'s.i f ,y ., y t tr :-` C z - . - -4; i l Off , •. 41 . t. .. Rn-r� t rt ,.tter y .��.`•� iF � ' . i"MANUMMIl r `! ' ...ot-• ` �4MAN t �Lla • .log 'y" t , t 'y,r.. - ".'1 _ A�l,rrrAggif . . 1 . Or 'Ingful we of L ! I MAN i•" ' si! ON It OR ) ` V ( 1 '1 "i i$ re �• t l YFI Alli :' t _ . } •.y l - R,{,{ �w t } s :...ti✓„'�t - NO -ta,}aP . 1 . w- - roll . M . IMF I, AN U r 1ot If IMF A t ", t , , , . }� IMF Y 8 _, , r '� ( x"� ,! h a'` r i•� o of y r , fir V. 1 . ^ Alit Ay��(( �� t 1\a !� s fkF.TCC to r +• i t'. �� qT f 'use i� }t ufv'M y. r rOf 1y elfft <.7 1 •Jsy v - t •.. 3 -r,� 4 ] 't`_Y -•r ..q.M Tof CIA IN 41 Ow 3T"H . "r` jfaracf�6 t ii _ sjt`t+ a - p �ykIV_ :4 r '^'pi_ �c, f r 'f�fill - '`F�� i- tt •- rd S FfI If e ,c,•. ;.�f ci ,• Yib 4 ifi . . ,� �f ••••.,w, 1. .. r r ). � r+�•� .r Spit ' 4 f [�' IN 1 '�f to ' tF. Ru ' r t ay f � aYt (1 l d� r .� l '. AM 'fit. r •tv -- s^` - r Yt r �i j •,.p tt -r' tlt. rr ,S"yc v "�f IN `i?< <. " r ry y1�, 'NFL - •. - y. r r t Xq T J . t �r �ilr � yF` it it i (Sa iP 'Y� '•s +_ ; tIN � r i T `,ia - If Ode +s -rr' j }{ rs ' iI ` t' ggg , tit - > f• Il�bj + ram ii . t NY ifs r s Ygri• t1� t4 - •• 1' -Mi-` - t 9,Fgr ly ,sb s tr <i . ; - i r \ ' rj t , r• tsAMRr � sFilril, "rt 4 - I rK i �s . . • i .wCWW IN i>f`1-+,§r is , 1 "a i .`yn.Z ` _ . RL t4S5'3i•:. ' ,1 t , 1t l t It f, • at • - • • . �f:. told A f , It IF. If III pi mqiii � IF so '- / " I I I i r ' III / I • • • • - • r • • • • Was • • u • • r • ■ • • ' ' • • • • • - ,' • Ills LOGGERany time I want . to , " Foushee Sanford, as does his son Wayne , dream of a logging dynasty, it said . But what would I do ? It would be nice if the Foushee died early. FROM PAGE 3 Foushee and his wife Odessa patriarch could look at today's "My son Wayne was going to live on a five-acre place where middling oaks and poplars — help me; " he said. "And he did, average truckload represents they keep chickens , goats and trees that will be ripe for He worked with me a little bit . cattle . Foushee 's daughter Jackie harvesting 20 years from now — Then he said, 'Whew, it 's hot ! ' more like $ 800 to $ 1 , 000 , lives in Pittsboro and a second and know that another Foushee "That 's when he enrolled at " I can afford to stop working * daughter, Connie , lives in will be the beneficiary. East Carolina to get an ' But if Foushee ever had a education . " ' 7 ti !i i4,: ` 'r Orange Water and Sewer Authority _ ? - " �. T11 _a<� 1 "' THUMBtY G.ve dr;nWnb wafer n fond, The OWASA Newsletter January- March , 2000 Volume 9 , No . 1 OWASA TO CONSIDER THREE BASIC OPTIONS FOR CONSERVATION RATES k OWASA will consider three basic alternatives for water con- for each customer based on the customer' s past water use , servation rates . A third alternative , "seasonal rates , " would use one rate As reported in the last Blue Thumb , OWASA began a con- for the colder months of the year, and a higher rate for a servation rate study in November , 1999 . The utility is inter- period such as April through October. ested in conservation rates primarily as an incentive to re- • duce peak water demand in the summer and to keep ad- "SEASONAL" WATER CONSERVATION RATES equate water supplies during droughts . In addition , conser- vation rates more fairly allocate the high costs of meeting peak water demand to customers who contribute to peaks April - October in water use . water rate In OWASA's current rate system , all customers pay a uni- WL form water rate of $2 . 74 per 1 , 000 gallons used , regardless r' IT; p. of the amount of water used . ( Bills also include a flat monthly kz.� October-April j= fee which depends on the size of meter in use . ) water rate o In many conservation rate systems , the uniform water rate o is replaced by multiple tiers or " blocks " of rates that rise as E~ U H water use rises . o A w ¢ ¢ o One alternative , called " inverted block rates , " would in - T OF YEAR volve three water rates as shown in the chart below. The The information above is intended to briefly summarize three higher rates would apply to higher levels of water use . basic alternatives for water conservation rates . In the inverted block rate approach , the specific rate levels For more detailed information , or to get on our mailing list for would differ for different categories of residential and non - customers interested in the conservation rate study , contact residential customers . OWASA Public Affairs by calling 9684421 , by fax ( 968-4464 ) A second option , called "excess use rates , " would also or e- mail (webmaster@owasa . org ) . Additional information use three rate tiers , but the rates would be set individually is also available on the OWASA web site , vvww. OWASA . org . " INVERTED BLOCK" RATES The chart to the left shows howmul- tiple rate tiers could replace OWASA 's present uniform water HIGHEST WATER RATE rate with three rate . tiers or "blocks. " The rate levels and water volumes MIDDLE WATER RATE _ _ are notlisted for the three rate blocks ` because decisions will not be made 3 LOWEST WATER RATE ,_, until later this year on actual rates. ,o _ This chart is hypothetical and in - mmmmI tended to illustrate the concept of LOW WATER USE . HIGH WATER USE multiple rate blocks. April 12th Public hearing on Proposed Stone Quarry and Reservoir Extension The Orange County, Carrboro and Chapel Hill governing boards extending American Stone ' s quarry west ofBethel-Hickory Grove will hold a public hearing at 7 :30 pm on Wednesday, April 12 in Baptist Church Road, which is west of Carrboro. the Southern Human Services Center, 2501 Homestead Rd. , on (continued on back page) www . awasa . org this newsletter is printed on recycled paper Stone Quarry and Reservoir Extension Share with Others through ( continued from front page ) the Taste of Hope program Through our Taste of Hope service, you When quarrying is complete by 2030 , OWASA would use the quarry to store an can help people in need with their water estimated 3 billion gallons of water. An alternative to drawing water from Jordan bills. When you participate, yourmonthly Lake , the Stone Quarry/Reservoir would be the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community' s bill. is automatically rounded up to the next water