[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Crisis for NC State Parks and Natural Heritage program!
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Crisis for NC State Parks and Natural Heritage program!
- From: "Joshua S. Rose" <jsr6@duke.edu>
- Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 12:37:12 -0400 (EDT)
- Delivered-to: pardo@metalab.unc.edu
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
Hi Carolinabirders,
Anyone who birds in or cares about NC State Parks - Eno River, Morrow
Mountain, Lake Waccamaw, Lake Phelps, Lake Norman, Falls Lake, Mount
Mitchell, Lumber River, Fort Fisher, Raven Rock, Weymouth Woods, Merchants
Millpond, Goose Creek, Carolina Beach, Jockey's Ridge, etc. - needs to
read the below and take action! Maybe out-of-staters too, to communicate
the benefit of state parks to the NC economy.
I still haven't finished writing to people about the interstate through
the Green Swamp, and now a *real* mess comes along. The NC House of Reps
has proposed balancing the budget by misappropriating the Natural Heritage
and Parks and Recreation trust funds. I have also heard rumours that the
Clean Water Management Trust Fund is being eyed. The Eno River
Association's plans to protect more land along Old Oxford Highway to
buffer and augment Penny's Bend, the Flat River and Little River
impoundments, the Butner Gamelands, and other top local birding and nature
attractions is relying on money from one of these sources; the Ellerbe
Creek Watershed Association's preserve was bought using funds from
another.
And it isn't just in the Triangle; local governments and agencies all over
the state use these funds to create new parks and preserves, and to
maintain and develop the parks we already have. If this happens, no new
land protection for at least a couple of years, and the lands already
protected get no new trails or facilities while existing ones fall into
disrepair.
More details are below. At the bottom is a list of NC state senators and
representatives with phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Find yours and
call them!
Josh
Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Biology (Zoology, R.I.P.)
jsr6@duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/
---------- Forwarded message ----------
----- Original Message -----
_________________________________________________
We have just learned that the Appropriations Committee conferees for the
House of Representatives have proposed to the Senate conferees that the
money from the Parks and Recreation and Natural Heritage Trust Funds be
reallocated for the next Fiscal Year to help make up for the projected
budget shortfall. The Senate is scheduled to respond this morning.
This is HUGE for a number of reasons:
1) Some projections indicate that the second year of the biennium will
be in worse shape than the first year. If that is the case we can
expect the reallocation to last for at least two years. If it is
reallocated for one or two years, who can predict what will happen after
that?
2) These trust funds were established to provide a predictable source
of revenue to address the conservation and recreation needs of the state
and local governments so they could plan and address both long term
requirements and major projects that needed to accomplished in phases in
a systematic manner. Local governments in NC have a backlog of over $1
billion on land acquisition, renovation, and development needs. The
State Parks system has over $400 million in needs to address the needs
identified in the existing park master plans and general management
plans. These requirements do not address any expansion through the
creation of new parks.
3) This reallocation would wipe out the major sources available to
state and local governments for land acquisition at a time when timber
companies and utilities are selling off large tracts of property that
may never be available for conservation or recreation purposes again.
4) This reallocation would also eliminate any opportunity we have to
accomplish the goal set by the General Assembly in 1999 to conserve an
additional 1 million acres of land by the year 2009.
I could go on, but we need for everyone who is concerned about parks,
recreation, and conservation to call and e-mail your delegates in the
General assembly and let them know this is unacceptable. One General
Assembly staff member has told me that they are not hearing from their
constituents concerning the preservation of the trust funds or on the
possibility of raising any taxes. We need to let them hear and it must
happen NOW - this morning!
Raleigh phone numbers and e-mail addresses for the members of the House
and Senate Conference Committee are attached. Please take time now to
call and e-mail the committee members - particularly the members from
your district. the President Pro Tem and the Co-Speakers need to hear
from EVERYONE! NOW!
What happens to this proposal, today, may well set the stage for how
these trust funds are viewed for many years into the future. Will they
be seen as sources of revenue to be taken any time the budget runs into
problems or will they be viewed as truly dedicated funds to be used to
protect the outstanding natural resources of North Carolina and provide
our citizens with the opportunities for the quality of life they have
grown to expect and enjoy. That decision will be made and it will
depend on these General Assembly members hearing from every advisory
committee member, every board member, every citizen who uses or whose
children use these lands and facilities, and the council or commission
of every community that has ever received a grant. They need to hear
NOW. Pleas sit down and call AND e-mail your Senator and Representative
NOW.
