Agenda - 06-07-2005-5e - Laserfiche WebLink

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I ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: .June 7, 2005 Action Agenda Item No. 5-e_ SUBJECT: Acceptance of Grant from the Federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program for Agricultural Conservation Easements DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No Conservation ATTACHMENT INFORMATION CONTACT: Cooperative Agreement David Stancil, 245-2590 Rich Shaw, 245-2591 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider accepting a federal grant from the US Department of Agriculture's Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program for purchase of farmland preservation conservation easements in Orange County, BACKGROUND: The acquisition of agricultural conservation easements to help preserve prime farmland is a longstanding goal of the Board of Commissioners and a priority of the Lands Legacy Program. During the first five years of the program, Orange County has protected 774 acres of privately owned farmland and natural areas with conservation easements. In 2002, Orange County was awarded $784,000 from the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP) to purchase conservation easements on three farms (412 acres), and in 2004, the County was awarded another $638,840 to protect 500 acres on three farms. This past April, Orange County once again requested FRPP funds and was awarded $845,686 to acquire conservation easements on four more local farms (about 460 acres). The total award to the County was 28% of the FRPP allocation for all of North Carolina. FRPP requires that Orange County enter into a Cooperative Agreement with the US Commodity Credit Corporation for the use of the federal funds to acquire conservation easements. The agreement is similar to one signed by the County in 2002 and 2004. A copy of the proposed Cooperative Agreement is attached.