supply source . It would connect to OWASA' s existing quarry reservoir nearest dollar. The added 1 to 99 cents is east of Bethel - Hickory Grove Baptist Church Road , and would receive water donated to the Inter-Faith Council (IFC) from the Cane Creek Reservoir and University Lake , which are protected through for people having difficultypaying their development standards for their watersheds . water bills. The IFC provides temporary financial help and counseling for longer- The Stone Quarry Reservoir will be needed in roughly 30 years , based on future term financial stability. Some. funds are water use projections recently prepared by OWASA's master plan consultant . also provided to Water Partners Intema- While such long-term projections are necessarily imprecise , it is likely that an tional, which helps communities iri de- additional water supply source will be needed to supplement the community's, veloping countries improve their water present reservoirs . resources . Add I - - :._ : .y . The initial public hearing on the Quarry and Reservoir Extension was held in Call us at 968A421 and we ' ll send you a 1991 . Since then , OWASA has completed additional environmental , cost and brochure with more details and a sign-up planning studies which confirm that the quarry extension is a very desirable op- form so that you can gi1 .ve others .. Taste lion for a future water source . of Hope . A few cents each month can mean a lot to someone in need . STAND I Is and be counted in Census 2000 Most households will receive a short census questionnaire about two weeks before Census Day, which will be ' on April 1st. About one of every six households will be asked to complete a longer questionnaire . , . ;Answering the census -is , very +ir portant for our. community. .. Every year, over $ 100 billion in federal funding and significant State funds are allo- ',. cate_ d to local governments based on census numbers . :W en` residents` are not counted ,- local ` governments receive less money= to pay for ser. vices :; In addition , Census data is used to determine the number and ' boundaries of Congressional districts in a state . By law, census data on an individual household is confidential . If you wish to be involved with Orange County's Census Complete Count Committee , please call 245 -2125 or 9684501 , ext. 2125 . If you are Mark W. Marcoplos , interested in earning extra money on a part-time basis ($ 13/hour + 32 . 5 new OWASA Board Member cents/work mile traveled ) as a Census Worker, call 5414037 . For more In December, Mark Marcoplos Joined the OWASA information , go to the Census Bureau 's Website , http ://www. census . gov Board of Directors . Appointed by Orange County, or call the local Census Center in Durham at 5414037 . Mark owns a residential building and remodeling y He ' s a member of the County compan i I Eco P/@aS@ h@Ip our. MG' fG'r ' ReadEl'SI nomic Development Commission , the Orange County Greens and the NC Solar Energy Asso- If you have shrubs , trees or other plantings near your water meter, please keep them trimmed to maintain convenient access for our meter wation . Mark is also a newspaper columnist and was an All ACC soccer player at UNC . readers . The Cane Creek Reservoir and University Lake If you are planning to do landscaping near your water meter, please 7• 7M ' " :�. will reopen for the recreational allow room , as plantings grow over time , for meter reading and main - ` Ydt h ,' season on Saturday, March tenance work. And , please avoid using plantings that may cause diffi- _ I L Y ` 25th (Lightning Brown Day) , culties , such as shrubs with thorns and groundcover that is hard to ,, `_ . - ' walk through . k= ^ . .r , : ° Cane Creek is open on Thurs - Y Sa days through Sundays and Uni- If your dog stays outside in the area near the water meter, lease hel "� % versity Lake is open on Fridays i.: K us by keeping the dog restrained on your usual meter reading days . `t' " =` '= R : :: .''` through Mondays . > : ( Please check your bill or call us if you need information on when we usually read your meter. ) FA Este documento conhenen Im ort Each month , four members of the OWASA staff read the meters for allP ante del empresa, de ' • of our 16 , 000 customers . Your help will help us read everyone 's meters lico ,que provee su sunmshm delIll safely and on schedule . agriamunicipal. Si necesitaay6daparstrnducr: ." este documento, ; )lame poIf vor "a Ia Imprssa If you have any questions or concerns , please call OWASA Customer doIAgva potable iA.t ntaallado de Orange al Service at 968-4421 . Thank you for your cooperation ) 968-4421 `c The Orange Water and Sewer Authority • 919 968 4421 • 400 Jones Ferry Road • Carrboro , NC l.• - � _ 3 - TM Vol. 11 , No . 4 May /June 2000 California Devotes Billions to Parks Editorial: Agriculture secretary Glickman and Water calls for a renewed national commitment to the conservation of private land . ® Californians approved a $2 . 1 billion parks bond, the largest such bond in U . S . history, and a $ 1 . 97 billion water bond by nearly 2-to- 1 margins on March 7. Small Tracts : Crossing the country on the The approval of more than $4 billion in environmental Web, hogging the floodplain in North spending should lead to the preservation of hundreds of Carolina, and finding 200, 000 species . thousands of acres in the nation' s most populous state . A broad-based coalition of supporters, from the Planning and Conservation League and the Sierra Club to the California Taxpayers Union and the state Chamber of Commerce, Corporate Notes : IBM and Johnson & raised $ 7 million to convince voters to approve the bonds . Johnson to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Passage of the parks bond comes 12 years after the last and Unilever agrees to buy fish from such bond was approved . In the interim, the state has well-managed fisheries . See California, page 6 Water: Polar ice caps aren't what they used Fund Protects Lana in Six States to be, and neither is the nation's enforcement of its water pollution permits . ® The Conservation Fund has helped protect a new national park in Colorado , fruit farms in Michigan, a reclaimed mine in Ohio , wildlife areas in Texas and Vermont and a national 'park inholding in Washington . Model Program: The Rivers and Trails program helps jump -start hundreds of ® Texas—The Fish and Wildlife Service has boosted the community projects around the nation , size of the Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge by 20, 000 acres (25 %) since February 1999 with help from The Thank you : A thanks to more than 100 Conservation Fund . In the latest acquisitions, which total 7,271 acres, the Fund worked with more than 60 landown- readers who contributed nearly $5,000 to ers, some of whose families have held the properties since the COMMON GROUND Research Fund , the original Spanish land grants . The Fund also helped the refuge acquire a 12, 63 &acre tract a year ago . Funding for the recent purchases came from the federal Wetlands Re- serve Program and the Migratory Bird Fund . Refuge man- Databank: Rhode Islanders face $ 1 . 