Raleigh - Seven state councils of government will receive a total of $251,000 in grants from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to assess water quality and develop plans to control water pollution.
The money is awarded through the N.C. Division of Water Quality, in concurrence with the Environmental Protection Agency. North Carolina is the first state in the EPA’s Southeast region to be able to make these awards. Projects to be funded are:
| Project | Grantees | Grant Amount |
| Neuse River Basin Comprehensive Water Management Study | Triangle J Council of Government (TJCOG) and Eastern Carolina Council | $40,350 |
| Tar-Pamlico River Basin water quality project | Upper Coastal Plain COG | $41,709 |
| A water resources management planning initiative for the French Broad River Basin in North Carolina | Land-of-Sky Regional Council, Southwestern Commission & High County COG | $26,108 |
| Development of a Catawba River Basin Wide Water Education and Awareness Program for Water Efficiency, Conservation and Drought Preparation and Response. The program aims to maintain adequate in-stream flow to support water quality | Western Piedmont COG & Centralina COG (CCOG) | $28,698 |
| Jordan Lake Nutrient Reduction Strategy | Piedmont Triad COG & TJCOG | $40,480 |
| Interconnectivity/Sustainability/Stewardship Alliance for the Middle & Lower Cape Fear River Basin | Cape Fear COG, Mid Carolinas COG, Lumber River COG | $22,555 |
| Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin Restoration Strategies Initiative | CCOG & PTCOG | $51,100 |
| Total | $251,000 |
With the passage of the ARRA in April, the N.C. Division of Water Quality received $714,400 to determine the nature and extent of water pollution and to develop management plans to control it. About 40 percent of the ARRA money, or $289,760, will be distributed as grants to eligible regional public planning organizations for water quality planning. A second round of awards, for the remaining $34,760, will be issued by Sept. 1.
The full North Carolina ARRA Work Plan is available on the DWQ Web site at: http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/pb/2009ARRA205j604bGrant.htm
