Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
1~ <br />4. There is very little agriculture in the New Hope Creek basin. <br />a. While this portion of the County is rural, this will greatly limit <br />the ability to achieve percentage-based reductions for <br />agriculture. <br />5. Existing development may have lower loading rates than new <br />development. <br />a. The rules as proposed may unintentionally require existing <br />development to have lower loading rates than new <br />development. Under the proposed rules, new development <br />will have the option of paying cone-time offset fee in lieu of <br />reducing nutrient loading on-site. This potentially means that <br />new development will have higher actual loading rates. <br />6. Burden of cost falls on local governments. <br />a. If the rules are implemented, local government will be asked <br />to shoulder the brunt of what may approach a $1 billion price <br />tag for the nutrient strategy. <br />b. Since the water issues in Jordan Lake are not new in terms of <br />real or expected results, it would be critical to have State <br />funding assistance to help local governments address these <br />measures. <br />c. The current state of Jordan Lake water quality is markedly <br />similar to predictions made over 30 years ago by a variety of <br />experts, and it is as much a regional and statewide issue as a <br />local issue. <br />7. Local governments need added flexibility in meeting requirements. <br />a. More flexibility for local governments to participate in buy <br />down opportunities (with EEP) would help local governments <br />achieve the rules. <br />b. The proposed rules allow for a trading program. However, <br />more time is needed for the stakeholders to assess whether a <br />trading program will be feasible. While trading scenarios with <br />partner jurisdictions appear to have merit, the current <br />targeted watershed study is not complete. <br />