land-conservation

It's been almost 4 years since my first blog entry regarding the Outlying Landing Field (OLF) in Eastern NC was posted (also see this post and this post). And judging from a recent News & Observer article regarding the same debate, this appears to be a fight that will be neither won nor lost but continuously battled. From the N&O:

"North Carolina's work to squelch a Navy landing strip in the state's rural northeast has hit a snag on Capitol Hill, with the state's two senators unable to push through language to block the development."

[...]Local communities have been overwhelmingly opposed to the two sites in North Carolina, in Gates and Camden counties. Critics say that taking local farmland would be unfair and that nighttime noise would disrupt the community, with almost no economic benefit.

[...]The House version of the defense authorization bill includes language from U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, a Farmville Republican, that prohibits the Navy from building its landing strip at either of the proposed sites in North Carolina. That was supported by U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, a Wilson Democrat. The sites are in Jones' and Butterfield's districts.

Burr and Hagan tried to get similar language through the Senate Committee on Armed Services, but their measure failed."

I wonder if this case will ever be officially closed...

In a vain attempt to clean out my inbox, I came upon a report release that I wanted to share back in March. So here goes (better late than never, right?): From our friends at Land for Tomorrow regarding their recently released 2009 Green Book report:

"The report Good for the Economy, Good for Public Health is an annual compilation of county-by-county funding by the state's four land and water conservation trust funds, including Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation, Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage and Clean Water Management. With your help and support, last year the trust funds were able to provide $214.2 million for 330 projects in 89 counties. These funds are vital to help safeguard water quality and drinking water supplies, promote tourism, improve public health, provide buffers around military training areas, and protect farmlands and forest."

Now back to more inbox cleaning...

In an ongoing struggle between the Navy's proposed Outlying Landing Field (OLF) and many North Carolina counties in the northeast, there seems to be no end in sight. In the past week, many articles were printed regarding the most recent developments, highlighting many citizens' concerns about losing farmland and/or wildlife habitat if the land was used for the OLF. Coverage also focused on residents of Gates and Camden counties who feel an OLF would severely hurt their communities economically, despite the addition of approximately fifty jobs.

• Gates, Camden leaders say they don't want Navy landing field. County leaders representing four potential sites for a Navy jet landing field in North Carolina pleaded Thursday to stay off a new list of finalists, saying the project would harm their economies and heritage.
  http://www.journalnow.com (link suppressed)
  

• Northeast counties oppose Navy field. Residents of Camden and Gates counties said the Navy's plans to build a practice airfield would damage the rural quality of life in the northeastern corner of the state.
  http://www.newsobserver.com/news/olf/story/757958.html

• New OLF sites panned, old sites still viable. Havelock advocates: OLF needed ‘somewhere.’ Debra Vaughn’s algebra students were without their teacher Thursday. Instead, she left them with a substitute teacher and traveled to the capital to oppose an outlying landing field in her native Gates County.
  http://www.wdnweb.com/articles/2007/11/03/news/news01.txt

• North Carolina panel hears pros, cons about OLF sites. A Navy admiral said in a meeting here Thursday that the Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point does not need another practice landing site, and that sites in northeastern North Carolina would be closer and more economical for jets based at Naval Air Station Oceana.
  http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=136034&ran=60826

• Governor’s group studied economic impact of an OLF. Despite jobs, northeastern counties still opposed. Despite the promise of high-paying federal jobs to staff an outlying landing field, the Navy heard Thursday that counties in northeastern North Carolina still oppose an OLF at any of four sites being considered in that region.
  http://www.wdnweb.com/articles/2007/11/02/news/news02.txt

In March of last year, we posted a blog entry and ran an action campaign on keeping the so called "Road to Nowhere" from slicing through the Great Smoky Mountains. Over 700 activists contacted the National Park Service, asking them to forego finishing the road (which would cost tax payers $600 million) and instead offer Swain County a $52 million settlement.

Great news! Swain County and the National Park Service agreed to the monetary settlement; the Road to Nowhere will not destroy anymore of the Smokies.  Thanks to everyone who made sure their voice was heard on this important issue. Check out the full story here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/724077.html.

The ongoing struggle between the Navy and environmental and community groups in eastern North Carolina over the proposed Navy outlying landing field had a big development this week as the Navy released yet another report. Not surprisingly, they are still pushing for using the space (approximately 30,000 acres) out in Washington County, despite concerns raised by environmentalists, community members, and even some media. Aside from disrupting the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge with loud, polluting jet fighter planes, the location also is home to endangered red wolves, as well as hundreds of thousands of migratory birds that would inevitably be endangered, as well as cause flight hazards for pilots using the runways.

