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3 Renew all discharge permits in a river basin simultane- <br /> ously by 1999. <br /> Explanation: Renewing permits simultaneously allows <br /> the Division of Environmental Management to con- <br /> sider the total impact from all dischargers when deter- <br /> mining how much pollution each may release into the . <br /> basin. <br /> Consider the potential for long-term growth and its im- <br /> pacts when determining how a basin's assimilative capac- <br /> ity will be used <br /> ;;::. Explanation: Assimilative capacity is the ability of a <br /> river basin to safely absorb pollutants.Basinwide plan- <br /> ning should ensure that this capacity is used in a way <br /> that sustains long-term growth.However,planning for <br /> long-term growth also must consider how secondary <br /> impacts such as runoff from new roads will affect water <br /> quality. <br /> Improve the scientific models for understanding the es- <br /> ....:. ::•::,::::::::::::::::::-. «;;;.;; tuarine system, the effects of human activities on the <br /> system and the viability of alternative management strate- <br /> gies. <br /> Explanation: Scientists use models to understand how <br /> systems work. Models for the r tin Albemarle-Pamlico s <br /> ....... river basins need to be further developed to determine ..... ,., ,_. <br /> how much pollution can be safely released into the <br /> estuary, (ie., total maximum daily loads). This would <br /> ::... allow regulators to focus on the most critical sources <br /> of pollution, thereby reducing the cost of regulation, <br /> , <br /> monitoring and enforcement. Increased knowledge .... <br /> gained from models will help planners manage water <br /> resources to allow for future growth. <br /> 6 Continue long-term,comprehensive monitoring of water ' ' <br /> quality in the APES system, collecting data to assess gen- <br /> eral system health and target regional problems. <br /> Explanation: a t wi d <br /> On system-wide basis, water quality <br /> ter <br /> 9 ty <br /> .... monitoring allows managers to assess the effectiveness <br /> of management strategies. In addition, monitoring <br /> data maybe used to develop scientific models or other <br /> methods of evaluating water quality on a smaller scale. <br /> Continued monitoring also would assess long term <br /> trends. <br /> . 11 <br />