A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT directing the department of agriculture and consumer services and the department of environment and natural resources to design a cost share program to assist farmers and landowners who implement best management practices to conserve and protect water resources related to agricultural use, as recommended by the legislative study commission on water and wastewater infrastructure.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The General Assembly recognizes the important role that farmers and individual landowners can play in helping to protect current and future water resources.  Therefore, the General Assembly directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to work with farmers and landowners to encourage voluntary practices that conserve water use, increase the efficiency of private water use, and increase the water storage capacity by landowners.  The General Assembly further directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to jointly design a cost-share program to provide technical and financial support to farmers and landowners who want to implement best management practices to protect water resources related to agricultural use.  The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall report to the Legislative Study Commission on Water and Wastewater Infrastructure by November 1, 2010, regarding their progress in designing a cost-share program.  The report shall include the estimated cost of establishing and maintaining such a program and any legislative changes that may be needed to implement the program.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.