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28 <br /> Attachment 5 <br /> N O R T H C A R O L I N A <br /> ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br /> Top Five Goals for 2013-14 <br /> 1. Oppose shift of state transportation responsibilities to counties <br /> 2. Reinstate ADM and lottery funds for school construction. <br /> 3. Oppose unfunded mandates and shifts of state responsibilities to counties. <br /> 4. Ensure adequate mental health funding. <br /> 5. Preserve the existing local revenue base. <br /> Agriculture Legislative Goals <br /> AG-1:Adequately fund agricultural research and extension services. <br /> Support legislation to fund the agricultural and research extension offices through the University <br /> of North Carolina system,principally at N.C. State University and N.C. A&T State University. <br /> Extension offices are located throughout the state and facilitate programs that assist residents in a <br /> wide variety of programs focused on agricultural economic development. Adequate funding of <br /> these programs benefits the agriculture economy in every county. <br /> AG-2: Support and promote conservation of working lands and farmland preservation. <br /> Support legislation to promote and preserve working farmlands by including these lands in the <br /> state tourism plan,by retaining the current authority for the present use value system,by <br /> maintaining funding for the Ag Development and Farmland Preservation Trust, and by exploring <br /> the impacts of transfer of development rights. <br /> Environment Legislative Goals <br /> ENV-1: Restore state funding and responsibility for river basin monitoring, streamline <br /> rulemaking, and enhance regional cooperation. <br /> Support legislation to enhance monitoring for all river basins in North Carolina and review the <br /> rule-making process to enhance regional cooperation. Increased monitoring would allow <br /> jurisdictions to better assess compliance with water quality rules and, over time, allow the <br /> Division of Water Quality to make better decisions regarding future promulgation of water- <br /> quality rule making. <br /> Seek legislation to streamline local water supply reservoir permitting without sacrificing the <br /> scientific rigor of Environmental Impact Assessment and ensure adequate opportunities for <br /> public and local official comment. North Carolina is a fast-growing state that has already <br /> experienced drought-related challenges to its water supply, impacting both quantity and quality. <br /> It is likely that many new sources of drinking water will be needed to meet future demand, yet <br /> the timetable to bring a new water reservoir on line can take years, even decades, to satisfy all <br /> • the environmental permitting requirements mandated by the state. <br />