Laura Marie Davis
Name as it appears on the ballot: Laura Marie Davis
Campaign website: www.DavisforDurham.com
Phone number: 513-607-9298
Email: lauramariedavis1@gmail.com
Years lived in the district: 3
1. Why are you running for the position of soil and water conservation district supervisor? In your answer, please explain your understanding of the role and why it is important.
I’m running for the position of Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Supervisor because I want to ensure that all Durham residents have access to conservation resources and education. As an environmental scientist with a specialization in community engagement I am exceptionally well-suited for the role of SWCD Supervisor. The role of SWCD Supervisor is to provide support and direction to the SWCD staff, primarily for administering grant funding for conservation projects, but also for public programs and maintaining relationships with key partners across other City, County, and community Boards. If elected, I look forward to sharing my professional expertise in community-based environmental management to expand the capacity of our Soil & Water Conservation District.
2. What are the three most pressing natural resources issues in the county? How do you plan to address these issues? Please be specific.
Within the realm of the Soil and Water Conservation District’s work, I believe the three most pressing natural resource issues in the County are:
- Sedimentation, or erosion of soil into our waterways, specifically from agriculture. This issue is already being addressed with the District’s Agricultural Cost-Share Program that assists farmers with the installation of best management practices for reducing soil erosion. I would advocate for increased funding for our District’s cost-share programs so that we can provide more assistance to our local farmers and install more conservation practices across the County.
- Sedimentation specifically from urban and suburban development. I list this is a separate issue because addressing the impacts of development requires a different approach. To incentivize developers to install conservation practices, we need to work with our local Planners and Engineers to improve the environmental requirements in our planning and development ordinances. As a District Supervisor, I will ensure that we are collaborating with other City and County Boards (such as the Environmental Affairs Board) to promote best practices in our planning and development ordinances.
- Access to green space. As the Durham community continues to grow and develop rapidly, we need to prioritize the equitable preservation of green space. That means making sure that all Durham residents have access to healthy parks, streams, gardens, and trails. As a Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor I would prioritize conservation projects that protect access to green space in neighborhoods with the highest rates of development. I would also like to partner with community development organizations to improve our District’s public outreach and ensure that all residents have access to the grants and technical assistance that the District provides.
3. Identify examples of how the district can best balance agricultural/rural and urban interests in regards to soil and water conservation.
Our District already provides funding and technical support for a variety of programs that are designed to serve the interests of both rural and urban communities. To continue making sure that these interests are balanced, the District should continue to fund a variety of programs, including those focused on agricultural development and community conservation. Another good practice for maintaining this balance would be to put out a survey asking residents to describe their local conservation concerns, to ensure that different interests are fully understood and addressed.
4. What funding issues are facing the Soil and Water Conservation District? How would you ensure the district receives full funding? Are there alternative funding sources the district could explore? If so, what are they?
Our District’s exceptionally successful cost-share programs are primarily funded by allocations of State & Federal funding. To ensure that we continue to receive full funding, I would engage the recipients of our District’s grants and cost-share programs to advocate on behalf of our District to demonstrate the impact and need for funding to State decision makers. There are also alternative sources of funding available through outside grant programs, which our District already takes advantage of where possible. As a Supervisor I would provide additional capacity for our District Staff in seeking these additional sources of funding and assistance with grant writing.
5. Many residents don’t know what the Soil and Water Conservation District actually does. In what ways would you reach out to residents to educate them on the issues facing the county and the district’s efforts?
Education and outreach should be focused on the needs of the community; I would work with our Soil & Water Conservation District staff to rephrase the information on the District’s website and pamphlets to explain how soil and water conservation is relevant to individuals. I would use the examples of conservation projects that our District has installed for local schools and neighborhoods to talk about how erosion affects water quality at a local level,
To broaden the reach of our District’s public education, I would partner with neighborhood associations and community organizations to provide information where and when it is most convenient for residents. I would also ensure that the District’s information is accessible to as many people as possible by making the District’s website and written materials available in Spanish.
6. What is the district’s role in making sure residents’ water–including those people who use wells―is safe to drink? What role, if any, should the district play in safeguarding the local water supply from emerging contaminants?
Our Soil & Water Conservation District installs conservation projects throughout our watersheds to protect water quality for all residents. However, it is the County Health Department who provides well water testing. The role of safeguarding our local drinking water supply is a broad responsibility shared by many City and County Departments. As a District Supervisor, I would dedicate time to maintaining regular communication and collaboration with these different Departments to ensure that we are sharing resources, not duplicating efforts, and that all Durham County residents have easy access to the resources they need to maintain a healthy environment for themselves and the community.
7. From a standpoint of conservation and the protection of natural resources, what steps should be taken in developing the Durham-Orange Light Rail line and Wake commuter rail?
All development projects should make it a priority to mitigate environmental impacts, specifically minimizing soil erosion and controlling stormwater runoff, both in the final project design and throughout the construction process. Our Soil and Water Conservation District can provide technical support to ensure that the design and construction of projects like the Light Rail and commuter rail include best practices for minimizing these impacts.
I also believe that environmental equity should be prioritized throughout design & construction to ensure that environmental benefits (such as access to planned green space) are made equally accessible to all communities, and that environmental impacts (such as soil erosion or uncontrolled runoff) are not disproportionately affecting low-income communities or communities of color.