5 billion agers hope to restore tidal flows to the area ' s wetlands, in extra taxes if current sprawl patterns which were cut off in the 1930s when the Brownsville Ship continue for, 20 years . See Rio Grande, page 3 COMMON GROUND VOL. 11 NO. 4 MAY /JUKE 2000 4? " a e ,..f fi. .'g',�i .ta:y , d • ui4�"r.- `� . t"g � 4 �f . _ �:} ' •. ; ^7 n a • c-'i .+��-,.: S.f V�,.., ,._ - 'u>; i y- 'k. K - -3 :.J = �,t _ -.� x`4: S, .�t':`rt^ , �+x •�� ` � . '�`' '`�-.�?�--5: � . � °Si��c'z�, •{ _ Conseiving We Americans must deepen our com- them the resources they need to keep their mitment to the conservation of private land . operations economically and environmen- PrivateAlthough we 've controlled most soil erosion tally sustainable . By empowering farmers, on fragile lands, we 're no longer reducing we attack conservation problems before they Landoverall erosion. Urban sprawl is swallowing begin. The benefits : competitive rural econo- up some of our best farm and forest land, mies, cleaner water, restored wetlands, bet- Forest land is more fragmented . Wetland ter flood control, healthier habitat and more losses have accelerated . Irrigation is mcreas- ecotourism . If we don't make modest invest- ing in the East, boosting competition for wa- ments at first, we 'll spend a billion dollars ter in cities, which also are losing tree cover . down the road on a water filtration plant to We could blame inadequate federal fix a problem that spun out of control . funding. On a per-acre basis, the federal Environmental waste doesn't respect government spends just $ 1 on private land property lines . As a farmer controlling am* - conservation for every $5 we spend on pub- mal waste or a suburban homeowner apply- , lic land management. But the insufficient ing garden fertilizer, how you manage your funding reflects the American attitude to- property affects your community' s quality ward land . In 1935, galvanizing people to of life . We mustn't forget we are the trustees embrace a national conservation strategy of the American landscape . It' s not ours to was easier. We felt more connected to the keep . It's ours to hold for a brief time and land . Americans spent their entire lives in pass on in better shape . is published bimonthly as a one place . Now we are a nation of travelers We have to muster the will to do the IN service to the conservation and re-locators, people who live in one place right thing . That' s what Americans did a community by but came from another . Instead of land be- century ago . In 1908, President Roosevelt The Conservation Fund ing an integral part of our lives, it just hap - convened a Conference of Governors de- Chairman Patrick Noonan pens to be the place where we live right voted to conservation issues . He later wrote : John F. Turner now . Television and the Internet also helped "It is doubtful whether, except in time of President break our bond with the land . war, any new idea of like importance has Mike McQueen To craft new conservation solutions, we ever been presented to a nation and ac- Editor have to tap the power of grass-roots activ- cepted by it with such effectiveness and William deBuys ism. The greatest commitments and the most rapidity, as was the case with this conserva- Jack Lynn Editorial Consultants innovative conservation plans are percolat- tion movement when it was introduced to Meg West ing from the bottom . up . Nearly three-guar- the American people by the Conference of Art Director ters of anti-sprawl ballot measures passed in Governors . „ The challenges we face today For address corrections and 1998 . New Jersey voters committed $ 1 bil- re uire us to revisit our commitment to con- information; contact: q lion over a decade to protect state farmland. servation. I believe that, just as in 1908, the April Berry The proximity of farmers, ranchers and leadership must come from the top . Circulation Manager The conservation Fund foresters to the land makes them our most From a speech given Dec . 7 in Ames, Iowa, Arlington, gt N. Kent St., Suite 1120 conscientious land stewards . We must give by Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman. Arlington, VA 22209 703 /525-6300 COMMON GROUND routinely grants permission for reprints . Address editorial correspondence and reprint queries to: COMMON GROUND 940 Stillwater Lane a Earlysville, VA 22936 804/ 973-7324 coground@aol. com o COMMON GROUND is available r u on the World Wide Web at http: //www.conservationfund.org 14Ira Printed on recycled paper. - aE a 0 .o U the � In t N COMMON GROUND VOL. 11 NO . 4 MAY /DUNE 2000 ^• _ _ .,*.J.:e1 MOM a - a t'ii cam. oi• Y/_:" a 'r? . _ 4;•., � r ..i• y - r ti `r` ..� >r.:.'U •?i�' -_ .. :t:. '�i ,?