Agenda - 03-26-2009 - 4a2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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4a-6 AGENDA #4a2 OFFICE OF THE MANAGER 405 arti~ Lutl~e~ rig, ~ji. Blvd. ~hap~l dill, N ~7~t4-~~05 T'ele~ho~e ~9t9} 9G8~~743 F~~ ~919~ ~6~-~0~3 vvv.towt7of~ha~~ll~11~ afg ~eptenrzbez• ~ , ~~07 Dr. David H. Moreau, chair North Carolina Environmental iVlanagernent omission 16171VIai1 Service tenter Raleigh, N X769-1~~7 Mr, Rich Hannan DENR -~ Division of water duality, Planning section 1 G ~ 7 Mail e~~vice Center Ra,lcigh, ~N ~7~99-1 ~ 17 .~~: ~`ou o~ ~r~~~~ ~r~~ 5~~~~ ~..~~~~s acv ~~~ ~~o~as~~ ~~.~~~~~ ~~~~ ~ ~r~~s ~a~ ~~~ ~, ~~~~~~ ~Io~~v ~~~ ~o~~ ]dear Dr, Moreau and Mr. Hannan: Enclosed are can~.ents frarrl the Town of Chapel Hill staff regarding the proposed Nutrient 1Vlanaement Strategy Rules ~"Jordan Rules"} for the B. Everett Jordan Reservoir. fur comments and questions involve elements of the Jordan Rules that require further clarificationleplanation, requirements in the Jordan Rules that are contradictory andlor will impair the ability of local governments to achieve reasonable compliance, and issues that need farther consideration and study to assure that the most practical and effective approaches are implemented to reduce nutrient levels and algal blaon~s in the Reservoir. we strongly support the over-arching goals of ipraving the water quality of the B, Everett Jo~•dan Reservoir and ipro~ring the health of the streams f lowing to the reservoir. The Town of Chapel Hi11 has been a leader among local governments in supporting the goals of water quality protection as demonstrated through irnplen~entation of a number of environmental protection initiatives over the past qua~•ter centu.~{y. During this time, the Tawn Council and. staff have c~•eated and refined local development ordinances that reflect current scientific understanding of envlrol~nental processes, the latest engineering practices, and the in~pot•tance of environmental quality and protection as enaphasl~ed m the Town's Corrrprehensive Plan. e have involved the public at all levels of this process, from holding public hearings aiad receiving public comment, to sollclt~ng review and caminent by Town Boards and Comn~tsslons, we are concerned, however, that the Town's established and continuing pia-active environmental protection efforts have not been acknowledged in the process of devising methods far managing water• quality in Jordan Reservoir. This is especially e~rident in the selection of the baseline~s~ proposed for measuring compliat~ce with the rules, since the Town's initiatives prior to im.plc~nentation of the rules would x•eceive no credit, we believe that the contr•al of nutrients solely through the management of starmwater runoff and point source discharges will fail to significantly improve floe reservoir's water q~lality. e think