The Navy plans to hold public hearings in March and April, followed by a final decision in the fall. For more information regarding the hearings, visit the North Carolinians Opposing the Outlying Landing Field. Do you plan to attend any of the hearings to let your voice be heard?

The Charlotte Observer describes it as the next big thing: high density development in suburbs and rural areas.  The article focuses on a town outside of Charlotte, but the concept is applicable anywhere in NC:

The Village of Marvin in fast-growing Union County approved its first commercial development about two weeks ago -- a grocery-anchored 260,000-square-foot retail-office project.

Now, the town of about 2,260 is trying to decide whether it's ready for something even bigger: Marvin's Village, a $240 million mixed-use development at the northwest corner of Rea and Tom Short roads.

Charlotte's LV Realty envisions nearly 260 residential units, about 75 acres of open space and nearly a half million square feet of offices, shops, restaurants and civic buildings on 168 acres.

This seems like a good alternative to sprawling subdivisions, but at the same time, has some definite drawbacks.  Read the full article here and let us know what you think.

As an Organizer for the NC Conservation Network I travel all over my home state fighting to protect our health and our environment. I meet and talk with lots of different people in my travels. Often I hear from folks that they have a hard time seeing the link between their daily life (and health) and the importance of protecting our environment. 

Making Connections, which aired this week on UNC-TV, does an excellent job of showing the links between our everyday life, our land, farms, forests, natural habitats, water usage, air quality, and tourism.

Our friends at Environmental Defense worked with the Director of NC Zoo, Dr. David Jones, to create this wonderful program.  Dr. Jones says “It is time to ask tough questions about polluted air, dirty water, and development…See why now is the time for making connections." He travels across our state exploring how our health and wealth are in danger.

Click here to watch this program online.

They have also created an informative website with lesson plans and activity guides for teachers as well as ways for folks like you to get involved.

Dr. Jones asks "What will our legacy be?" 

I have hope that our state will be a leader in the recycling industry, renewable energy field, eco-tourism and organic farming. I see these replacing the vanishing small town textile mills and farms with industry that creates jobs, saves our small towns and preserves our beautiful environment.

What about you? What do you think our legacy will be?

At interesting idea out of Union County (from the Charlotte Observer):

Developers now face more hurdles to build subdivisions in another of Charlotte's fast-growing suburbs.

Union County on Monday became the third county in the suburban Charlotte region to pass a slow-growth ordinance, called an adequate public facilities ordinance.

The new law, enacted by a 3-2 vote Monday night by the Union County Board of Commissioners, is designed to slow housing growth in areas where schools are crowded. The ordinance requires developers who want to build in crowded school districts to do one of two things: delay construction until more schools are built, or pay a maximum fee of $14,953 per home proposed.

Several other counties in NC have similar ordinances including Cabarrus, Stanly, Currituck, Franklin, and Orange counties.

Good idea?  Or not doing enough?

There's been a lot of media coverage recently (more here and here) about the sale of Chimney Rock and the wilderness surrounding it.  Even the New York Times has gotten in on the action.

The family who owns Chimney Rock is asking $55 million for the property, but an independent appraiser put the value at $20 million.  The rub is that the state constitution prohibits the state from paying any more than the appraised value.

There is hope.  A group of concerned citizens have come together to lobby the state and the landowners to find a solution.  Check out their website and see how you can get involved.

The News and Observer has a great portrait of two of North Carolina's leading environmentalists, Ron and Nancy Bryant.  After years of living (and leading) in Charlotte, the couple has decided to move to 170 acres of farmland outside of the city:

At ages that entitle them to a relaxed retirement, Ron, 63, and Nancy, 66, will instead live in an energy-efficient "round house."

They'll stack solar panels on the barn roof. Grow much of their food. Tend chickens, beehives and, maybe, goats. Perhaps cultivate switch grass, an ethanol crop, and hemp for fiber.

Their story is really inspiring to me.  I'd love to move out to my own eco-farm someday, but right now I'm going to have to settle for what I can do at home.  I'm thinking about building my own tumbling compost bin and trying out a few of Consumer Reports' 50 Ways to Save Water.  What about you?