State of North Carolina 2007 Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) Plan
Prepared by Kelly Price and Tancred Miller
Issued by the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Coastal Management
NC CELCP Plan 2 October 19, 2007
Executive Summary
The Federal Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) offers coastal states cost sharing for land conservation efforts, with the funds provided through an annual competitive process among eligible states. In order to be eligible, each state must have an approved CELCP plan to represent a rational, considered approach to coastal land conservation. The State of North Carolina has prepared this plan with funding from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The plan is subject to NOAA approval, and is to be updated every five years. In adherence with NOAA guidelines for preparing this plan, the state engaged in a multi-year, multi-stakeholder process, with extensive input from federal and state agencies, local governments, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and the general public.
The state’s intent in preparing this plan was to identify the types of lands and features most in need of protection, to map the areas where these lands and features are most commonly found, and to establish a fair and open competitive funding process that facilitates their protection. Plan writers did a comprehensive search for other agencies and organizations involved in coastal land protection, gathering data from each in order to arrive at a state consensus of the highest priority areas for conservation. To the extent possible, the plan incorporates the existing efforts and priorities of those organizations.
North Carolina applicants for funding through the CELCP are advised to refer to this plan in preparing their applications, as the plan identifies project focus areas and the criteria that will be used to rate their applications. Applications that do not support the goals of this plan may not be competitive at the state and federal levels. Successful applications will be advanced to the federal competitive process.
NC CELCP Plan 3 October 19, 2007
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NC CELCP Plan 4 October 19, 2007
Acknowledgments
North Carolina’s Coastal and Estuarine Conservation Program Plan was developed with funding assistance from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NC DENR). Plan development was administered through the NC Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR), Division of Coastal Management. We are grateful for the extensive input, data, technical guidance, review, and general assistance that were received from many individuals and organizations in preparation of this plan. We apologize for any names that were inadvertently omitted from this list, your contribution was still very much appreciated.