H.B. 890
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Apr 25, 2023
SESSION 2023 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK
H D
HOUSE BILL DRH10150-MHa-52
Short Title: Ag Cost-Share Funds/French Broad. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative Ager.
Referred to:
1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT TO SUPPORT LIVESTOCK FARMERS IN THE FRENCH BROAD RIVER BASIN.
3 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
4 SECTION 1.(a) Findings and Purpose. – The General Assembly finds that farmer
5 requests for funding from the Agriculture Cost Share Program managed by local Soil and Water
6 Conservation Districts significantly exceeded appropriations in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, and
7 that further protective actions are necessary in the Upper French Broad River basin to address
8 bacterial contamination and sedimentation issues that contributed to the designation of 19 miles
9 of that waterbody as impaired by the Department of Environmental Quality in 2022. The purpose
10 of this act is to create a pilot program to assist farmers in reducing impacts from grazing livestock
11 and mitigating the resulting bacteriological and sedimentation impacts on the Upper French
12 Broad River.
13 SECTION 1.(b) Grant Program Established. – The sum of two million dollars
14 ($2,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2023-2024 fiscal year is appropriated from the
15 General Fund to the Agriculture Cost Share Program for Nonpoint Source Pollution Control
16 established in Article 72 of Chapter 106 of the General Statutes. These funds will be used to
17 provide cost share assistance to farmers engaged in farming in the watershed of the Upper French
18 Broad River in Transylvania, Henderson, Buncombe, and Madison Counties for the installation
19 of fences, alternative livestock watering systems, pasture management, and other measures
20 deemed appropriate by the local Soil and Water Conservation District to keep livestock out of
21 existing streams and watercourses that constitute or drain into the Upper French Broad River.
22 SECTION 1.(c) Requirements and Limitations. – Grants from the funds appropriated
23 by this act are subject to the following requirements and limitations:
24 (1) All requirements and limitations set forth in G.S. 106-850(b), except the
25 description of eligible measures in G.S. 106-850(b)(5).
26 (2) In addition, applicants must demonstrate that the measures for which they seek
27 cost share assistance would mitigate or prevent stream impacts from livestock
28 in or adjacent to surface waters in the Upper French Broad River basin.
29 SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2023.
*DRH10150-MHa-52*