A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require the Environmental ReVIEW Commission to conduct a study of water resources availability in the Cape Fear River Basin.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Environmental Review Commission, with the assistance of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, shall study the aggregate uses of groundwater and surface water in or affecting the Cape Fear River Basin by all users, including, but not limited to, public water systems, industrial facilities, and agricultural operations. The study will include all of the following elements: (i) a summary of the current and 50‑year projected water‑use demands along with the available water supplies for those portions of Alamance, Bladen, Brunswick, Caswell, Chatham, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, Durham, Guilford, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Moore, New Hanover, Onslow, Orange, Pender, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Sampson, Scotland, and Wake counties within the Cape Fear River Basin; (ii) an evaluation of the adequacy of currently available supplies to meet the expected long‑term needs for all water demands, including the identification of those areas of the basin that do not have a sustainable long‑term water supply for the anticipated growth of that area; (iii) the identification of potential conflicts among the various users and recommendations for developing and enhancing coordination among users and groups of users in order to avoid or minimize those conflicts; and (iv) an enhanced review of the portions of the Cape Fear River Basin within Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender counties addressing the increased demands on groundwater and limited surface water options in that area.
The findings of the study will be included within the Department's Cape Fear River Basin Plan. All the information and any analytical tools, such as models, employed in the conduct of the study will be made available electronically for public review and use from the Web site of the Department's Division of Water Resources.
The Environmental Review Commission may submit an interim report to the 2016 Regular Session of the 2015 General Assembly and shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations, including any legislative proposals, to the 2017 General Assembly.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.