Recycling bins come to downtown Chapel Hill

Town of Chapel Hill crews installed along Franklin Street some 13 new recycling bins to collect cans and bottles that previously were mostly thrown in the trash. The bins were installed the week of Feb. 10. Another four recycling bins will be placed in Southern Village's central business area. Orange County's Solid Waste Department Recycling Division will collect the recycled materials.
The recycling bins were purchased through a $13,000 grant from N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The bins are being installed downtown at crosswalks, bus stops, near parking pay stations and parking lots.
Emily Cameron, landscape architect for the Town of Chapel Hill, said the sidewalk recycling project was the result of a successful partnership with Orange County.
"It's gratifying to be able to continue improving the downtown pedestrian experience while protecting the environment as we have in recent months with installation of cigarette disposal units and the new recycling containers," Cameron said.
Recovered cans and bottles will be trucked along with the other recyclable materials collected by Orange County to the private materials recovery facility in Greensboro owned by ReCommunity. From there, the materials are sorted, baled and sold for remanufacture into new drink cans, car parts, carpets, fiberfill, strapping and new plastic bottles.
While it is illegal under North Carolina law to dispose of aluminum beverage cans and plastic bottles in landfills, there have not been very many convenient opportunities for downtown pedestrians to recycle. With the exception of one recycling bin in front of the old Post Office and another on the south side of East Franklin, the closest pedestrian recycling containers were located on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus prior to the downtown installation.
According to Orange County Solid Waste Planner Blair Pollock, more than 46 million plastic beverage bottles and aluminum cans were disposed in the Orange County landfill last year.
"Providing recycling containers along Franklin Street makes recycling more convenient, and that is a key to capturing more material for recycling," Pollock said. "Demand for recyclable material is high, markets are strong and a lot of the plastic bottles are recycled right here in the Carolinas."
Orange County currently provides public recycling containers at all five Chapel Hill Park and Ride lots, and there are 60 walkway collection sites around the UNC campus. Away from home recycling is an important way to capture cans and bottles, Pollock said, because an estimated 50 percent are consumed away from home where there generally far fewer recycling opportunities.

Orange County holds pesticide applicator workshop

Orange County Cooperative Extension will host a Pesticide Applicator Workshop for Growers, Landscapers, Dealers, Bilingual Supervisors on Tuesday, Feb. 28, in the Orange County Extension Office at 306 Revere Road. The session will start at 8 a.m. and end at 12:30 p.m. and will prepare agricultural professionals to use the Pesticides and Farmworker Health Toolkit.
The workshop will offer three hours of pesticide applicator credit for the following categories: Private Specialty Training (X), Dealers (D), Regulatory (I), Ornamental/Turf (L), Ag Pest Plant (O), and Demonstration and Research (N). NC Cooperative Extension and the NC Farm Bureau Safety Team are excited to collaborate on this workshop.
The Pesticides and Farmworker Health Toolkit is a pesticide education resource for EPA-approved Worker Protection Standard training of Spanish-speaking farmworkers. It was developed by extension specialists Dr. Greg Cope, Dr. Catherine LePrevost and Julia Storm in the N.C. State University Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology with funding from NCDA’s Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund. Toolkits are available in Spanish and English for 11 hand labor-intensive North Carolina crops, including apples, bell peppers, blueberries, Christmas trees, cucumbers, grapes, landscape/turf, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tobacco, and tomatoes. The Toolkit features a colorful, illustrated flipchart with leaders guide, a one-page handout with essential safety messages, and interactive learning activities including jug-labeling and symptom charades. A bilingual poster is also available for purchase.
Registration for this workshop is required and space is limited. Call Orange County Extension at (919) 245-2050 to reserve your space. A breakfast meal will be sponsored by County Farm Bureaus.