- 1 Y_.,. )a :t> ' Fund Secures Option to Link Parks in Carolinas Rio Grande, from page 1 El Ohio—The Fund recently acquired 2,905 Channel was built . The lower Rio Grande is acres of reclaimed strip mine lands in Noble one of the most biologically diverse areas in County, Ohio, to benefit the state ' s wildlife, the U. S . It hosts more than half the bird spe- hunters and outdoor recreationists . Mined cies found in the lower 48 states . over two decades by Union Carbide and M North Carolina—The Fund has acquired B &N Coal Co . , the land has been restored by In the past decade, an option to buy more than 1 ,400 acres of B &N into a productive and scenic mosaic of the Fund helped ridgeline on the Kings Mountain Range that meadows and hardwood forests . They sup- Ohio 's wildlife provides the final link to connect three parks port populations of turkey, ruffed grouse, , in the Carolinas . The Fund expects to convey whitetail deer and other species native to the division add more the land this fall to the state of North Caro- rolling Appalachian foothills of southeast than 45, 000 acres lina, which will add it to the Crowder Moun- Ohio . John Turner, the Fund ' s president, will to its wildlife " tain State Park near Charlotte . Besides pro- dedicate the property to the state on May 2 . tecting a ridgeline visible from I-85 and In the past decade, the Fund helped the state management areas , nearby towns, the acquisition will allow for wildlife division add more than 45,000 acres nearly doubling the creation of a 45-mile trail system linking to its wildlife management areas, nearly dou- its holdZngS . the North Carolina park with Kings Moun- bling its holdings . taro State Park and Kings Mountain National 0 Michigan—Two fruit farms in northwest Military Park in South Carolina . Michigan totaling 776 acres have been pre- M Colorado—The Fund worked with the Na- served in separate projects involving the tional Park Service and the Bureau of Land Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Management to protect 4,577 acres in and the state Department of Natural Resources near the Black Canyon of the Gunnison Na- and the Fund . In the first project, the conser- tional Park, the nation' on for a family cor s 55th and newest. vancy paid $1 .42 millipo- Last year, Congress expanded its boundaries ration that owned the 551 -acre Fruithaven and elevated it to a national park thanks to Orchards in Benzie County near Lake Michi- the leadership of Sen. Ben Nighthorse gan. The tract, which will remain open space, Campbell (R-Colo . ) and Rep . Scott McInnis had been slated to become a hotel-condo-golf (R-Colo . ) . The Fund bought a conservation resort that would have radically changed the easement on 2,200 acres of highly visible rural character of the area . The Fund secured property at the canyon' s south rim, keeping an option on the farm' s development rights a local family on their ranch. On the north and transferred it to the state . The state DNR rim, the Fund bought 2,377 acres, providing then bought the rights for $756,580 . The con- habitat for the Gunnison sage grouse, a spe- servancy, which has resold 97 acres of the The tract, which cies under consideration for listing as endan- restricted agricultural parcels for $200,000, will remain open gered . As one of the nation' s newest gateway intends to sell all but 165 acres of the farm's space, had been communities, Montrose County is. grappling forest, which will become a nature preserve . with planning and land protection issues that The second project, in which the Old Mission slated to become a accompany having a national park next door. Land Conservancy participated, protected hotel -condo -golf The Fund plans to work with the Valley the 225-acre Harbor Ridge farm next to a 140- resort that would Land Conservancy to preserve the natural acre nature preserve near Grand Traverse values and rural character of the surround- Bay. The state contributed $850, 000 and the have radically ing ranchlands . Grand Traverse conservancy $710,000 to buy changed the rural 03 Vermont—The North American Wetlands the development rights, which the Fund had character of the Conservation Council has awarded a $1 mil- obtained . Preservation of the farm is part of a lion grant to the Fund to transfer 5,400 acres $3 million campaign to protect the area be area . of high-value wetlands in Essex County to tween Pyatt Lake and Grand Traverse Bay . the state . The transaction completes the pro- ® Washington—The Fund recently protected tection of 133,000 acres in Vermont that the a 25-acre inholding in North Cascades Na- Fund purchased from Champion Interns- tional Park that had been the focus of a tional last summer . The 5,400-acre tract ad- seven-year debate over whether to create a joins 16,500 acres of wetlands that the Rich- 13-condo development on the site . The hill- ard King Mellon Foundation purchased and side parcel, which fronts Lake Chelan in cen- donated to Vermont last year . The two areas tral Washington, is mostly forested with comprise the new West Mountain Wildlife stands of older-growth Douglas fir . The Fund Management Area, which offers public ac- transferred the land, valued at $ 1 million, to cess for hunting, fishing and other recreation. the National Park Service in April. COMMON GROUND VOL, 11 NO. 4 MAY/JUKE 2000 _ �t - �.i ; - . r .,`�' • s.�utj, G.`^'�2,.. Y�*' Y'`5'F� 'ra. � Vr._'y�'Y:tJ �"}� } t`!t�lK'�i,; �s'l.�"=1t'j'�a � r '3,:.5TA_ .{' fr.�i ` „ fy�u "�=5 . .'Y'�Si�`7'5 "i�ti�31,�} . X ' �r ";r �i. �=j,-ti ' - �" - ,::i' • tom` _ SMALL Lakes in New York's Adirondack Moun- ® No time to drive cross-country? See what The Conservation Fund tains are taking longer to recover from acid Matt Frondorf saw on his trip from the Vital Statistics deposition than lakes elsewhere and may not Statue of Liberty to Golden Gate Bridge . The Land protected by TCF and recover at all without further reductions in San Antonio, Texas, engineer hooked his partners, 2000: acid deposition, a congressional study says . odometer to a 35-mm camera, which auto- Acres protected: 3,236 Although emissions of sulfur dioxide and ni- matically snapped a picture every mile of his Est. value: $7,876,236 trogen oxides and deposition of related sulmor 3,304-mile journey, which is online; mile-by- Cumulative land protected, fates and nitrates have remained stable or mile, at http : / / kodak. com / go / milemarkers . 1985-2000, by TCF and declined, nitrate levels increased in 25 of 52 partners: Adirondack lakes, according to "Acid Rain: M The nonprofit sector created 1-in-4 of Acres protected: 2,264,750 Emission Trends and Effects in the Eastern Maryland 's new jobs over 10 years although Est. value : $ 1,075,341 ,594 United States " (RCED-0047, 202 / 512-6000, it represented only 8 . 