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Environment <br />TO THE EDITOR: <br />The Orange County Conunission for the Environment <br />(CFE) encourages Orange County voters to vote in favor <br />of the Connect NC Bond referendum, which will appear <br />on the March 15 ballot. The Bond would provide $75 <br />million (out of a total $2 billion package) to build and <br />improve facilities at state parks, which would help fund <br />work on visitor centers, hiking trails, and campgrounds. <br />Among the parks and trails that would receive signifi- <br />cant funding from the bond are Eno River State Park <br />and the NC Mountains -to -Sea Trail, both of which are <br />see LETTERS page 5 <br />CONTIMUED FROM PAGE 4 <br />pa�_tially local cu in our county. The <br />bond funding will enable the county <br />to invest in improving and expanding <br />trails at Eno River State Park and help <br />acquire properties or easements neces- <br />sary to complete the NC Mountains -to- <br />Sea trail within the county. In addition, <br />the bond includes funding for Jordan <br />Lake State Recreation Area, which is <br />enjoyed by many residents of the county. <br />By funding improvements to these trea- <br />sured state parks and trails, all county <br />residents will have an opportunity to <br />benefit hom the Connect NC Bond ini- <br />tiative for years to come. <br />The bond also provides over $300 <br />million in loans and grants for the . <br />improvement of water and sewer infra - <br />structure statewide. Orange County will <br />be well- positioned to apply for these <br />funds to repair, rebuild, update, and <br />strengthen the county's water and sewer <br />systems. These improvements could <br />help prevent the loss of treated drink- <br />ing water through leaking water sup- <br />ply pipes, an important consider- <br />ation especially,in periods of drought. <br />Additionally, these funds can be used to <br />address sanitary sewer infrastructure that <br />is dated or in disrepair, thereby reduc- <br />ing chronic leakage from pipes, as well <br />as sewage overflow events during heavy <br />rain storms. <br />For all these reasons, the CFE strong- <br />ly encourages voters to support the <br />Connect NC Bond referendum on March <br />15. <br />Sincerely, <br />Lydia Wegman, Chair <br />Orange County Commission for the Environment <br />