Congressman Walter B. Jones (R-NC), Member of the Resources Committee, received confirmation before the vote that North Carolina would receive more than $46.6 million annually for coastal conservation programs. 

“As an increasing number of people are discovering the beauty of our Eastern North Carolina coastline, our natural resources are becoming more and more strained,” Jones said.  “While I originally had some concerns about the cost of this legislation, I realized that Congress had to step up to the plate and make this important commitment to our nation’s valuable coastline.  We must remain committed to good conservation if we want future generations to have the opportunity to use and enjoy our natural resources.”

 H.R. 701 re-authorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which provides funding to coastal states for conservation, restoration, enhancement, or creation of coastal habitats.  The bill also includes $1 billion for Impact Assistance and Coastal Conservation.  During consideration of the bill in November, the House Resources Committee agreed to encourage states to use their portion of the money to encourage estuary management.

“Protecting and preserving the water quality in Eastern North Carolina is critical as we continue working to assess the impact of Hurricane Floyd on our coastline.  This bill will help us to correct the damage to our coast and estuaries and learn how to best protect them from similar damage in the future,” Jones said.
 
During debate on the House floor, Resources Committee Chairman Don Young (R-AL) again reassured Congressman Jones and other Members who represent coastal districts that the legislation would not encourage states to allow drilling off the coast of Eastern North Carolina, or in other areas now covered by a moratoria.