Conference explores wind energy

What: 2012 Southeastern Coastal Wind Conference
When: Thursday and Friday, March 8 and 9
Where: Charlotte Convention Center at 501 S. College St. in Charlotte
Information: The Southeast has the potential to be the long-term leader in East Coast wind energy supply chain and development. The region's offshore wind resource is second to none. Come to network with decision makers in the region and learn what makes the southeastern U.S. unique. For more information, go to secoastalwind.org.

North Carolina has the largest offshore wind resource on the East Coast. Join stakeholders from across Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia as they educate industry leaders and decision makers about the costs, benefits and policy options that will drive wind energy development in our area. The 2012 Southeastern Coastal Wind Conference gives industry leaders, policy makers and developers a chance to plan the future of wind energy in the Southeast.
The conference will highlight the many advantages of the Southeastern United States for wind energy, including:
• The largest offshore wind resource on the East Coast;
• Existing, low-cost supply chain infrastructure;
• Highly skilled, affordable labor; and;
• Strong electricity demand that continues to grow.
Breakout sessions will focus on market and policy issues, regional highlights, and manufacturing and supply chain resources. While the event will cover both land-based and offshore wind energy, the primary focus will be on offshore wind.
Some of the confirmed speakers include:
• Jim Lanard, President, Offshore Wind Development Coalition
• Chris Hart, Offshore Wind Manager, U.S. Department of Energy
• Bruce Bailey, President and CEO, AWS Truepower
• Joel Whitman, CEO, Global Marine Energy
• Dan Renshaw, Director of Development, Gamesa Energy USA
• Fara Courtney, Executive Director, US Offshore Wind Collaborative
• Elizabeth Kress, Principal Engineer, Santee Cooper
• Targeted manufacturers seminars hosted by GLWN and BlueGreen Alliance
• A world-class panel discussion including offshore developers, land-based developers, and the Atlantic Wind Connection.
To learn more about the event and to signup, visit secoastalwind.org. For the complete agenda, click here.

