Board authorizes $75,000 local match for Lake Gaston hydrilla treatment after DEQ delegation

Halifax County commissioners voted to provide a $75,000 local match and authorized the county manager to execute a grant agreement with Lake Gaston Weed Control after receiving a formal delegation of authority from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to participate in hydrilla control.

County Attorney Tony Rollins reported that Secretary of DEQ issued a delegation letter authorizing Halifax County’s participation in the hydrilla-treatment program under the Aquatic Weed Control Act and that DEQ has awarded Lake Gaston Weed Control a state grant for hydrilla treatment. The DEQ grant requires a local match; Rollins and staff recommended the county provide up to $75,000 and to fund the match from contingency pending budget amendment.

Commissioners discussed the scope of the overall planned program, which staff said includes a $150,000 treatment budget in this phase (DEQ $75,000 + local $75,000) and larger program costs described by lake stakeholders. The county approved a motion to have staff execute the grant agreement and to amend the county budget to transfer $75,000 from contingency to the appropriate grant project account.

The board also noted that requests from neighboring counties and local stakeholders for larger county contributions (for example, historical requests for $116,000 per county) exceed the legal authorities staff said the county has to spend property-tax revenues for those purposes. Rollins said counties may participate only as authorized by DEQ delegation and by using appropriate funding sources; the board limited action to the $75,000 match authorized at the meeting.

The motion passed unanimously.