GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1460

Short Title:  Keep NC Beautiful Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Redwine; Warren and Bowman.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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April 28, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO KEEP NORTH CAROLINA BEAUTIFUL, INC., TO ENCOURAGE LITTER REDUCTION, RECYCLING, AND BEAUTIFICATION IN NORTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, the effort to improve our visual environment by reducing litter, increasing recycling to reduce solid waste, improving erosion control, and encouraging beautification throughout North Carolina is a shared responsibility involving individual citizens, civic organizations, corporations and government; and
Whereas, Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Inc., also known as Keep North Carolina Clean & Beautiful, has established and implemented a variety of specific programs and projects to increase public awareness of our shared responsibility; and
Whereas, Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Inc., assists the North Carolina Department of Transportation in the promotion and monitoring of the highly successful "Adopt-A-Highway”Program, currently consisting of 2,200 volunteer groups and businesses which have adopted nearly 5,000 miles of highway statewide; and
Whereas, Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Inc., in conjunction with the North Carolina Department of Transportation twice annually conducts a "Clean Sweep”campaign to urge volunteers to clean up their roads and communities (in 1988, an estimated 40,000 volunteers participated); and
Whereas, Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Inc., motivates more than 40,000 public school students annually to plan and implement environmental improvement programs or to participate in essay contests on their campuses, in conjunction with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction; and
Whereas, Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Inc., has been instrumental in promoting a comprehensive and ongoing litter reduction, recycling, and beautification program at the local level in an effort to change peoples' attitudes about how to properly dispose of their trash; and
Whereas, Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Inc., through "Operation Clean and Beautiful”recognizes local environmental improvement efforts through a community-based awards program, with an estimated annual participation of 460,000 citizens; and
Whereas, Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Inc., has received national recognition for its public lands awareness campaign and for serving as a leading statewide educational program, including two consecutive years as national winner of the "Take Pride In America”award and winner of the "Keep America Beautiful”Special Merit Award; and
Whereas, it is conservatively estimated that the value of the combined activities of the many volunteers, students, civic groups, and corporations involved in all programs coordinated by Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Inc., is at least $4,445,000 annually; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Commerce $25,000 for the 1989-90 fiscal year as a grant-in-aid for Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Inc.  These funds shall be used to assist Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Inc., in its efforts to work towards improving the physical and visual environment of North Carolina.  These funds shall be in addition to any other funds appropriated to the Department of Commerce for Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Inc.
Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.