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8 <br /> Phosphorus in the Upper New Hope Arm, and 3.8 lbs/acre N and 1.43 <br /> lbs/acre P in the Haw Arm. The nutrient loading rates must be met for runoff <br /> leaving the new development. Specifically, new development also must control <br /> one inch of rainfall and the post-development runoff may not have a net increase <br /> over the pre-development runoff rate for the 1-year, 24-hour storm (which is <br /> about 3 inches of rain). Onsite methods to control stormwater may include non- <br /> structural controls (open space, stream buffers, etc.) as well as structural <br /> practices (bioretention, stormwater wetlands, stormwater ponds, etc.). <br /> Developers will be allowed to meet nutrient targets onsite, completely or only <br /> partially, and could then meet remaining nutrient reduction needs through <br /> payment-in-lieu to local governments or to the Ecosystem Enhancement <br /> Program (EEP) with a DWQ-approved "offset plan." Developers may also utilize <br /> private sellers for offsite reductions. Any such nutrient offsets must occur in the <br /> same watershed as the nutrient exceedance occurs. <br /> For single family residential development, the site must use onsite methods to <br /> reach 4 lbs/acre/year before the developer can use an offset or in-lieu payment <br /> to reach the watershed target. For commercial/industrial development, the site <br /> must use onsite methods to reach 8 lbs/acre/year before the developer can use <br /> an offset or in-lieu payment to reach the watershed target. <br /> These loading rates for new development would be administered by the local <br /> government, so the County will be required to ensure stormwater treatment to <br /> meet the target reduction rates, address flow control for stream protection, and <br /> provide for stream buffers. Where watershed protection rules exceed these rules, <br /> development would need to meet the more stringent set of rules. Stream buffer <br /> enforcement would be at the local level. <br /> The effective dates for the new rules have been adjusted on several occasions <br /> during the rule-making process. Based on the currently-planned July 2009 <br /> effective date, NCDWQ must submit a model local government program to the <br /> EMC within 18 months. (This model program will include a tool for developers to <br /> calculate nutrient loading resulting from site development plans, including the <br /> affects of utilizing different BMPs on stormwater runoff.) Once the model <br /> program is approved, within an additional six months, local governments must <br /> then submit plans for their stormwater management programs for NCDWQ <br /> review and approval to address new development. As several different steps <br /> must be completed by different agencies and commissions, creation of an exact <br /> timetable is not possible at this time, but local programs could be approved <br /> and implemented as soon as July 1, 2012, with annual reports from the local <br /> governments subsequently required. <br /> 6 <br />