Agenda - 08-05-1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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REPORT: WATERSHED PROTECTION: PROCEDURES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ORANGE COUNTY E � 4 4 4;10) '-IIL4 4 COR] A. THE STATE MANDATE on June 23, 1989, the North Carolina General Assembly passed the Water SuRRly Watershed Protection Act (also known as House Bill 156). The legislation is significant because it represents the first successful measure to protect local water supplies on a statewide level in North Carolina. The purpose of the act, as stated in the opening paragraph, is: In summary, the act calls for a cooperative planning effort from the EMC and local governments across the state in several areas, with different duties to both. The EMC (with the NC Division of Environmental Management (DEM) as its staff) is the State's appointed board on environmental and resource protection. Its charge in this process is to: • Develop and adopt watershed protection minimum rules, classifications, and standards; and • Classify each water supply watershed across the state into categories consistent with these rules. To assist in this process, the EMC requested that each jurisdiction complete a watershed data form - containing basic data and local government - requested classification based on the data available and knowledge of future intent. The charge to all local governments with jurisdiction over a water supply watershed is to: • Develop and adopt watershed protection programs and ordinances that provide for maintenance, inspection and enforcement. Model ordinances will be provided by the EMC to local governments to assist in developing these programs. • Failure to do so will result in the EMC's assumption of responsibility for watershed protection and the right to 1