6 % of total employ- www. gao . gov) . Scientists think surrounding ment, a new study shows . The state' s 195,414 TCF's three-year average watersheds are incapable of using the ni- non-profit workers, who outnumber em- fund-raising cost: Crates, a plant nutrient, which then flow into ployees in manu urin the fact indus 2% of total income g iTY, the lakes . A 1995 estimate by the Environ- earned $6 billion in 1998, more than 7% of The Conservation Fund is mental Protection Agency that 43 % of the the state ' s payroll. Half the state 's private a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit mountain lakes would become acidic by 2040 nonprofit jobs are in the health field, 20 % in organization established to appears to be understated, the report said , social services and 17% in education. Non- advance land and water EPA also predicted that 9 % of mid-Appala- profit employment growth has been robust conservation in America , chian streams and 4 % of southern Blue Ridge among culture and recreation organizations, The Fund is a member of streams would acidify by 2040 . growing by 107% between 1989 and 1998 . Earth Share and participates Nonprofit wages were com etitive with for the Combined Federal p g p Campaign as #0930 . 0 The David and Lucile Packard Foundation profit pay in industries where both are ac- has doubled its five-year goal of preserving five, according to "Maryland Nonprofit Sec- rO. Earth Share 250,000 acres in California after meeting its tor : A Major Economic Force " (www , original goal in less than two years . In Janu- mdnonprofit. org / MdReport. pdf) by Johns ary 1998, the foundation launched a program Hopkins University and the Maryland Asso- to award $ 175 million in grants for acquisi- ciation of Nonprofit Organizations . Conservation Leadership tion of land and development rights in the Courses 1Central Valley, the Sierra Nevada region and ® Ranches in the Colorado Rockies will "Conservation Options : along the central coast . By year' s end 1999, disappear unless local and state officials re- The Land Protection the foundation had awarded only 42 % ($ 73 form policies that promote the development Toolbox," June 11-14, million) of the $ 175 million in grants to pre- of ranchettes over the preservation of com- Shepherdstown, W.Va . serve 271 ,800 acres . It plans to award $35 mercial ranching, a new study says . State Contact: Land Trust million in 2000, a third of the foundation's land use policies favor recreational, second- Alliance, 202 / 6384725 . $ 100 million annual conservation grant pro- home developments by holding down costs gram, the largest in the country. for land speculators, who will pay up to 100 The Practice of Environ- times the agricultural value of ranches and mentally Sensitive 3, vel�San ® If most of the 21000 brownfield sites in can subdivide it into 35 acre or larger parcels opment," June 22-23, San � 210 U . S . cities were redeveloped, they would without review or approval by any govern- Francisco, Calif. Contact: create 550,000 jobs and generate up to $2 . 4 ment body. Lawmakers need to elevate the Urban Land Institute, billion in tax revenue, says the U. S . Confer- conservation of ranch land to official state 800 / 321 -5011 . ence of Mayors . Officials from 118 cities, who policy, according to "The Last Roundup : "Conserving Agricultural said they already are well positioned to How Public Policies Facilitate Rural Sprawl Lands, " June 26-29, handle such a resurgence, estimated they and the Decline of Ranching in Colorado 's Racine, Wis . Contact: Land could support 5 . 8 million new residents, Mountain Valleys, " ($9 . 95, 800 / 3704879, ex- Trust Alliance, about the population of Chicago and Los An- ecutive summary, www . farmland. org) com- . 202 / 638-4725 * geles combined, without adding appreciably missioned by the American Farmland Trust. to their infrastructure . Officials .cited a lack of The state ' s conservation easement program funding for cleanups, liability issues and the also must be expanded to give ranchers a need for environmental assessments as key financially attractive alternative to selling roadblocks to brownfield reuse, according to their land to developers . Cattle raising in the "Recycling America 's Land : A National Re- 32 counties in the Colorado Rockies contrib- port on Brownfields Redevelopment Volume utes one-eighth of the state ' s agricultural III " (202 / 293-7330, www .usmayors . org) . output and one-fifth of its agricultural jobs . COMMON GROUND VOL. 11 NO. 4 MAY/DUNE 2000 ' C' e�':r Ifs � r• ! "F : {Yt•'i .� r a':'t ',�, .=it,�( G'.r. 2'�i�wch 3. -! 'P.. ':_+'f.S ,svP'1 •—M Fcr _if t+:. _ _ a � .;1. .�E .=�{ .� .. C '�' 1�- —�` -. - i � ,.1':`: >a�s: 1 " .._ r:a= ...4 c3 .L.:z •3`'1'. _"'_'� .:3(i�.f '�i. _:� .. '�� ^ .a r � ',,a., . � :��-''�.:r ;• ;�'�.. t '� 'tr.3:F�:` �`':... :-.-; Et. .e �}.:.,,�i - �:.F <a.7a•, C • - :��C�'r`-"'�'- r.�, ��'3�?. . ��.. .rti,-as'.- t�.._ , �a. "'.�- , a -. o•'"`i: ' ..-si .-. ';-_ r� • �} i _ . xN. r { :�= •t • -�.-.r V � `'•� , ,v9 ,-,f;'{yYC :�'SZ� a� > ...�?r ::y.., ?wu „ �: ;, tenT'�t�' �'fi-c �- ' s�� .: , '�� ' _��tT ,.� � } vcl ^v`t ; '`3 T R A C M After Hurricane Floyd dumped 20 inches M Where did winter go ? The winter of 1999- of rain on eastern North Carolina last Sep - 2000 was the warmest on record for the U . S . , tember, hog farm lagoons released torrents according to the National Oceanic and Atmo- of hog waste downstream. Although the spheric Administration. Temperatures aver- state now bars the siting of new or expanded aged 38 .4 F, 0 . 6 degrees above the previous hog lagoons in floodplains, existing opera- record in 1998-99 . Before then, you had to go The winter Of tions have been free to restock and continue way back to . . . well the 1997-98 winter for 1999-2000 was the operations . To avoid future mishaps, the the previous record, although that winter' s warmest on record state ' s Clean Water Management Trust Fund average temperature was tied with the 1991-(www . cwmtf. net) has awarded a $5 . 