Agenda - 04-07-2009 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

4 elf, Orange County Environment & Resource Conservation `06--A Reverc Road / PO Rax 81,81- H91-SID0.1-oucri l 'n INC 272-I S ?I on c: (919) 24 D _12, '--'�590, Fa.-.\-: (91.9) ( )44 - DD51 TO: Laura Blackmon, County Manager FROM: David stanch, Environment and Resource Conservation Director DATE: March 30, 2009 RE: Jordan Lake Nutrient Management Rules - Position Statement This memorandum is designed to serve in a support or background capacity as the Board considers adopting a position statement on the' B. Everett Jordan Reservoir Nutrient Management Rules. As you know, the Board has received requests for support from different organizations and local governments, and there are several bills in the current session of the N.C. General Assembly that would discard the recommended rules. The B. Everett Jordan Reservoir Nutrient Management Rules were approved by the N.C. Environmental Management Commission (EMC) in late 2008, and are currently awaiting enaction into law by the N.C. General Assembly. Bills in opposition to the rules have been introduced in_ both the State House of Representatives and Sena . te. In brief, the rules address ' mechan isms to reduce nutrient loading in Jordan Lake. The basis for the rules is the federal Clean Water Act and the (long-anticipated) deterioration of Jordan Lake water due to algal growth from nutrients. Nutrient levels in the lake (primarily nitrogen a - nd phosphorus) have contributed to high levels of chlorophyll-a and algal growth, impacting water quality. There are two sub-watersheds with different planned rules and reduction standards. The Upper New Hope Arm of the lake (which includes the Rural Buffer, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, southern Durham, northeast Chatham and a portion of eastern Wake County) will be required to implement a 35% reduction in nitrogen loading and a 5% reduction in phosphorus loading to the lake. The Haw