A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds to the department of environment and natural resources for regional councils of government to develop and implement a water RESOURCE management program.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources the sum of one million two hundred seventy‑five thousand dollars ($1,275,000) for fiscal year 2005‑2006 and the sum of one million two hundred seventy‑five thousand dollars ($1,275,000) for fiscal year 2006‑2007.  Of these funds, the sum of seventy‑five thousand dollars ($75,000) shall be allocated to each of the State's 17 regional councils of government.  These funds shall be used by each regional council of government to develop and implement a nonregulatory water resource management program through the voluntary cooperation of local governments, water users, other stakeholders, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
SECTION 2.  In developing and implementing the water resource management program, each regional council of government shall carry out a plan of work that may include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1)	Development of one or more multijurisdictional water resource management plans in cooperation with local governments and key water user stakeholders, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, based on the water resource needs, geographic and hydrologic features in the region, including both surface and groundwater resources as appropriate to the region.
(2)	Convening coalitions of local governments and major water users in the respective regions to set strategies for sustaining water resources necessary to support sound economic development.
(3)	Implementation of multijurisdictional projects and activities that address water quantity and water quality problems identified in water resource management plans.
(4)	Identification of opportunities for connections between water systems and wastewater system providers to achieve efficiencies and make systems more drought resistant.
SECTION 3.(a)  Funds appropriated by this act shall be paid by electronic transfer in two equal installments.  The first payment shall be made only after compliance with subdivision (b)(1) of this section, and the second payment shall be made only after compliance with subdivision (b)(2) of this section.
SECTION 3.(b)  Each regional council of government receiving funds under this act shall comply with the following requirements:
(1)	By September 1, 2005, the council shall present to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Fiscal Research Division, the council's annual plan of work, goals, objectives, and proposed expenditures.
(2)	By February 15, 2006, the council shall submit to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Fiscal Research Division, a report of the council's accomplishments and of the actual expenditures of funds appropriated by this act during the previous reporting period.
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2005.