THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 5, 1995 TAG: 9506050035
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY BETTY MITCHELL GRAY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: Long : 135 lines
North Carolina's environmental groups will look to Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. for help Tuesday in lobbying the legislature for $10.6 million in new spending for the state's coastal programs.
Hunt is scheduled to take a break from lobbying for Smart Start, his pet program to help disadvantaged children, to speak at a rally on the Capitol lawn at 10 a.m. in support of his coastal agenda.
After Hunt's remarks, rally participants will press their concerns in the General Assembly, where House and Senate budget writers are negotiating spending requests for state programs.
The bulk of Hunt's coastal agenda has not been reviewed by lawmakers.
The expansion budget, which will include any salary increases and spending for new programs, will be discussed after legislators agree on funding for existing programs. Hunt has asked for $5.7 million for new coastal programs.
A third budget, which will likely be discussed at the same time as the expansion budget, will cover one-time spending for construction projects and equipment purchases. Hunt has asked for $4.9 million for capital projects on the coast.
The rally comes as the state's environmental protection programs are under intense scrutiny by legislators intent on cutting the state's budget and bureaucratic red tape.
And it comes when relations are strained between the state's largest conservation groups and officials with the Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources, the umbrella agency that oversees coastal and environmental programs.
Last week, the Conservation Council of North Carolina criticized DEHNR in the May-June issue of the council's newsletter. The Council said department officials ``appear to have traded in their backbones'' to get along with House Republicans.The council also criticized DEHNR for dropping efforts to strengthen planning provisions of the Coastal Area Management Act, a key component of Hunt's original coastal agenda, and for asking the Environmental Management Commission to back down on proposed wetland rules.
Since the legislature convened in late January, environmental groups have generally abandoned thoughts of new regulatory programs. Instead, they have concentrated on fending off efforts to weaken existing regulations, said Todd Miller, executive director of the North Carolina Coastal Federation. The Coastal Federation is a Carteret County environmental group that is sponsoring the rally.
``I think we've seen better years,'' Miller said. ``It's been a holding action. Part of the concern is the status quo isn't really good enough.
``And if that is all we're able to accomplish, we won't be achieving much.''
Miller and other environmental activists say convincing legislators to appropriate money for Hunt's coastal package will be an uphill fight.
The big winners in Hunt's coastal package are programs to prevent pollution in the form of runoff from farms, towns and timber operations, and funds to improve enforcement of fisheries rules.
The pollution programs are slated to receive more than $1.7 million through the Division of Soil and Water, Division of Forest Resources and Division of Environmental Management. Hunt also has included more than $2.1 million for the Division of Marine Fisheries to fund new fisheries law enforcement officers, equipment and a new marine patrol boat.
The governor called for the legislature to do more to protect wetlands by establishing a wetlands mitigation bank that receives money from those who are allowed to fill wetlands, provided they offset the damage. MEMO: HUNT'S COASTAL AGENDA AND SPENDING REQUESTS
Gov. James B. Hunt Jr.'s coastal agenda and the spending requests for
new programs, increases in existing programs and construction projects
now before the state legislature:
Protect and Improve Water Quality
Strengthen basin-wide planning by upgrading and coordinating
information management systems and establishing regional councils within
coastal river basins.
Reduce pollution by helping farmers stop flushing animal waste into
rivers and streams, improving management of agriculture cost share
funds, expanding technical assistance to foresters, strengthening
enforcement of pollution rules and re-evaluating areas of
environmental concern along coastal waters.
Restore degraded waters by identifying and classifying ``use
restoration waters'' for waterways to be restored.
Protect and Restore Natural Areas and Vital Habitat
Protect and acquire critical natural areas by expanding the coastal
and estuarine reserve system, preparing a regional conservation plan for
each river basin and accelerating biological inventories and mapping in
the coastal areas.
Protect, restore and create wetlands by establishing a wetlands
restoration and enhancement program that includes wetlands mitigation
banking.
Strengthen State and Local Partnership
Improve Coastal Area Management Act land-use planning by increasing
state financial and technical help to local governments for land-use
planning and implementation.
Streamline CAMA permitting by improving communications and technology
and increasing the use of general permits.
Protect and Restore Marine Fisheries
Enhance fisheries management by developing a comprehensive fisheries
management program and increasing oyster cultivation and aquaculture.
Strengthen fisheries enforcement by expanding the state's marine
patrol.
Spending requests to implement the governor's coastal agenda:
$266,334 for five new Division of Soil and Water staff members to
work with farmers to help them comply with animal waste management
regulations and $729,500 to pay for contract labor to help farmers
comply with minimum design standards for animal waste disposal
regulations that become effective in 1997.
$287,292 for five new Division of Forest Resources staff positions to
help foresters reduce run-off from their operations.
$459,292 for eight new Division of Environmental Management staff
positions to serve as the agency's core non-point-source pollution
program.
$1.3 million to the Division of Environmental Management for computer
programs and other technology for its water quality program.
$365,141 for seven Division of Coastal Management staff members and
$500,000 for grants to local governments to help with local land-use
planning.
$1,338,892 to support seven new Division of Marine Fisheries patrol
officers and $575,000 for boats, trailers and other equipment for those
officers.
$2.1 million to the Division of Marine Fisheries for a new marine
patrol boat, a new shellfish research center in the central coast and
the extension of an aircraft hangar for more storage space and
training.
$500,000 to the Partnership for the Sounds for a building in Tyrrell
County for environmental education.
$1.3 million to help pay for expansion at the state's three aquariums
in Dare, Carteret and New Hanover counties.
More than $2 million to the Division of Water Resources for various
projects including maintenance of the Wilmington and Morehead City
ports.
Source: State Department of Environment, Health and Natural
Resources.
by CNB