GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1383*

Short Title:  Cape Fear River Basin Research Funds.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives Hurley; Kinney, McAllister, Morris, Warner, and Yongue.

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Referred to:  Appropriations.

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April 29, 1999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR DATA COLLECTION, RESTORATION EFFORTS, RESEARCH, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION REGARDING THE CAPE FEAR RIVER BASIN.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Cape Fear River Assembly, Inc., the sum of one million one hundred sixty-two thousand dollars ($1,162,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and the sum of one million one hundred sixty-two thousand dollars ($1,162,000) for the 2000-2001 fiscal year to conduct comprehensive investigations throughout the lower, middle, and upper portions of the Cape Fear River Basin to obtain critical information regarding water quality and biological and watershed characteristics not presently available.  To this end, the funds appropriated by this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	$190,000 for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and $190,000 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year shall be used to examine benthic communities basinwide to establish the spatial and temporal characteristics of these communities and the river conditions affecting these communities.
(2)	$200,000 for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and $200,000 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year shall be used for continuous monitoring to establish relationships between river flow (tides in the lower basin) and pollutant loading throughout the Cape Fear River Basin.
(3)	$180,000 for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and $180,000 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year shall be used to examine the pattern and extent of metal traces in the Cape Fear River Basin and to study the transport and effects of these metals within the waterways of the Cape Fear River.
(4)	$48,000 for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and $48,000 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year shall be used to investigate the potential environmental and health effects of pollution carried into the Atlantic by the fast-moving Cape Fear River as it is washed back into nearby beach areas.
(5)	$225,000 for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and $225,000 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year shall be used to examine the various natural and anthropogenic sources of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) throughout the Cape Fear River Basin.
(6)	$244,000 for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and $244,000 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year shall be used to examine the cause and effect relationships between water quality parameter variances and the types and productivity of suspended algae in the Cape Fear River Basin.
(7)	$75,000 for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and $75,000 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year shall be used to conduct water quality monitoring beyond the monitoring required of coalitions of dischargers, in order to characterize nonpoint source impacts and natural conditions.
Section 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Cape Fear River Assembly, Inc., the sum of three hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($325,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and the sum of three hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($325,000) for the 2000-2001 fiscal year to develop an integrated, comprehensive plan for restoration projects that can be funded in the future through other funding sources.  The funds appropriated by this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	$125,000 for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and $125,000 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year shall be used to develop enhanced land-use information for the Cape Fear River Basin, to map riparian buffer areas as part of restoration or protection efforts, and to enhance data available from State agencies.  These data shall be available to various groups and State agencies interested in watershed management activities in the Cape Fear River Basin.
(2)	$50,000 for each of the eight subbasins in the Cape Fear River Basin for the 1999-2000 fiscal year, for a total of $200,000, and $50,000 for each of these eight subbasins for the 2000-2001 fiscal year, for a total of $200,000, shall be used to target specific watersheds for restoration efforts using available GIS information and additional available water quality or biological data, to assess stream habitat and riparian areas, and to classify stream channels.
Section 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Cape Fear River Assembly, Inc., the sum of three hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($375,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and the sum of three hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($375,000) for the 2000-2001 fiscal year to develop water quality modeling tools for various portions of the Cape Fear River Basin, to include estuarine modeling for assimilative capacity, mainstem modeling for nutrient and sediment transport and assimilative capacity, water supply reservoir modeling for nutrient and sediment transport and assimilative capacity, and watershed modeling for nutrients and sediment.
Section 4.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Cape Fear River Assembly, Inc., the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the 2000-2001 fiscal year to be used to inform the public regarding watershed assessment and management efforts in the Cape Fear River Basin and to develop methods through which citizen groups can be involved in various monitoring and education activities.  The funds appropriated by this section shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	$100,000 for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and $100,000 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year shall be used to develop an information and education program for youth and adult audiences throughout the Cape Fear River Basin, to include quarterly conferences, monthly newsletters, and an interactive web page.
(2)	$50,000 for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and $50,000 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year shall be used to provide organizational support for basinwide monitoring and education activities and to support integration and coordination of existing as well as future efforts.
Section 5.  The Cape Fear River Assembly, Inc., may enter into contracts for the data collection, restoration efforts, research, or public education regarding the Cape Fear River Basin funded by this act.
Section 6.  The Cape Fear River Assembly, Inc., shall report by October 1, 1999, and quarterly thereafter to the Environmental Review Commission and the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations on the use of any funds appropriated under this act.   
Section 7.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1999.