The Golden LEAF Board of Directors approved more than $7.9 million for 30 recovery and mitigation projects resulting from Hurricanes Matthew, Florence, and Dorian.
"During Hurricane Dorian in Elizabeth City, six pump stations were submerged due to inflow and infiltration of storm water into the sanitary sewer system," said Golden LEAF in a news release. "As a result, the wastewater treatment plant experienced flows more than two times greater than capacity and exceeded capacity for several days after the storm had passed. Hurricane Matthew resulted in seven submerged pump stations and wastewater treatment plant flows nearly three times greater than capacity. These overflows caused public health risks with contaminated water."
The funding will remedy nine pump stations and increase the city's resiliency against future heavy rain events, according to Jon Hawley, Grants Administrator for the City of Elizabeth City.
According to WNCT9, the awards also include: a healthcare project to create jobs in a rural county; an agriculture research project; a program to provide leadership development and internship opportunities for more than 300 Golden LEAF scholarship recipients; and support for three workforce development programs.
Through Golden LEAF’s Open Grants Program, the Board of Directors awarded five projects totaling $531,220.
$100,000.00 was awarded to the Mount Olive Family Medicine Center, Inc. to support expansion of the family medical center and walk-in clinic. $76,500 awarded to North Carolina State University to establish a site to research effective measures to control the guava root-knot nematode, which threatens North Carolina’s sweet potato industry and farming communities. $354,720 was awarded to support three workforce training projects benefiting Brunswick, Jackson, Macon, Martin, and Swain counties.
The Board also approved 13 projects totaling nearly $9 million to support recovery from Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, reported WNCT9.
These projects support repair or replacement of infrastructure or equipment, as well as construction of new infrastructure for hazard mitigation in Beaufort, Craven, Harnett, New Hanover, Onslow, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, and Wayne counties.
The Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $1.8 million to the Center for Creative Leadership for its eleventh year of the Golden LEAF Scholars Leadership Program, reported WNCT9. The program provides more than 300 Golden LEAF scholarship recipients two leadership development conferences, coaching, and a paid summer work experience in a rural county.
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