A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION COORDINATING COUNCIL TO IMPROVE THE MAPPING AND DIGITAL REPRESENTATION OF SURFACE WATERS IN NORTH CAROLINA, as recommended by the environmental review commission.
Whereas, existing State, local, and federal maps of streams and surface waters are outdated, inadequate, inaccurate, and inconsistent; and
Whereas, State, local, and federal agencies, private developers, and nonprofit conservation organizations use maps of streams and surface waters on a daily basis to make environmental and economic decisions concerning the location of schools, highways, wastewater facilities, stormwater facilities, industries, businesses, homes, greenways, hazard mitigation projects, and stream and wetland mitigation projects; and
Whereas, State, local, federal, and private agencies and organizations must frequently send staff or consultants to the field to identify the location of streams and surface waters; and
Whereas, up‑to‑date and accurate maps of surface waters made available to government agencies and the public over the Internet on NC OneMap would increase the productivity of, and reduce costs for, the public and private sectors; and
Whereas, NC OneMap is currently serving data over the Internet for 54 local governments and more local governments desire to participate; and
Whereas, the General Assembly has invested over $50,000,000 to update and improve the mapping and digital representation of floodplains that can be utilized to improve the mapping and digital representation of surface waters; and
Whereas, in Section 33.1 of S.L. 2004‑161, the General Assembly directed the Geographic Information Coordinating Council and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to develop and recommend a plan to improve the mapping and digital representation of surface waters in North Carolina to the General Assembly and the Environmental Review Commission; and
Whereas, the Geographic Information Coordinating Council established a Stream Mapping Working Group composed of State, local, and federal agencies to develop the plan; and
Whereas, the Stream Mapping Working Group determined user requirements, mapping specifications, implementation options, and developed a time line and a budget for stream mapping; and
Whereas, the Geographic Information Coordinating Council adopted the "Implementation Plan to Improve Mapping and Digital Representation of Surface Waters," at a cost of $16,236,500 over five years; Now, therefore,
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 sixteen million two hundred thirty‑six thousand five hundred dollars ($16,236,500) for the 2006‑2007 fiscal year to fund the Implementation Plan to Improve Mapping and Digital Representation of Surface Waters adopted by the Geographic Information Coordinating Council on 5 January 2005 and presented to the Environmental Review Commission on 13 January 2005.
SECTION 2.  The Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall make the mapping and digital representation of surface waters available to other State agencies and the public as soon as practicable over the Internet on NC OneMap.
SECTION 3.  The Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall seek funds from federal agencies, including, but not limited to, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States Environmental Protection Agency, United States Geological Survey, and United States Department of Agriculture to help fund the Implementation Plan to Improve Mapping and Digital Representation of Surface Waters.
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective 1 July 2006.