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54 <br />�occ &*j <br />Charles L. Baker, Chairman <br />N.C. Environmental Management Commission <br />PO Box 29535 <br />Raleigh, NC 27626 -0535 <br />RE: ORANGE COUNTY POSITION STATEMENT: <br />STATE WATER SUPPLY WATERSHED CLASSIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS <br />Over the past nine months, Orange County staff, advisory boards and <br />elected boards have been analyzing the adopted State rules for <br />protecting water supply watersheds in North Carolina. Substantial <br />data has been collected and reported, and thorough staff report of <br />watershed standards and implications has been presented. <br />As per tradition, Orange County held its own public hearing to <br />receive citizen comment on this matter of August 26, 1991. This and <br />further deliberation by the County's boards have been utilized to <br />prepare this position paper to be received as the official comment <br />of Orange County on the EMC's public hearing process closing <br />October 31, 1991. <br />Orange County contains part or all of 11 water supply watersheds, <br />more than any other county in the state. As such, careful thought <br />and deliberation has gone into the implications of these statewide <br />minimums. <br />This document contains requests and comments of two types. First <br />are specific requests for changes in the preliminary classification <br />for three of the County's watersheds. Second, a number of comments <br />and requests regarding the language and intent of the rules and <br />standards are also provided. <br />Orange County commends both the Environmental Management Commission <br />and the North Carolina Division of Environmental Management in its <br />diligence and hard work on this complex program. The concept of <br />statewide watershed protection minimums represents, in our opinion, <br />a positive step for protection of our vital water resources. <br />Orange County has been a leader in local governments in North <br />Carolina in watershed protection. Chronic water supply shortages in <br />this County during the 1960's and 1970's spotlighted attention on <br />water resources at an early date, and the creation of a Protected <br />Watershed and Water Quality Critical Area zoning district was among <br />the first efforts of this type in the state. <br />In this vein, Orange County offers its requests and comments on the <br />adopted State rules and preliminary watershed classifications as <br />follows: <br />z <br />