Agenda - 05-19-1998 - 9h - Laserfiche WebLink

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UPPER NEUSE RIVER BASIN ASSOCIATION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE AND EXAMPLES OF EXPECTED BENEFITS TO THE ASSOCIATION'S MEMBERS (February, 1998) BACKGROUND FACTS ABOUT THE UPPER NEUSE RIVER BASINA_SSOCIATION Date Established: March 22, 1996 (By-laws approved) Geographical Area: 770-square mile watershed above the Falls Lake Dam (Figure 1) Organizational Partners: 14 Local Governments With Local Planning and Zoning Control County Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) (Table 1) Board of Directors: 14 Directors appointed to represent each organization partner with planning and zoning control; 1 Director appointed to represent all six SWCDs; Each partner also appoints one Alternate Director. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION The mission of the Upper Neuse River Basin Association is to preserve the water quality of the Upper Neuse River Basin through innovative and cost-effective strategies, and to constitute a forum to cooperate on water supply issues within the Upper Neuse River Basin by: 1. Forming a coalition of units of local government, public and private agencies, and other interested and affected communities, organizations, businesses, and individuals to secure and pool financial resources and expertise; 2. Collecting and analyzing information and data and developing, evaluating and implementing strategies to reduce, control and manage pollutant discharge and to manage water resources; and 3. Providing accurate technical, management, regulatory and legal recommendations regarding the implementation of strategies and appropriate effluent limitations on discharges into the upper portion of the Neuse River. SOlyIE ACCOitiIPLISHtii LENTS TO DATE 1. Building Strong Workin; Relationships/Developiny aTrue Local-State Partnership. The Association has evaluated the current framework under which the State makes water resources management decisions, and concluded that a stronger local and state partnership is needed to protect water resources. Following this evaluation, the Association developed a legislative proposal to establish a framework for cooperative local and state water resources planning and management in river basins and sub-basins. This proposal was introduced by local legislative delegates representing the Upper Neuse River Basin area, and was subsequently passed by the General Assembly and signed into law in September of 1997 (Senate Bill 114). Under the new law, a coalition of local governments may develop and implement coordinated water resources management plans as an alternative means of accomplishing water resource goals and objectives in a more cost-effective and environmentally-effective manner. The State Environmental Management Commission would have to approve the coalition's proposed management plan. LTNRBA Executive Summary (r98)