7 mil- 92 winter. So if we didn't have a decently for the U. S . lion grant to the Department of Environment bone-chilling winter, who did? Word is that and Natural Resources to buy conservation Mongolians had a chilly time of it, as did the easements on hog operations in the 100-year people of northeast China and those brave floodplain. Officials are sifting through 85 souls who live near the Bering Sea in Siberia . bids totaling more than $50 million from hog farmers who want out. While department of- ® The U. S . harbors twice as many plant and ficials look for even more funding, the first animal species-200,000—as was previously set of easement purchases should be com- thought, representing 10 % of all species pleted this summer . documented by science . The country is par- ticularly rich in aquatic life, with one river in ® The assets of 135 of the nation' s richest Tennessee hosting more fish species than all The United States foundations grew by 16% ($24 . 9 billion) to of Europe, according to " Precious Heritage , is particularly rich $ 180 . 6 billion last year. But nearly half the The Status of Biodiversity in the United in aquatic life, increase was due to two people : Bill and States " ($45, 800 / 451 -7556) by The Nature Melinda Gates, who gave nearly $ 11 billion Conservancy and the Association for wZth One river in to their foundation, now the nation's largest Biodiversity Information . The study, a comas Tennesseehosting at $21 . 8 billion. The median increase in four- pilation of 25 years of data from Natural YiZOYe fish SpeCZ2S dation asset value in 1999 over 1998 was 7%, Heritage programs in all 50 states, found that up from 5% the previous year, according to the U . S . supports a broader array of ecosys- than all of Europe . the Feb . 24 Chronicle of Philanthropy . Some tems than any nation. Despite the biological 140 foundations awarded $9 . 6. billion in wealth, 60 % of the U . S . outside Alaska has grants in 1999, up 13 % from 1998 . Thirty-five lost most of its natural vegetation. Habitat of 146 foundations award environment and loss, along with invasions of alien species, conservation grants . Among the largest in such as zebra mussels and kudzu, are the top 19996 the David and Lucile Packard Founda- causes of species decline . Concentrations of tion gave $31 . 4 million to the Monterey Bay imperiled biodiversity are found in Hawaii, Aquarium Research Institute and the Turner Florida's Panhandle, California's central and Foundation gave $ 15 .2 million to the League south coasts, southern Appalachia 's rivers of Conservation Voters . and Death Valley's desert and springs . MEOW 11 IBM and Johnson & Johnson are the first ® The Marine Stewardship Council (206 / companies to agree to cut and verify their 691 -0188, www.msc . org) announced in greenhouse gas emissions under a Climate March that fish products from two fisher- Savers program created by the World Wild- ies—Australian West Coast rock lobster and life Fund (202 / 822-3477, www. world Thames herringwere certified to meet their wildlife . org/ climate) and Center for Energy sustainable fisheries standards . The ' council, and Climate Solutions (703 / 750-6401 , wwwa launched in 1996 as a joint venture between cool-companies . org) . Johnson & Johnson has the World Wildlife Fund and Unilever, aims pledged to reduce such emissions by 7% be- to use its certification and labeling program low 1990 levels by 2010 . IBM, which already to provide market-based incentives to proms cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 % be- mote responsible fishing practices world- tween 1990 and 1997 through energy conser- wide . Unilever, one of the world ' s largest vation, pledged to reduce CO2 emissions by buyers of frozen fish, has pledged to buy fish 4% a year through 2004 from 1998 levels . only from sustainable sources by 2005 . COMMON GROUND VOL, 11 NO. 4 MAY /JUNE 2000 � . .� J .r ii. tr _S;'.M ui y? 1Y. -"'}%' ;.r. > pp.fc•;.ter, r L . c < �} r a t, -t r ti.l 1 k 1a-`,��J:' �. : � � �. l�•f . ,Z i�,.Z.Y �' n ti - } .i a?� �_ -.. t.5`< "i.. -.. � - T��v; �rt�-'. i 7 ^� � L1 - � 1 hiwi':��u n:c h� K .-..-°. ,•C:' - ', +; ' a l .>S.J .Y>.;.t. .-.�.+. „i'4 .: z_.. nr . tric' Yt.-.; -.v '_ . .n, . 'i , A �5 a T- �,�c.. .�, _,- w �_ K 'a t -�,� - ��''�� �', _ _ ;: `. s•e .:i:s - � ;• e i 5 5.t . _ :`-�' _ - ��x•r• • .��.- ``�1 .'! f, � - '^'` .y�-, .. ::Y.-t ri•�, �: .�-:.�>, J�� �4; - � f :al`i^^ "=cl+:1S "St):. . j•'r {i u._4 -1 �.: .^�.. JIFF}; - N • - L . '(. - .Ijr_ 44444444 California , from page 1 ers rejected a $2 billion parks bond in June gained 5 million residents, one reason the 1994 . That year, a huge earthquake badly pressing need for park spending resonated damaged the San Fernando Valley, Califor- with voters . The Department of Parks and nia was still mired in its worst recession The most Recreation will receive $544 . 75 million to im- since the Great Depression and Newt s2gn2ficant aspect prove the state park system . Local agencies Gingrich was preparing to ride a conserva- o the water bond will receive $ 826 . 5 million in grants for ur- tive, anti-tax revolution into Washington . fban parks, trails and recreational facilities . But the sun is shining again on act is what it The state Wildlife Conservation Board will California' s economy, the biggest difference doesn 't contain get $265 . 5 million and the Coastal Conser- in the political climate compared with 1994, DY more vancy will receive $220 . 4 million . said Jerry Meral, executive director of the move yf The most significant aspect of the water Planning and Conservation League (916 / dams . bond act is what it doesn' t contain—money 4441mmmm8726, www . pcl . org) , an environmental for more dams or other environmentally de- lobbying group in Sacramento that was ac- structive proposals . Instead the state will tive in both campaigns , boost its water supply by 1 million acre feet Placing multibillion dollar environmen- (3 %) through water conservation, wastewa- tal bonds on the ballot this year after losing ter reclamation and other measures . The act the 1994 vote might have seemed reckless , includes grants of $ 190 million to restore wa- But early polling showed strong support for tersheds and control non-point pollution . both measures, Meral said . Bipartisan legis- Another $ 100 million in grants and loans is lative support last summer coupled with devoted to other clean water projects . backing by the new Democratic