Gov. Perdue releases advisory panel on offshore energy report

Gov. Bev Perdue on Wednesday, Feb. 8, released the final report of the Governor’s Scientific Advisory Panel on Offshore Energy providing effective guidance to address North Carolina’s offshore potential energy resources—oil, natural gas, wind, thermal and hydrokinetic technologies.
“Our state and nation have critical energy needs if we are going to compete and win in the global marketplace, create jobs and keep our economy growing," Perdue said. "I am pleased and thankful for the diligent work of all the members of the panel. This report provides critical thinking and sound advice so North Carolina can move ahead, in a responsible way, to look at developing offshore energy resources so the state and nation move toward energy independence.”
The report found these resources will most likely be developed outside North Carolina’s jurisdictional waters. This means critical decisions concerning oil and gas exploration will be made at the federal level. The report also highlights that it is critical for Congress to ensure North Carolina receives its fair share of any royalty payments.
“Under current law, North Carolina would not receive a share of lease payments or royalties from development of offshore oil and gas,” the report said. “North Carolina should receive a fair share of leasing fees and royalties to cover these costs and to invest in environmental protection and economic development for the state.”
Gov. Perdue has called on Congress to enact legislation ensuring revenue sharing with the state. She will continue to insist that, before there is any exploration or development, the state must be guaranteed its fair share of revenues.
The report also said there is much more exploration necessary to determine if there is a significant oil and natural gas resource off the state’s coast.
“Previous geophysical exploration for oil and gas in offshore North Carolina suggests limited resources of oil (about 36 days of current U.S. demand) and gas (about 246 days of current U.S. demand),” the report said. “However, larger reservoirs of recoverable oil and gas may be discovered during new, more intense exploration.”
The panel found that North Carolina has the largest offshore wind resource on the east coast.
“The offshore-wind industry may offer significant opportunities for renewable energy generation and for economic development and job creation,” the panel said. “North Carolina’s extensive coastline and large offshore wind resources appear to make it a prime area for offshore wind development.”
According to the report, North Carolina should continue to move ahead to promote opportunities for offshore-wind development with the appropriate statutes, rules and regulations that “foster and encourage appropriate offshore-wind development consistent with concerns for the coastal environment and communities.” The report said the state needed to “engage with the industry to attract to North Carolina a wide range of supply-chain facilities and jobs associated with the emerging wind-energy industry.”
Research and development on other forms of ocean renewable energy—such as thermal and hydrokinetic technologies—is ongoing and appears promising, although these technologies are not yet ready for widespread commercial development. North Carolina is poised to be a leader in the research and development of these potential energy resources. This is due to the state’s unique geographic position between two major ocean currents which meet off Cape Hatteras combined with a strong foundation in energy research and technology innovations.
The panel recommended the state create a program of research and data collection to ensure there is adequate information to evaluate the impacts of offshore energy exploration and energy development. It also suggested North Carolina should engage in comprehensive ocean and coastal resource management to ensure the sustainable and best use of ocean and coastal resources.
The panel’s findings and recommendations stress that development of any offshore energy resources carries risks and benefits.
“Exploration and development of offshore energy resources—oil and natural gas, wind and hydrokinetic technologies and thermal—pose environmental and economic benefits,” the panel said in its findings. “The development of any sources of offshore energy, whether renewable or fossil fuel, will likely have some socioeconomic and environmental impacts. … and challenges related to infrastructure development, including transmission.”
Perdue issued Executive Order 23 in September 2009 creating the Scientific Advisory Panel on Offshore Energy. The 15-member panel was led by former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Willis Whichard. The diverse and knowledgeable scientific panel—with representatives from the energy industry, scientific experts and environmental advocates—developed consensus findings and recommendations in the 146-page report.
“I am most grateful to Justice Whichard and all the members of the panel for sharing the expertise and their hard work, dedication and concern for our state and its precious coast,” Perdue said.
“This panel’s work is an essential step in assessing the impact of offshore-energy development in North Carolina,” the panel said in its findings. “But taking the next steps to develop offshore energy will require a united effort to assess the impacts on North Carolina’s economy, communities and natural resources, to promote economic development of offshore energy that boosts North Carolina’s economy and to establish North Carolina as a leader in offshore-energy development.”
The full report is available online.

Column: Greetings from Ellie Kinnaird

Dear Friends,
I am a member of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety. This week, we heard a report on a new judicial department program to help those who receive a traffic ticket avoid a court appearance (and lawyer’s fee) by paying the fine and court costs by credit card. Between March and December 2011, 167,473 total citation payments were made by credit card—330 per day. This saved not only the public, but 7,600 of courthouse staff hours.
In addition, in three pilot counties, court papers can be filed electronically and court notices and information can be retrieved online 24 hours a day.
While this seems logical and efficient, there are a couple of bumps in the way. First, while the fine and court costs are fixed, credit card companies charge a fee that can’t be taken out of the fine and court costs. So either the state has to eat the fees through an appropriation—which add up to a large amount—or the credit card companies have to allow a transaction surcharge. MasterCard and American Express allow the state a government discount, but VISA will not. (Now only the Revenue Department will take payment by VISA card.) The state also has not installed the machines in the court house for direct credit card payment at the site. The legislature could investigate that at a later time.
But a bigger concern is that under the present system a person can go to court and get a deferred prosecution if they attend driving school. But when a fine and court costs are paid by credit card, that opportunity is not available. In addition, the infraction is on the person’s record for insurance purposes. And under our appropriations system, those monies collected do not go to the courts to offset the costs to the court system but to the general fund.
Another report was presented to the committee by Legal Aid of North Carolina and the two independent legal service offices. The average person served by these entities has an annual income of $12,000 (contrast that with the 1 percent who may make $12,000 an hour.) Legal Aid clients are working families, children, the elderly, and 75 percent are women. In addition to attorneys, paralegals and support staff, thousands of lawyers throughout the state provide pro bono work for clients, including several legislator-lawyers. Legal Aid provides free legal services for low-income people facing the loss of a home, family livelihood and personal safely. They do not handle personal injury, medical malpractice or criminal matters. Legal Aid has suffered big cuts in the last few budgets, even as the need has increased during the recession.

