Agenda - 03-12-2013 - 2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 12, 2013 Action Agenda Item No. 2 SUBJECT: Upper Neuse River Basin Association /Falls Lake Watershed Rules DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation (DEAPR) ATTACHMENT(S): A. Falls Lake Watershed Map B. List of Recommended Future Monitoring Studies C. The Consensus Principles D. UNRBA Funding Spreadsheets PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 245 -2510 Tom Davis, 245 -2510 Gail Hughes, 245 -2753 1 PURPOSE: To inform the Board of current and planned activities of the Upper Neuse River Basin Association ( UNRBA). BACKGROUND: The Falls Lake Nutrient Management Strategy (Falls Lake Rules) became effective in January 2011. These rules require significant reductions in the amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus entering Falls Lake from sources in the watershed including agriculture, wastewater treatment plants, State and Federal facilities, and existing and future development (Attachment A). Compliance with these rules is projected to be extremely expensive, with the majority of the expense anticipated to be borne by local governments in the Falls Lake watershed, mainly to comply with the regulations involving wastewater treatment plants and existing development (urban stormwater). Considerable expenditures will be needed during Stage II of the nutrient reduction process (2021 -2036) to meet the overall reduction goals established in the rules — 40% reduction in nitrogen and 77% reduction in phosphorus runoff. The members of the UNRBA, including Orange County, remain committed to the protection of the Falls Lake water supply for the City of Raleigh. However, the fiscal analysis prepared by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (DWQ) during the development of the Falls Lake Rules estimated the total cost to comply with the rules as written would be approximately $1.5 billion dollars.