For Immediate Release:
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Contact:
Nazneen Ahmed (919) 716-0060
(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today announced $220,275 in three Environmental Enhancement Grants (EEGs) to protect North Carolina’s air, water, and natural resources in the Charlotte area. In 2023, Attorney General Stein is awarding $2.3 million in EEGs to 18 recipients throughout North Carolina.
City of Morganton
The city of Morganton will receive $150,000 to restore water quality in and around Bethel Park and put in place measures to help prevent flooding and erosion.
“Every community needs access to clean water to thrive,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I’m grateful to the city of Morganton for focusing on communities that have been ignored for far too long and taking action to protect rivers and neighborhoods for the future.”
“The City of Morganton greatly appreciates the award of $150,000 from the Attorney General’s Environmental Enhancement Grant Program,” said Morganton Mayor Ronnie Thompson. “These grant monies allow us to continue with the stream restoration projects at our local Bethel Park. Restoration of these impaired streams will not only aid in supporting cleaner water, it will limit flooding and provide improved park access for our citizens which contributes to healthy lifestyles. We appreciate the grant review committee recognizing the importance of improving water quality and supporting the betterment of our great city.”
Town of Boone
The Town of Boone will receive $41,400 to restore water quality, improve aquatic habitats, and create more public access and greenway areas along 1,620 linear feet of rivers.
“I’m grateful to the town of Boone for their hard work to improve their residents’ environment and drinking water,’ said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I’m hopeful that this grant and the project it funds will go a long way to helping Boone thrive in the decades to come.”
“The Town of Boone is grateful that NC’s Attorney General selected the South Fork Confluence restoration project for funding,” said Boone Mayor Tim Futrelle. “Preserving good water quality in our streams is important to Boone. This project will not only improve a degraded stream, it will also protect Boone’s water supply and enhance and secure Boone’s heavily used Greenway Trail.”
Catawba College
Catawba College will receive $28,875 to identify, study, and map feral swine populations across central and southeastern North Carolina. The college will partner with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Resources and the North Carolina Feral Swine Task Force to find solutions to mitigate the environmental harms of feral swine.
“Wild boars damage our environments, pollute our water, and threaten our farms,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “This grant will help us better understand the challenges we face and how to effectively solve the many issues that stem from this feral population.”
“Feral swine are an increasing threat to North Carolina’s environment and economy,” said Professor Luke Dollar, Chairman of the Environment and Sustainability Department of Catawba College. “Mitigating their impact is an initiative that reaches “across the aisle,” advancing the health and well-being of ecosystems and agribusiness in our state. The Attorney General’s Environmental Enhancement Grant support of our efforts will greatly advance our ability to collaboratively address this growing hazard. We are grateful for this generous funding.”
About the Environmental Enhancement Grant Program
The North Carolina Department of Justice’s Environmental Enhancement Grant program began after a 2000 agreement between the Attorney General’s Office and Smithfield Foods. Under that agreement, Smithfield provides $2 million to the state every year to be distributed among environmental projects across North Carolina. Including the 2023 grants, the Attorney General’s office has awarded nearly $43 million to more than 228 projects in the state. More information is available at https://ncdoj.gov/protecting-the-environment/eeg/.
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