Two years ago, a bill was introduced to regulate and curtail the offenses of puppy mills. The bill passed the Senate but did not pass the House because special interest groups lobbied to kill the bill, e.g. the Pork Council was concerned because such humane treatment requirements might be applied to their industry. Last week a bull dog puppy mill was discovered and hundreds of dogs in terrible condition were rescued from deplorable surroundings. These businesses go on throughout the state, as are revealed by news items. Time to pass the bill.
I also attended the circus with my granddaughter and was upset to see magnificent tigers, elephants and horses forced to perform tricks such as standing and walking on their hind legs and laying down in formations on command. Some years ago, Orange County banned circuses with animals, and, after seeing these animals forced to perform unnatural activities, foreign from their natural habitat, I understand why.

I have written in the past about Person Industries that serves the disabled. PI operates the recycling for Person County, employing many Person Industries people and helping the environment. PI has now have added another environmental measure: LED lighting and motion sensors to activate lights in rooms used infrequently. They are indeed leaders in the community.

On Feb. 20 at 11 a.m., a Town Hall Meeting will be held in the Legislative auditorium, titled “Bring Our War Dollars Home/Restore Our Communities." It will connect the huge amount spent (more than $1 trillion for Iraq and Afghanistan) on wars while our schools, mental health and other needs are not being met at home. Congressmen Walter Jones, David Price and Brad Miller will speak along with Matthew Hoh, the State Department officer to Afghanistan and former Marine who resigned in protest over our policy in Afghanistan. The public is invited.

An interesting observation from Rapper Ja Rule, serving time in prison, commenting on his fellow inmates, former N. Y. State Comptroller and Tyco International CEO, “Outside, you don’t meet guys like this every day.”
Ellie

Earth Action Day—call for exhibitors and artists

The fifth annual Earth Action Day comes to Southern Community Park in Chapel Hill on Saturday, April 14, from noon to 5 p.m. Nonprofits, commercial organizations and artists are invited to submit an application to share their message educating and encouraging the latest in living sustainably to a crowd of over 3,500 people in the community.
Earth Action Day is a local event that encourages visitors to learn about the earth’s bounty and how our daily choices affect our environment. Southern Community Park is the perfect place to hold the event, as it was designed with a focus on public art utilizing on-site materials that showcase the thematic elements of earth, air, water, fire, fauna and flora.
Visitors at the event will have the chance to enjoy the Swap-O-Rama clothing swap, interactive workshops, live entertainment and the local food pavilion. We are also excited to bring back the mARTket, a fair featuring artists who create work fundamentally using recycled and up-cycled materials. Local artists who follow such a sustainable approach are encouraged to apply to sell their artwork.
The application deadline for entry is due March 10. The exhibition fee for artists and non-profits is $50 and for commercial organizations, $150. Register online to exhibit at Earth Action Day; apply early as space is limited.

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area will conduct prescribed burn

The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation will conduct a prescribed burn at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area in February when conditions are suitable, according to Park Superintendent Shederick Mole.
The burn will be conducted in cooperation with the N.C. Forest Service at the Vista Point access on a date to be determined. A 155-acre area will be affected from near the public entrance to the RV campsites and shoreline. The public will not be allowed to enter this area during the burn event.
Prescribed burns are used as a resource management tool by the state parks system. Some plant communities and animal species rely on periodic fire for their existence. The prescribed burn also will reduce the amount of potential wildfire fuel. The prescribed burn will help protect the park’s resources and neighboring landowners if lightning, arson or carelessness sparks a wildfire.
In order to minimize smoke and assure the fire is controlled, the low-intensity, prescribed burn will only be carried out under strictly defined weather conditions of a fire management plan. On the selected day, the burn will begin in the late morning and will likely end by mid-afternoon.
On the day when the fire is to begin, an alert will be posted on the Jordan Lake State Recreation Area page of the division’s website. For further information, call the park office at (919) 362-0586.