governor Grants and loans totaling $90 million Gray Davis helped the measures immensely . focus on cleaning up coastal nonpoint pollu- The $ 7 million war chest also allowed sup- tion, particularly along southern California porters to buy TV time to sell the proposals, beaches . A $95 million river protection pro- with a focus on clean water and urban parks . A new $ 70 million gram will fund acquisition and restoration of The business community also backed the habitat along rivers and streams . And $25 bond acts . The California Environmental program will allow on will be spent to acquire and restore Dialogue, a nonpartisan business-environ- levees to beset millisalmon habitat. A new $ 70 million grant ment coalition whose membership includes back and rivers program will acquire and restore floodplains Bank of America, Chevron and Walt Disney, to meander. and wildlife habitat and preserve farmland released a report (www . cedlink . org, 415 / by setting back levees and allowing rivers 512-7890 ) just months before the vote that to meander . identified a need for $ 12 . 3 billion over 10 The successful outcome shows how years to protect 5 . 4 million acres of open times have changed in California since vot- space and farmland in California . ap'��v`riIsm . _ 'tl �4. ;S.-�_ .!s��. _ ✓_� �z1 +�-sLE�� . � .. V r- ® Meltdown : The Antarctic ice cover, which ® One -fourth of all major water polluters in averages 7,500 feet in thickness, represents the U. S . are operating with expired permits 91 % of Earth' s ice and 70% of its fresh water . to discharge waste into the nation' s waters . If it melted, it would raise sea levels by 230 Of 6 ,700 permits, 770 expired two years ago feet . It hasn't melted yet, but a recent report and 251 expired five years ago, according to by the Worldwatch Institute (202 / 4524999, the " Clean Water Report Card " (202 / 66741111 www . worldwatch . org) says the Earth' s ice 6982, www . ewg . org) by the Environmental cover is melting in more places and at record Working * Group and Friends of the Earth . rates . In the Antarctic, another Delaware- Texas leads all states in expired permits, sized chunk of ice broke off recently and with 135, followed by Louisiana ( 116) , Ohio three ice shelves have fully disintegrated in (96 ) , California ( 85 ) and Indiana ( 81 ) . Lack of the last decade . The Arctic sea ice, the size of money, changing regulations and a feeling the U . S . , shrank by 6 % between 1978 and that permits aren' t a priority were common 1996 and has thinned by 40 % to less than 6 reasons given for the backlog . But states and feet in thickness in 30 years . Half the world ' s the Environmental Protection Agency can' t glaciers could melt by 2100, leaving large run an effective water pollution program patches only in Alaska, Patagonia and the when more than 10 % of permits have ex- A Himalayas . The Glacier National Park area in pined, the groups said . Among the report' s Montana, home to 150 glaciers in 1850, has recommendations : charge new or increased fewer than 50 . All could be gone in 30 years . fees to combat the funding problem . COMMON GROUND VOL, 11 N0. 4 MAY/JUKE 2000 s 0h)) eF 0 )0 ' r nt >.- r`'s warfr T.F` - � : ✓ `z aw: ,.•t• aa . � � - ? , :�'�d"�:' t`�+s. ,c/- 'bt. rq, 7•�. •fy•.- F.3,'L=1 ..i :fr tw. ^'-.. H . !' s . r ri -.Y'1.: . ;f .0 1z" .4 _ Fs-� .:, - >'-si k ;,� - ::I/'• .� g`h `ti ' . ,.-> . 4 *, . : s F }2i.1.x ,.= . Rivers and Trails Program Aids Local Projects M The National Park Service ' s Rivers and servation techniques, recreation develop. Trails program helped 200 communities last ment, public engagement and consensus year develop 418 miles of trails, protect 1 ,409 building . Staff also help evaluate significant miles of waterway and preserve 11 ,013 acres. natural, cultural and recreational resources . Typical projects include those that link Typical projects The 8511nImember staff, located in 29 of- parks, schoolyards, open spaces and residen- include those fices around the U . S . , uses their $7. 7 million tial areas with greenways; rehabilitate ne- that link arks, budget to provide expertise to locally-led glected waterways; restore cultural and p conservation efforts . Originally focused on historic assets; convert abandoned railways schoolyards , open river and trail projects, the program (202 / into trails; and preserve open space , spaces and 5654200, www .ncrc .nps . gov / rtca) now of- A sampling : F Y2S 'dential areas fers guidatice on greenways, scenic byways a Florida—worked with Sarasota Bay and heritage areas as well. National Estuary Program to develop a 150- ZU 'th greenways . The staff offers assistance, on a competi- mile trail system from northern Manatee tive basis, to groups who apply for long- County to southern Sarasota County. Con- term help, typically one to three years, to get tact: Jaime Doubek-Racine (941 / 330-8047) . projects started , They also provide informal o Massachusetts—worked with local consultations to nonprofits; local or state- land trust to protect 20 miles of riparian land government-appointed commissions and lo- along the Taunton River . Contact : Charles cal government agencies . Nationwide, the Tracy (617 / 223-5210) . staff works on more than 200 projects a year, a Nevada—helped the River Mountains including 70 new projects , Applications are Trail Partnership complete a 30-mile loop due in July for work starting in October , trail connecting Lake Mead National Recre- Assistance takes various forms : assess- ation Area and Hoover Dam with Boulder ing resources and mapping; developing pro- City, Henderson and the Las Vegas Valley . motional brochures and events; facilitating Contact: Barbara Rice (415 / 4274449) . meetings; coordinating projects; and serving • Ohio—assisted Ohio Greenways in de~ as a liaison with non-profit agencies and lo- veloping a statewide greenway network in cal, state and federal agencies , partnership with nonprofits and state agen- Personnel also help local coalitions de- cies . Contact: Paul Labovitz (330 / 657-2950) . velop strategic plans, bring together neigh- e Utah—assisted Virgin River Land bors and other stakeholders, identify poten- Preservation Association in developing a 90- tial sources