Orange County NC Website
5 <br /> 1 He said that the goal of the rules is to restore water quality throughout the lake and he <br /> 2 noted that DWQ modeling indicates significant reductions in nutrient runoff are needed to <br /> 3 restore the lake. Warmer colors on the map on slide 2 indicate greater impairment in the <br /> 4 Upper Lake than in the Lower Lake. <br /> 5 He said that it is anticipated to be very expensive to comply with rules as they are <br /> 6 currently written, and it is estimated that the cost will be greater than 1.5 billion dollars. <br /> 7 Referring to slide 3, he said that given the projected cost, as well as uncertainties with <br /> 8 the lake modeling completed by the Department of Water Quality (DWQ), the UNRBA has <br /> 9 embarked on a process called The Path Forward. This process will re-examine Stage II of the <br /> 10 Falls Lake Rules while preserving the lake as a water supply for the City of Raleigh. He said <br /> 11 Stage I I of the rules will be in effect from 2021 to 2036 and Stage I is in effect currently. He <br /> 12 said the Path Forward Process was conceived shortly after the Falls Lake Rules were finalized, <br /> 13 and the Process is outlined in the document titled The Consensus Principles, which is included <br /> 14 in the materials provided to the Board. <br /> 15 He said that the UNRBA hired a consultant in 2011 to initiate the Path Forward process. <br /> 16 He said this consultant has completed the 4 tasks outlined on slide 4 to provide information and <br /> 17 direction to the process of re-examining Stage 11 of the rules. The collection of more data will <br /> 18 mean fewer assumptions in the re-examination of the Lake. He said the rules stipulate that 3 <br /> 19 years of data must be submitted by 2020 to be considered in the re-examination of the Lake. <br /> 20 He said that UNRBA plans to begin monitoring in 2014, and dues and fees must be <br /> 21 increased to cover the cost of this work. He referenced the outline of these fees, shown in the <br /> 22 chart on slide 6, and noted that Orange County's share is $68,321. He said that $500,000 is <br /> 23 designated for Lake and Watershed monitoring and related activities during the next fiscal year. <br /> 24 He reviewed the expected achievements of the Path Forward Process, as outlined on <br /> 25 slide 7. He noted that The Consensus Principles, adopted by the BOCC in 2010, included the <br /> 26 following: "The affected local governments should share resources and assist with funding for <br /> 27 the examination of the Nutrient Management Strategy." <br /> 28 Commissioner Pelissier made reference to stage 2 in the packet, and she asked for <br /> 29 examples of some of the current best practices in use now. <br /> 30 Tom Davis said there are more BMPs in the urban areas than rural areas. He said the <br /> 31 process is to get DWQ to grant credits for certain BMPs, but this has not been done yet. He <br /> 32 gave the example of street sweeping in urban areas, and said there has been no credit <br /> 33 established for this. He said that one other urban project underway is the Efland Sewer <br /> 34 System, but there has been no credit established for switching a home from septic to sewer. <br /> 35 He said there are also a couple of projects underway in the rural areas and a long list of <br /> 36 potential agricultural BMPs. <br /> 37 Gail Hughes said that some of the examples for agricultural communities are: fencing, <br /> 38 livestock out of streams, additional buffer widths, and conservation tillage. She said that for <br /> 39 agricultural farms with no livestock, the buffers must be expanded much wider and this takes up <br /> 40 useable agricultural land. This is of great concern to the farmer or land owner. She said that <br /> 41 some things that urban areas get credit for, such as grass swells, exist in agricultural <br /> 42 communities as well, but are not credited. <br /> 43 Dave Stancil said another issue is that Orange County has done a lot over the years but, <br /> 44 many of these things don't count toward their phosphorous reduction. <br /> 45 <br /> 46 Commissioner McKee asked where the base year would be established. He also asked <br /> 47 if the base year would affect reductions. <br /> 48 Gail Hughes said 2006 is the farthest base year that can be referred back to. <br /> 49 Dave Stancil said anything prior to that year is lost and it does not count toward the <br /> 50 County's reduction. <br />