Nancy Cook exhibit displayed at the N.C. Botanical Garden

Art and public gardens go together. People enjoy viewing art inspired by the endless forms and colors of nature, and so to use public gardens as venues for the display of art comes naturally.
The North Carolina Botanical Garden DeBerry Gallery for Botanical Art and Illustration currently houses an outstanding textile art exhibit, Seed Play, by Nancy G. Cook through Feb. 27.
Nancy Cook, internationally exhibited artist from Charlotte, creates realistic images of natural objects in a highly exaggerated scale with textiles, ink and thread. Seed Play—a series exploring the architecture of seeds in a whole-cloth quilt format—focuses on tree and shrub seeds and fruits as metaphors for life's riches. Working directly from collected specimens, Cook's designs are based on research and detailed sketches.
The North Carolina Botanical Garden is located off of the US 15-501/NC 54 bypass (Fordham Blvd.) in Chapel Hill. For more information, call (919) 962-0522 or visit the website.

Chapel Hill holds composting classes

Reduce waste and create the best fertilizer for your garden. Learn more about composting with a composting demonstration, one-day crash courses or a six-week series.

Composting demonstration
Learn how to compost indoors and in tight spaces using worms or outdoors using a variety of containers types and recipes. Contact Muriel Williman at (919) 968-2788 or email Muriel at mwilliman@co.orange.nc.us for more program details. No advance registration required. The course will run 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 24, at Chapel Hill Community Center Compost Site behind the Gene Strowd Community Rose Garden.

Introduction series: composting with the red wiggler worm
For ages 12 and older. Fee is $150 for a resident of Chapel Hill or Orange County, $180 for a non-resident for the six-class series OR $30 for residents and $36 for non-residents per class plus a $5 to $25 material fee (depending on the class).
Learn how to make worm bins and use the red wiggler worm to turn an average of 75 percent of household food and paper waste into worm castings (compost). Classes will meet from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Chapel Hill Community Center Meeting Room.
Pre- registration is required. Participants must pay the instructor the entire fee at the first class. No fee reduction.
Saturday, Feb. 4: The Red Wiggler aka The Composting Worm (Activity #210581A)
Saturday, Feb. 11: The Worm and Waste Stream (Activity #210582A)
Saturday, Feb. 18: Make Your Own Bins (Activity #210583A)
Saturday, Feb. 25: All about Soil (Activity #210584A)
Saturday, March 3: Problem Solving With Your Worm Bin (Activity #210585A)
Saturday, March 10: Harvesting Worm Castings (Activity #210586A)

Worm bin composting crash courses
Fee is $30 for residents of Chapel Hill or Orange County, $17 for seniors ages 55 and older and children younger than 12, plus a $25 material fee per family. Cost is $36 for non-residents, $20 non-resident seniors ages 55 and older and children younger than 12, plus a $25 material fee per family.
Learn all the basics about composting with worms and build a bin to take home with you in the crash course. We will not go as in-depth in the crash course as in the series, but it's a great way to start. Classes meet from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Chapel Hill Community Center Meeting Room.
Pre-registration is required. Pay the instructor the entire fee at the first class. No fee reduction.
Wednesday, Feb. 8: Family Worm Bin (Activity #210590A)
Wednesday, Feb. 22: Teacher Worm Bin (Activity #210591A)
Wednesday, March 7: Youth Worm Bin (Activity #210592A)
Wednesday, March 21: Apartment Worm Bin (Activity #210593A)

Register online at www.townofchapelhill.org/register.