of funding and build partner- mile trail connecting 14 communities in ships to achieve community conservation, Washington County with Zion National Park preservation and recreational goals . They and Gunlock State Park. Contact: Hugh conduct workshops and give advice on con- Osborne (303 / 969-2781 ) . The Conservation Fund would like to thank the following recent contributors to the COMMON GROUND Research Fund: Anonymous x 4 Walter Cook Jr. John Hanes Jr. & W. Kent Olson Richard Watkins The Ed & Marianne Joy Archer Robert Daly Elizabeth Hanes Harrison Payne Seward & Susan Weber Pollak Fund of The Henry Baker Jr. Charles Deknatel Edward Hauser Edward Pollak David & Meg West Ayco Charitable Found It Tom & Paula Bartlett Kathleen Donaghue & James Higgins Richard Pritzlaff J.C. Whetzel Jr. The Nathaniel Reed Matthew Bender IV Kimball Simpson Kenneth Hill William Raup Sam & Stephanie White Family Fund Tate Betz Tony Dorrell Alix Hopkins Nathaniel Reed Elsa Williams Southern California Sarah Bogdanovitch Phoebe Driscoll Robert Huckins Ala Reid Jeremy Wintersteen Agricultural Land Eleanor Bookwalter Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Eastman William Huffman Lois Renthal The DeCoster Group Foundation Bill & Peg Briney Elizabeth Garst Gen. P.X. Kelley Robert Rivet Eastern Shore Land Taos Land Trust Hamilton Brown Hellmut & Marcy Golde Charles & Anita King Janel Avery Rogers Conservancy Tarco Inc. Ted Brown Richard Goodwin Tom Kovalicky Pearle Sandstrom-Smith James S. & Lucia F. Treasure Coast Regional Peter Brussard Evan & Sascha Greenberg George Lamb Darla Sather Gilliland Advised Fund Planning Council Carol Bryan Noel Grove W. Michael Lane Ronald Sharpin Group for the South Fork Two Rivers-Attauquechee Mr. & Mrs . Ronald Castle Steven Hamburg Philip Levin George Siehl Iowa Natural Heritage Regional Commission James Clarke Doreen Hamilton Russell Lukas David Snowden Foundation Williamsburg Land Marilyn Magid John & Mary Ann Spence Islesboro Islands Trust Conservancy Barnabas McHenry St. Louis Audubon City of Lakewood, Colo. More than 100 donors have given $4,645 Ed McMahon Society Land Conservancy of to the COMMON GROUND Research Fund Jim & Meg Meiklejohn Stewart Stainman West Michigan this year . If you have not made your gift, John Morrill John Strickler Louisville & Jefferson Francis Moul Ken Svitko County Metropolitan please don't delay. Send your check c/ o Mr. & Mrs. John Mulvey John Syverud Sewer District The Conservation Fund, 1800 N. Kent St. , Maria Nierstedt Elizabeth Tilbury- National Waterways Suite 1120, Arlington, VA 22209-2156 . Daniel O'Connell Marquard Conference John Oliver Dorothy & Fred Waltz Partners in Parks COMMON GROUND VOL. 11 NO . 4 MAY /JUKE 2000 �lN i, ,.i'- -`i t• ..�'� .v,i_ '..`:i-f tip+ ,'c;o -v?^y; �-;^'-�4 " _'�� � L - - 1 [.,Ysw� _ r j-: tip - -� .. ,b .ert� ," i..-4�.s2;c ..L. . i � s,.`.{��c._ Pt f ;E ` �- r� � , '+i � �-. � •�, � r, �, ?S"`.:. � r ���Y �tS - o- ,� 'l;'4 n - dlr„�,r .: ,.� s�' � � �-:U� fr�'��'- .^ —� : 'y�' ti '�.. . �'�nr. .'��7a 3aQ � r'r-jam ` s�:1 �'Ft 'r,• �. f.;,, r��'"% E��r: Rhode Island has developed more land adopted, 65 % of new homes would be built Rhode in the last 34 years than in its first 325 years . outside of urban areas . But current sprawl Island If the state continues to sprawl, residents patterns will ensure that the entire state will will pay an additional $ 1 . 5 billion in taxes lose all its rural areas by 2100 . Grapples over 20 years, according to "The Costs of The state needs to find alternatives to Suburban Sprawl and Urban Decay in Rhode funding education with local property � � � h Island " (executive summary, 401 / 273 -5711 ) . taxes—a practice that hurts cities—and to ar- Grow Smart Rhode Island, a nonprofit ticulate a state plan for major land uses and Sprawl formed in 1998 to encourage better develop - conservation initiatives . Other recommenda- ment and preserve more open space in the tions include providing incentives to reuse state, commissioned the report to assess the buildings and brownfields, targeting money costs of sprawl over the past 40 years, pro- to preserve farmland and open space, pro - jecting its future costs and the potential sav- viding state funding for affordable housing mgs if development patterns improved . and expanding mass transit . Even if study recommendations were Other findings : • Tax losses in cities account for 55 % of the • The same cities had 30 % of the state ' s estimated , $ 1 . 5 billion in sprawl costs . The families but 61 % of those that fell below the remainder comes from tax losses and capi- poverty line . tal costs in suburban and rural areas that re • The state developed 65,000 acres of resi place lower-cost farms, forests and open dential, commercial and industrial land space with higher-cost residential areas . between 1636-1961 and another 96,000 Costs include building and maintaining Maw acres between 1961 and 1995 , frastructure to accommodate sprawl . • Developed land increased at nine times • Between 1988-98 , total property values in population growth between 1961-95 , the state 's core cities—Central Falls, New- • The state "s farmland dropped nearly in port, Pawtucket, Providence and half between 1964-97, to 55,256 acres from Woonsocket-declined by 24%, or $3 . 3 bil- 103, 801 acres . lion. Their effective tax rates climbed 44%, ® Between 1988-95 , Rhode Island lost or three times that of rural communities . 11 ,500 acres of farm and forest land, an area ® In 1995, the core cities had 11 , 000 vacant nearly equal the size of Providence, the buildings and lots, representing a $ 1 . 3 bil- state capital . lion loss in property value . • The state will consume another 3, 100 Between 198M997, the core cities lost acres of farmland and 24,000 acres of forest- 5,000 private-sector jobs while the remain- . land in the next 20 years if current sprawl der of the state gained 48,000 , patterns continue . GH1S21f10HN NOI. DRUN00 SSR2IQQV TSTS -UZLZ DN 'HE)no*d08S11IH T818Od 1dBG 2I3SNOJ SIV3 KAND LD 3JS'a O 2iOJ..DIEC] � ii uii � i nisi ii uti is r si �iDNbIS4IA'd4aW 60ZZZ VA ` UOISuitsy 60'Q ' NaL9NIHSVM OZ11 alms " IS Iua>I ' N OOSZ E � 6E ' ON .LIINUHd aIVd HDVLSod ' S 'n 602I011.4ONd - NON