drought

I'm not a gambling kind of guy, but if I were, I'd bet that the odds of North Carolina running into these kinds of problems are pretty darn good. If such a scenario had a fifty percent likelihood of unfolding in America's 50 year future, or more specifically, in North Carolina's fifty-year future, what actions would be appropriate for government to take? Cross your fingers and hope the free market will "eventually" succeed? Impose regulations that limit high-consumption uses of water? Pray for rain? Institute the North Carolina Water Lottery? I wonder what the Puppets would say?

North Carolina is the only state in the country where every part of the state is in a designated Drought condition. Even if you’ve been living under a rock and have missed the media attention you can’t have failed to notice the drying earth beneath you.

A community forum on water challenges in Wake County
Sat., February 23rd, 9:30 am - noon
NCSU's McKimmon Center, Gorman Street, Raleigh

If the fall weather has you thinking the drought in North Carolina has run its course, think again. Here in the Triangle, we are now officially approaching what any sane person would call "dire straits." The NC Conservation Network has a good report out today:

North Carolina is in the midst of a serious drought with over 56.6% of the state classified as exceptional drought—the worst level there is. Making small changes in your daily water consumption can help but there are other things our state can be doing to better prepare for water shortages. We are urging state leaders to:

1. Set statewide water use efficiency standards,
2. Require local governments to consider water availability before approving new development; and
3. Replace our outdated water rules with a comprehensive law that meets the state’s current needs.

Photo from N&O story.

At least they tried to . . .

Republican Congressmen Patrick McHenry, Virginia Foxx, and Sue Myrick refused to sign a letter to help North Carolina farmers get federal disaster assistance, the Winston-Salem Journal reports.

A bipartisan coalition of 10 of North Carolina’s 13 congressional members wrote a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. and House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, asking for help.

The letter comes as the state’s soybean, peanut, and Irish potato production are down by 31, 21, and 15 percent, respectively, from last year.

"This is not a partisan problem, and both parties’ leaderships need to be aware of the severity of the problem," Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-7th, told the Winston-Salem Journal.

McIntyre spearheaded the effort.

But Republican obstructionists McHenry, Foxx, and Myrick all allowed partisanship to get in the way of helping their constituents.

Gov. Mike Easley announced today he will ask the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for a federal disaster declaration for farmers whose crops and livestock are suffering from the ongoing drought. The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the U.S. Farm Service Agency have nearly completed a statewide survey of crop loss data from farmers to determine which counties to include in a federal disaster request.

“Early indications are that more than 90 counties may meet the criteria for federal disaster assistance,” Easley said. “Our farmers need our help, and since we cannot make it rain, we will do everything we can to provide them some financial assistance.”

Once the crop loss information is certified by Farm Service Agency, the governor will send a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture asking for federal disaster aid for those farmers in counties that have at least one covered crop with 30 percent or greater reduction in normal yield. If it is approved, a federal declaration will make low interest Emergency Disaster Loans available to farmers who cannot get credit elsewhere.