Environmental assessment approved for I-95 improvement

The N.C. Department of Transportation has received final approval of the Environmental Assessment for improvements along Interstate 95 in North Carolina. The EA is part of the I-95 Corridor Planning and Finance Study, which began in 2009 and focuses on improving the safety, connectivity and efficiency of all 182 miles of I-95 through North Carolina.
The following recommendations have been made in the EA:
• Widen I-95 to eight lanes (four lanes in each direction) from exit 31 to exit 81;
• Widen the remaining sections of I-95 to six lanes (three lanes in each direction);
• Make necessary repairs to pavement;
• Raise and rebuild bridges;
• Improve interchanges; and
• Bring I-95 up to current safety standards for interstates.
The total cost for making these improvements is $4.4 billion. Current funding only covers about 10 percent of the costs of these improvements. In order to cover the cost of the improvements, the EA recommends tolling the interstate.
Should the department be granted permission from the Federal Highway Administration to toll the road, NCDOT is preparing a phasing plan for improvements. Phase 1, which includes widening I-95 between exit 31 and exit 81, would begin in 2016. Construction on the remainder of the corridor is proposed to begin in 2019.
The completed EA, including all of the department’s study information to date, is available for viewing online and at various locations along the I-95 corridor. To view the study or find a location, visit www.driving95.com.
Several public hearings will take place regarding the project beginning Feb. 7 and ending Feb. 27. Project data will be presented, and NCDOT staff will be on hand to answer any questions. For information on meetings near you, visit www.driving95.com.

State report assesses state’s environmental quality, discusses emerging challenges

Environmental indicators show significant improvement in air and water quality in North Carolina, according to the 2011 State of the Environment Report released by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The report—a science-based review of the state’s air, water and land resources—evaluates the quality of the state’s environment, describes DENR’s efforts to protect the state’s natural resources and identifies current and emerging issues.
“I believe, as does Gov. Perdue, that a clean environment is a vital player in a thriving economy,” DENR Secretary Dee Freeman said. “For years, North Carolina’s bountiful natural resources have attracted new residents, new companies and visitors, and this report outlines the steps DENR and its partners have taken and will continue to take to maintain clean air, clean water and abundant natural resources for the health, enjoyment and recreation of all.”
Highlights of the report include:
• Air quality has improved substantially since the 1980s. With the cooperation of business and industry, significant steps have been taken to reduce ozone and particle pollution with additional reductions expected as industries and motor vehicles work to meet more stringent federal air quality standards.
• The majority of the state’s lakes, streams and rivers have good water quality and support fisheries and fish habitats, provide drinking water and allow a number of recreational uses. However, about 40 percent of the state’s waters are impaired by such pollutants as mercury, bacteria and large amounts of sediment; in some areas, excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus have threatened water quality in both rivers and water supply reservoirs.
• The state has made significant progress in addressing nutrient pollution; management strategies for the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico river basins have successfully reduced fish kills and algal blooms. Similar strategies have been developed for the Falls Lake and Jordan Lake water supply reservoirs.
• In the area of water supply or quantity, water shortage response plans have been developed to improve the state’s drought response, groundwater data collection has increased, aquifers have started to recover in the Central Coastal Plain and water supply models are being developed for most of the 17 major river basins.
• The state continues to make progress in cleaning up contaminated properties and in helping to provide alternative water supply where drinking water wells have been contaminated.
• After a decade of strong growth, the rate of land conservation has declined since 2009. However, the state continues to work on protection of key parcels, focusing on acquiring lands critical for water quality protection, wildlife habitat, recreation, agriculture and military activities.
Some emerging issues that DENR faces include the completion of a legislatively mandated state study to identify issues associated with oil and gas exploration in the state, focusing on the use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing to extract shale gas; the potential impacts of climate change in North Carolina; new federal air quality standards, which will require additional program resources at the state level; rapid population growth and development in some parts of the state, which put additional stress on water bodies and other sensitive natural areas and can make attainment of new, stricter air quality standards an ongoing challenge; water supply and the allocation of water resources between competing water users; and department-wide program impacts brought about by the recent recession and resulting state fiscal constraints.
The report can be found by visiting DENR’s home page and clicking on the “State of the Environment” tab near the center of the page.

