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1 <br />Orange County <br />Board of County Commissioners <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No <br />Action Agenda Item Abstract <br />Meeting Date: December 15, 1998 <br />Subject: Forest Service Contract <br />Department Manager/Budget <br />Public Hearing No <br />Budget Amendment Needed No <br />Attachment(s) <br />Information Contact <br />Agreement for the Protection <br />Rod Visser, ext 2300 <br />Donna Dean, ext 2151 <br />Development and Improvement of <br />Telephone and Extension Number <br />Forest Lands in Orange County <br />Hillsborough 732 -8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968 -4501 <br />Durham "688 -7331 <br />Mebane (336) 227 -2031 <br />Purpose: To consider approval of the annual agreement between Orange County and the North <br />Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) to support the NC Forest <br />Service in Orange County. <br />Background: The December 1 Commissioners meeting agenda included consideration of this <br />agreement, providing for the continued maintenance by DENR (through the NC Forest Service) of <br />the protection, development and improvement of forestlands in Orange County. <br />Responsibilities of the Forest Service include: <br />• controlling forest fires in the County, <br />• detecting and extinguishing fires that break out <br />• investigating the origin of forest, woodland and field fires <br />• enforcing State forest fire laws <br />• taking preventative measures, educational and otherwise, as necessary, to prevent forest <br />fires <br />• developing and improving the forests through reforestation, promotion and practice of <br />Forest Management practices. <br />The State supports 60% of the Forest Service budget. For 1998 -99 this amount equals $85,869. The <br />County's share is 40 percent of the total, or $57,246. These funds have already been included in the <br />approved 1998 -99 budget. <br />The Board deferred action on this agreement pending resolution of concerns raised by Dr. Orrin <br />Pilkey concerning the Forest Service's response to a report of clear cutting within a stream buffer. <br />Because of concerns about water quality in the Neuse River Basin, State restrictions have been placed <br />on timbering activities adjacent to surface waters, such as the situation described by Dr. Pilkey. <br />Orange County Forest Ranger Brad Bowling will be available at the meeting to explain the <br />circumstances in the incident cited by Dr. Pilkey. He will also explain the role of the Forest Service, <br />which responds to complaints, but generally refers noted violations to the Land Resources Division of <br />DENR. A representative of that organization is also expected to attend this meeting to respond to <br />