Raleigh News & Observer Logo

Six lose jobs at state natural heritage office | Raleigh News & Observer

×
  • E-edition
    • Customer Service
    • Support
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Sponsorships
    • Stay connected
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Social Media Directory
    • N&O Store
    • Buy Photos
    • Databases
    • Archives
    • Newsletters

    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Health
    • Local
    • North Carolina
    • Nation/World
    • Science
    • Thumbs Up
    • Traffic
    • Weather
    • Weird News
    • All News
    • Counties
    • Durham County
    • Johnston County
    • Orange County
    • Wake County
    • All Sports
    • Baseball
    • Canes
    • College
    • Columns & Blogs
    • High Schools
    • NASCAR & Auto Racing
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • NHL
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Panthers
    • Soccer
    • Schools
    • Duke
    • East Carolina
    • NC State
    • North Carolina
    • All Politics
    • The North Carolina Influencer Series
    • State Politics
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • PolitiFact
    • PolitiFact NC
    • Rob Christensen
    • Under the Dome
    • All Business
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Health Care
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Shop Talk
    • Stocks Center
    • Technology
    • All Living
    • Video Now
    • Best-Kept Secrets
    • Blogs
    • Celebrations
    • Comics
    • Family
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Food
    • Games and Puzzles
    • Home and Garden
    • Horoscopes
    • Mouthful
    • Past Times
    • Pets
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Video Now
    • Arts News
    • ArtsNow
    • Books
    • Contests
    • Dining
    • Entertainment
    • Games
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Television
    • On the Beat
    • Happiness is a Warm TV
    • All Opinion
    • Columnists
    • Dwane Powell
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Letters
    • Opinion Shop Blog
    • Other Views
    • Submit a Letter
  • Obituaries

    • Advertise with us
    • Place Ad
    • Apartments
    • Cars
    • Homes
    • Jobs
    • Legals
    • Obits/In Memoriams
    • Weddings
    • Today's Daily Deal
    • Special Sections
    • Today's Circulars
    • Rewards
    • Photo Store
  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Legals

Under the Dome

Under the Dome

Six lose jobs at state natural heritage office

By Craig Jarvis - cjarvis@newsobserver.com

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 26, 2014 08:19 PM

The state office that inventories rare and endangered plants, animals and habitats took a big hit in the budget enacted last year. That plays out now into about one-third of the staff of the N.C. Natural Heritage program losing their jobs – five on Friday and a sixth at the end of March.

The North Carolina chapter of the Sierra Club is sounding the alarm bell, contending the downsizing will harm the economy as well as the environment. The program’s inventories are used in state and federal environmental reviews. The organization says it will also be a setback to land preservation efforts that rely on the program’s work.

But a spokesman at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which oversees the program, said its work will continue. It has been funded through a three-year grant from the Natural Heritage Trust Fund. Current funding from that grant is $1.5 million, but the legislature capped it at $750,000 beginning in July.

The General Assembly moved the approximately $10.5 million that was in the Natural Heritage Trust Fund into the Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Legislators also moved the real estate deed transfer tax, which helped fund the program with about $10.8 million a year, into the general fund. The sales of specialty license plates, which also helped fund the program, were transferred into the clean water fund.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Three of the six employees are eligible to retire, the spokesman said. A program supervisor, development consultant and four specialists are being let go.

  Comments  

Videos

‘Tuesdays with Tillis’ sings about the shutdown

Anita Earls officially joins the NC Supreme Court

View More Video

Trending Stories

John Harris warned his father about legal red flags involving Bladen operative

February 20, 2019 02:13 PM

Will former President Obama attend the Duke-UNC game? Here’s the latest buzz.

February 19, 2019 06:30 PM

Zion Williamson injured during Duke-UNC game after foot blows through shoe

February 20, 2019 09:53 PM

Hurricanes owner Dundon takes over new football league

February 19, 2019 08:43 AM

Transgender woman has asked to be moved from a men’s prison. So far, NC has said no.

February 20, 2019 01:42 PM

Read Next

Senate Democrats like Republican House Speaker Moore’s idea for a school construction bond
Video media Created with Sketch.

Politics & Government

Senate Democrats like Republican House Speaker Moore’s idea for a school construction bond

By Lynn Bonner

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 20, 2019 07:14 PM

NC Democrats praised House Speaker Tim Moore’s proposal for a school construction bond, but the Senate voted to pay for buildings using the state budget.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE UNDER THE DOME

John Harris warned his father about legal red flags involving Bladen operative

Politics & Government

John Harris warned his father about legal red flags involving Bladen operative

February 20, 2019 02:13 PM
‘Our world has changed’ – Eastern NC bands together to urge faster hurricane recovery

Politics & Government

‘Our world has changed’ – Eastern NC bands together to urge faster hurricane recovery

February 20, 2019 06:34 PM
Mark Harris’ son told his father ‘shady character’ in Bladen was collecting ballots

Politics & Government

Mark Harris’ son told his father ‘shady character’ in Bladen was collecting ballots

February 20, 2019 09:53 AM
Harris’ consultant denies knowing about illegal activities by Dowless during campaign

Politics & Government

Harris’ consultant denies knowing about illegal activities by Dowless during campaign

February 19, 2019 02:24 PM
State Health Plan changes could be good for state workers, bad for hospitals

Politics & Government

State Health Plan changes could be good for state workers, bad for hospitals

February 19, 2019 06:57 PM
‘Don’t go be a teacher’ is the attitude NC schools chief wants to change. Here’s how.

Politics & Government

‘Don’t go be a teacher’ is the attitude NC schools chief wants to change. Here’s how.

February 19, 2019 09:41 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Raleigh News & Observer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Triangletoday.com
  • Legal Notices
Advertising
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Our Ads
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • N&O Store
  • N&O Photos
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Report News
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use


Back to Story