RALEIGH --  The state’s Clean Water Management Trust Fund will help conserve lands and protect waterways serving millions of North Carolinians through $20.1 million in grants awarded late last week to help fund 52 projects from the mountains to the coast.

“The Clean Water Management Trust Fund is an important tool for conserving our lands and waterways,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “These grants have been used in every North Carolina county to help protect clean drinking water and preserve vital natural and cultural resources for future generations.”

The funds will be used to protect 21,206 acres and over 90 miles of the state’s waterways, including western waterfalls, coastal habitats, historic battlefields, greenways and trails and buffers around military bases. Over 17,100 acres will be open to the public for hiking, birding and other recreational uses. Funds were also granted for eight projects to restore streams, rivers and estuaries, and two projects designed to introduce innovative techniques for managing stormwater. Grants awarded this week will help protect 115 rare plants, animals, and natural communities.

“The mission of the Clean Water Management Trust Fund – protecting our special natural and cultural areas – is critical to the economic sustainability of our state, helping to make North Carolina an attractive place to live, work and visit,” said Susi H. Hamilton, secretary of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.