USDA announces funding for water quality markets, seeks proposals for projects

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a funding opportunity that will bring states, USDA and other stakeholders together to enhance the effectiveness of water quality credit trading. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing up to $10 million in Conservation Innovation Grants for these projects with up to $5 million focused on water quality credit trading in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Proposals for projects are due March 2, 2012.
"For the first time, USDA has offered funding specifically for water quality trading; we want to help states and other partners develop robust and meaningful markets," Vilsack said. "Our goal is to demonstrate that markets are a cost-effective way to improve water quality in places like the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and agricultural producers are critical to the function of these markets."
Water quality credit trading is a market-based approach to lowering the costs of reducing pollution and has the potential to engage more farmers and ranchers in water quality improvement efforts through the implementation of more conservation practices on agricultural lands. Through water quality credit trading, a producer who implements conservation practices to reduce water quality pollutants can also benefit by generating water quality market credits that could be sold in an open market, which would reduce the costs of implementing and maintaining the conservation practices.
NRCS requests CIG proposals for projects that:
• Support the completion of state water quality market rules and infrastructure needed to carry out water quality trading between point and non-point sources;
• Deploy and test tools and metrics needed for crediting and verifying the effectiveness of conservation practices on agricultural lands;
• Establish certification, registry and reporting systems; and
• Educate and reach out to agriculture and other sectors.
CIG funds will be awarded through a competitive grants process. At least 50 percent of the total cost of CIG projects must come from non-federal matching funds, including cash and in-kind contributions provided by the grant recipient. Projects must involve producers who are eligible for the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
To apply electronically, visit Grants.gov or contact a local NRCS office. View the complete Announcement of Program Funding here.
The Chesapeake Bay portion of this effort is part of NRCS' Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative, which helps agricultural producers in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia improve water quality in the watershed.
NRCS will host a webinar at 3 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Jan. 24, for prospective applicants. USDA officials and staff will discuss the goals of the program and answer questions about the request for proposals. For more webinar details, go to the CIG website.
Learn more about NRCS conservation programs here or visit your local USDA service center.

State environmental officials to seek comment on plan for drinking water projects

State environmental officials will meet Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 2:30 p.m. to receive public comments on their plan for how to help North Carolina municipalities fund this year’s most pressing drinking water projects.
People are invited to attend public hearing in the Coastal Plain Room (Room 1107) of the new Environment and Natural Resources Building, 217 West Jones St. in Raleigh.
The annual public hearing is a routine step that officials with the state’s public water supply section use to determine where to direct money from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The fund comes from the Environmental Protection Agency and a 20 percent required state match. The federal government will contribute about $24.6 million to the fund contingent on the state’s match of $4.9 million.
During the public hearing, the state will seek comments on the plan, which is proposed for federal approval. The plan includes requirements for the types of projects to be funded, how projects are prioritized and other criteria for allocating the money. The proposed intended use plan can be viewed at http://www.ncwater.org/pws/srf/Pages/federal_reports.htm.
Congress in 1996 created the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to help public water systems finance the cost of infrastructure needed to protect public health and comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
People who wish to speak during the hearing should sign-in at 2 p.m. Spoken comments should be limited to three minutes. Written comments may be provided at the public hearing or mailed to Vincent Tomaino at 1634 MSC, Raleigh, NC, 27699-1634, or emailed to vincent.tomaino@ncdenr.gov. Written comments will be received until Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Green Tiger community garden celebrates anniversary

The Chapel Hill High School Green Tiger Campaign’s Community Garden will celebrate four successful years on Saturday, Jan. 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Green Tiger Community Garden has donated more than 200 grocery bags of organic produce to teen volunteers, Burmese refugees, CHHS staff and St. Joseph’s Food Ministry and has seen more than 300 teen volunteers pass through its gates. In addition to the celebration, Green Tigers will coordinate its teen volunteers to build a sun shelter, install nine new raised garden beds and prepare the garden area for its 11th growing season.

