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WATERSHED PROTECTION: PROCEDURES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ORANGE COUNTY <br />ADDENDUM <br />A number of actions or interpretations relating to the Water Supply <br />Watershed Protection Act (WSWPA) have occurred since the completion <br />of the Planning Department report on July 15. The purpose of this <br />addendum is to provide an overview of each item, identifying <br />potential problems or implications for the County. <br />These items can be grouped into three areas: <br />1. LEGISLATION DELAYING ENACTION OF WSWPA <br />The background section of the watershed report mentions two bills <br />that were pending in the General Assembly at the time of the <br />report. Both bills were enacted shortly thereafter, and a <br />legislative conference committee merged the language in both bills <br />into one version. The effect of this legislation is to delay the <br />two actions mandated by the WSWPA. <br />The first action to occur was the EMC's classification of all water <br />supply watersheds in the state. Preliminary classifications were <br />presented by DEM in late May, and the current round of public <br />hearings across the state are in part to receive public comment on <br />these rankings. This action was to have occurred by January 1, <br />1992. <br />The adopted legislation now provides that the EMC shall have <br />adopted final classifications on all water supply watersheds by <br />July 1, 1992, a delay of six months. <br />The subsequent action in this process is the submittal by local <br />governments of adopted water supply watershed protection plans. <br />These plans must, at a minimum, meet the provisions of the EMC <br />rules and standards for the watershed classification adopted. Prior <br />to the legislative delays, this action was to have occurred by July <br />1, 1992. <br />The new legislation now provides that local governments shall <br />submit watershed protection plans to the EMC on a staggered basis, <br />with three local government categories. <br />All municipalities over 5,000 persons ... By July 1, 1993. <br />All municipalities under 5,000 persons..Bv October 1, 1993. <br />This in effect means that Orange County has an extension of 18 <br />