More money is coming down the pike for the North Carolina Coastal Federation.
WHQR’s Rachel Lewis Hilburn reports that the environmental group will use a $100,000 grant to reduce stormwater runoff and restore water quality in the Cape Fear River Basin.
The North Carolina Coastal Federation’s goal: to restore shell fishing and other recreational uses of Bradley Creek near Wrightsville Beach. The money to do that is part of an annual two-million dollar payout from Smithfield Foods. The pork producer reached a settlement with the State Attorney General’s office back in 2000 – in which Smithfield agreed to pay $50 million over 25 years to environmental groups.
The funds are also used to develop new technologies for the processing and treatment of hog waste.
This year’s two-million dollar payment is split among 14 environmental groups.
In addition to the Coastal Federation’s hundred-thousand dollar grant, the Audubon Society of North Carolina will get its own $100,000 to acquire and permanently protect 1400 acres of wetlands on the Lumber River Basin.