****
it will effect us TREMENDOUSLY. our entire project is based on the
assumption that these monies will be there. if they are not, we won't be
doing ANY land protection around Penny's Bend or anywhere else in the
state, to any meaningful degree. PLEASE contact your legislators
immediately, especially the CHAIRS OF THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE!!!! THis
is so tremendously important. THEY MUST HEAR FROM THE CONSERVATION
COMMUNITY ON THIS!!!!
Lori
Speaker James B. Black 733-3451 Jimb@ncleg.net
Speaker Richard Morgan 715-3010 Richardm@ncleg.net
* James W. Crawford, Jr., Chair 733-5824 Jimcr@ncleg.net
* Wilma M. Sherrill, Chair 715-3026 Wilmas@ncleg.net
* Martha B. Alexander 733-5807 Marthaa@ncleg.net
* Gordon P. Allen 733-5662 Gordona@ncleg.net
* Rex L. Baker 733-5787 Rexb@ncleg.net
* Harold J. Brubaker 715-4946 Brub@ncleg.net
* E. Nelson Cole 733-5779 Nelsonc@ncleg.net
* William T. Culpepper, III 715-3028 Billc@ncleg.net
* Bill G. Daughtridge, Jr. 733-5802 Billd@ncleg.net
* Beverly M. Earle 715-2530 Beverlye@ncleg.net
* Jean Farmer-Butterfield 733-5898 Jeanf@ncleg.net
* Stanley H. Fox 733-5758 Stanf@ncleg.net
* Michael A. Gorman 715-3019 Michaelg@ncleg.net
* W. Robert Grady 715-9644 Robertg@ncleg.net
* Joe Hackney 733-5752 Joeh@ncleg.net
* R. Phillip Haire 715-3005 Philliph@ncleg.net
* Julia C. Howard 733-5904 Juliah@ncleg.net
* Maggie Jeffus 733-5191 Maggiej@ncleg.net
* Carolyn H. Justice 715-9664 Carolynju@ncleg.net
* Joe L. Kiser 733-5782 Joek@ncleg.net
* Stephen A. LaRoque 715-3017 Stephenl@ncleg.net
* Paul Luebke 733-7663 Paull@ncleg.net
* Daniel F. McComas 733-5786 Dannym@ncleg.net
* William C. McGee 733-5747 Williamm@ncleg.net
* David M. Miner 733-5934 Davidm@ncleg.net
* Edd Nye 733-5477 Eddn@ncleg.net
* William C. Owens, Jr. 733-0010 Billo@ncleg.net
* John I. Sauls 715-3012 Johns@ncleg.net
* Bonner L. Stiller 733-5974 Bonners@ncleg.net
* Joe P. Tolson 715-3024 Joet@ncleg.net
* William L. Wainwright 733-5995 Williamw@ncleg.net
* Keith P. Williams 715-3009 Keithw@ncleg.net
* Thomas E. Wright 733-5754 Tomw@ncleg.net
* Douglas Y. Yongue 733-5821 Douglasy@ncleg.net
Senate
Appointed 05/05/2003
President Pro Tem Marc Basnight 733-6854 Marcb@ncleg.net
* Linda Garrou, Chair 733-5620 Lindag@ncleg.net
* Walter H. Dalton, Chair 715-3038 Walterd@ncleg.net
* Kay R. Hagan, Chair 733-5856 Kayh@ncleg.net
* Charles W. Albertson 733-5705 Charliea@ncleg.net
* Daniel G. Clodfelter 715-8331 Danielc@ncleg.net
* Charlie Smith Dannelly 733-5955 Charlied@ncleg.net
* Wib Gulley 715-3036 Wibg@ncleg.net
* David W. Hoyle 733-5734 Davidh@ncleg.net
* John H. Kerr III 733-5621 Johnk@ncleg.net
* Jeanne Hopkins Lucas 733-4599 Jeannel@ncleg.net
* Stephen M. Metcalf 733-5707 Stevem@ncleg.net
* William R. Purcell 733-5953 Williamp@ncleg.net
* Tony Rand 733-9892 Tonyr@ncleg.net
* Eric Miller Reeves 715-6400 Ericr@ncleg.net
* A. B. Swindell 715-3030 abs@ncleg.net
* Scott Thomas 733-6275 Scottt@ncleg.net
* David F. Weinstein 733-5651 Davidw@ncleg.net
--
Lori Olson
Executive Director
Eno River Association
www.enoriver.org
(919) 620-9099
------- End of forwarded message -------