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Mr. Everette <br /> Page 2 <br /> March 26, 1990 <br /> commercial development, hazardous material use and storage, <br /> septic system location, and erosion control. In addition, <br /> Orange County has the benefit of a very active local office <br /> of the Soil Conservation Service which works with farmers and <br /> dairymen to install and maintain a variety of agricultural <br /> best management practices. <br /> Over the years, Orange County has repeatedly <br /> demonstrated a willingness and a determination to take <br /> whatever measures are required to protect the environment in <br /> general and water supplies in particular. The County <br /> governmental departments for planning and environment health <br /> have maintained a well deserved reputation for being on the <br /> cutting edge of environmental protection and management. At <br /> the present time, the County and its water supply as <br /> represented by the Seven Mile Creek watershed are threatened <br /> by the potential adverse impact represented by the proposed <br /> widening of Interstate 85. A two mile long section of 1-85 <br /> lies within the water quality critical area on the northern <br /> side of Seven Mile Creek. The widening of the interstate <br /> will more than double the impervious surface of the roadway <br /> and will probably generate addition overall quantities of <br /> pollutant attributable to automobile traffic. The additional <br /> quantities of stormwater runoff created by the additional <br /> impervious surface will insure that an even higher percentage <br /> of this pollutant will reach the water supply. There will <br /> also be addition development pressure on this section of <br /> roadway as this area develops into an even more heavily used <br /> transportation corridor. The N.C. Department of <br /> Transportation did perform an Environmental Impact <br /> Assessment for the proposed widening of the interstate, <br /> but arrived at a "Finding of No Significant Impact". This <br /> FONSI was possible, in part because Seven Mile Creek is <br /> classified as a WS-III water supply with low quality <br /> waters. It is Orange County's contention that the existing <br /> County regulatory watershed protection measures, the lack of <br /> point source discharges within the watershed and the <br /> sparseness of habitation and development within the watershed <br /> should entitle the watershed to a higher water supply <br /> watershed classification and additional state regulatory <br /> protection measures required to ensure the continuing quality <br /> of the waters. Orange County is seeking DEM's assistance, by <br /> means of a higher water supply watershed classification, in <br /> convincing NCDOT to provide Best Management Practices that <br /> are adequate to protect the water quality in Seven Mile <br /> Creek. Orange County is aware of the present effort by the <br /> EMC and DEM to upgrade the standards for water supply <br /> watersheds and supports this effort as evidenced in our <br />