Agenda - 11-02-2006-7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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ATTACHMENT 2 Upper Neuse River Basin Association n January 17, 2006 Mr. William Ross, Secretary NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources 1601 Maii Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1601 Subject: Stakeholder Process for the Falls Lake Nutrient Management Strategy Dear Secretary Ross: We are writing you because we are concerned about the limited amount of stakeholder involvement in the development of a nutrient management strategy for the Falls Lake Watershed. We understand that any stakeholder involvement in this process may be limited to that which is required by law: a public hearing of proposed rules prior to their adoption by the Environmental Management Commission. We understand that the Division of Water Quality has limited staff to support such a process, but a practical, feasible nutrient management strategy for Falls Lake would be achieved most effectively through an open, inclusive stakeholder process on par with that which occurred for developing the Jordan Lake nutrient management strategy. As you well know, to have the full cooperation of the communities involved, the nutrient management strategy must be sound, practical and achievable. This is in the interest of both NCDENR, which is responsible for.overseeing water quality standards statewide, and the local governments in the basin that will ultimately be responsible for implementing the nutrient management strategy. If our citizens do not understand the strategy, were not a part of developing it, and wonder if implementing it will make a difference, then the strategy will fail. The extent of the public's involvement in the DWQ's current work on Falls Lake is a Technical Advisory Committee (a handful of technical experts from local governments) for developing the nutrient response and watershed models, and a couple of meetings at which DWQ staff imparted information. Once the models are completed, stakeholder participation would be limited to the public hearing required by the rulemaking process. We are concerned that this would be a recipe for failure, which would not be good for Falls Lake. The UNRBA recognizes the challenge that you face in funding projects to meet water quality standards. The local governments face similar funding challenges. We propose a state-local partnership to meet this challenge. We ask you to commit to working with the UNRBA to fmd a source of funding for a robust and comprehensive stakeholder process for the Falls Lake nutrient management strategy development. Sydney Miller (Triangle J Council of Governments) and Chris Dreps (1-TNRBA Coordinator) are actively working to fmd such sources. Unfortunately, fmding a source of funding is difficult because Falls Lake is in a "grey area." The Lake is not listed as impaired, yet the DWQ has launched a process with the explicit purpose of determining assimilative capacity and loading limits. Therefore, Falls Lake does not qualify for many sources of federal funding. The UNRBA is already working with the invaluable support of NCDENR to improve management of the Falls Lake Basin. The Upper Neuse Watershed Management Plan recommends 19 watershed management strategies for protecting water quality and aquatic habitat. Among the recommendations are strategies to reduce nutrient loading from newly developed sites, detailed watershed restoration plans for the most PO Box 12276 RTt', NC 27709 Ph (919) 558-2702 Fix (919) 549-9390