Keep the community clean!

The N.C. Department of Transportation is seeking volunteers to help remove litter from local roads during this year’s spring litter sweep event, held April 16 to 30. Volunteers played an integral role in removing more than 4.2 million pounds of roadside litter during the 2010 spring and fall litter sweeps.
“The department’s spring litter sweep is a great opportunity for all of us to pitch in to revitalize the beauty of North Carolina’s roads,” said Transportation Secretary Gene Conti. “By improving safety and appearance, we can ensure we provide visitors with a positive impression of our scenic state.”
Interested litter sweep volunteers may contact their local NCDOT county maintenance office to obtain cleanup supplies. Children between the ages of 12 and 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Participants are required to watch a safety video and wear safety gear. Everyone is reminded to warm up by stretching before picking up litter and to drink plenty of water during the cleanup.
NCDOT maintenance crews, Adopt-A-Highway groups, N.C. Department of Correction inmate crews and community service workers will also take to the highways to pick up roadside litter during spring litter sweep.
Additionally, the N.C. State Highway Patrol will be on alert and policing the roadways for motorists with unsecured loads and others that intentionally and unintentionally litter. Littering is an illegal, fineable offense. Upon conviction, the defendant can be fined up to $2,000, receive a point on their driver's license and be sentenced to community service work. Fines can double upon a second conviction.
The bi-annual litter sweeps are administered by the NCDOT Office of Beautification Programs. For more information, call (800) 331-5864 or visit the Office of Beautification Programs website and click on “Litter Sweep.” Volunteers can also receive information and updates by following NCDOT on Twitter, visiting the department’s Facebook page or viewing videos about litter sweep on YouTube.

The 2011 fall Litter Sweep is scheduled for Sept. 17-Oct. 1.

Plant a tree, save the planet

Today is North Carolina Arbor Day! Everyone grab a shovel and get ready to plant a tree. But wait….
Before planting a tree, make sure you know how to do it correctly, advises the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
How a tree is planted, and initially maintained, makes all the difference in the world. Too many people are content to simply plant a tree, but don't ensure that the tree has the chance to go on to live for many years.
"Planting a tree is making an investment in the future," says Sharon Lilly, ISA Educational Director. "You must care for and nurture your young tree so that it will pay dividends for years to come."

Tree Planting Tips
There are a few simple tips to remember when planting your tree this spring:
1. Prepare the perfect hole for planting.
• Dig the hole two to three times the width of the root ball. Do NOT dig deeper than root ball depth. Make the sides of the hole slant gradually outward.
• For bare-root trees, neatly cut away any broken or damaged roots. Soak the roots for a few hours prior to planting to allow them to absorb water.
• Container-grown trees should have the plastic or metal containers completely removed. Carefully cut through any circling roots. Remove the top half of pressed peat/paper containers.
• Balled and Burlapped ("B&B") trees should have all of the ropes cut. Pull the burlap at least one third of the way down. Slit remaining burlap to encourage root growth. If in a wire basket, cut away the top of the basket.
2. Plant the Tree.
• Gently place the tree in the hole. Partially backfill with the soil from the hole, water to settle the soil, then finish back-filling the hole. Tamp the soil gently, but do not step on the root ball.

A few pointers
While you may have finished planting, Arbor Day aficionados should remember these final touches:
• Remove tags and labels.
• Do not stake unless the tree has a large crown or the planting is situated on a site where wind or people may push the tree over. Stake for a maximum of one year.
• Prune only the damaged branches.
• Soak the soil well, making sure no air pockets form between roots. Wait until next year to fertilize.
• Spread two inches of mulch over the planting area, but do not place it up against the trunk.
• Be sure the root ball has plenty of water throughout the year.

For additional information on planting and other tree care topics, or to find a local ISA Certified Arborist, visit ISA's website.