DEQ-CFW_00070229

RESOLUTION of the COLITAMUS COUNTY BOARD of COM SSIONERS
in SUPPORT of the RTADEN BLID s REGIONAI, ffWACE MLATER SYSTEM
iTEMEA.S, the Columbus County Board of Commissioners (the Board), finds that the availability of water
suitable for industrial use, irrigation and human consumption is ezntal to the econoruic well-being, of the region,
particularly as it relates to the growth of industry and agriculture, and the development of commercial and residential
properties; and
Wes+ REAS, the Board finds that the continued availability of s4oh water requires Management of long-range
sustainable water supply sources; and
WHEREAS, the Board fnds Matthe preservation afregional groundwater resources in Columbus County and
maxnuuding areas necessitates the evaluation of alternative water sources, including surface Nvatet; and
WHEREAS, the Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority (the Authority) is a non-profit public agency
organized under the provisions of the North Carolina Water and Sewer Authorities Act; and
WHEREAS, the Authority is authorized to construct and operate water' and sewer systems located within its
service area consisting of Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover and Pender Counties, and the City of
Wihningtnnn; and
WHEREAS, Colur it ns County is a member of the Authority, and
WEIFREAS, the Authority and Smithfield Packing Company, Incorporated (SPC) signed a Memorandum of
Vnderstaud ng, dated. Yummy 09, 2006, regarding the development; construction and operation of a raw water intake
behind Lock and Dam Number 2 on the Cape pear River, and a raw water storage resetivoir and a wager treatment plant
in Tar Neel, North Carolina, and with the possibility of additional capacity to serve the needs of regional, local
government and other industrial users (the Project); and
WI MAS, the name ofthe Project shall be the Bladen Bluffs Regional Surface Water System; and
WHEREAS, the Authority and SPC have negotiated and executed a Project Development Agreement (the
PDA) that specifies the rights and responsibilities ofboth parries with respect to the Project; and
VVMREA.S, pursuant to the PDA, the Authority is responsible for obtaining all approvals relating to the
construction and financing of the Project, including obtaining all required local, State and Federal, land -use,
environmental and other regulatory approvals and water rights; and
0
WHEREAS, the preparation of Environmental Assessment by the Authority and the issuance of a Finding of
Na significant Impact (FoNS.I) by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources is a.
prerequisite to the issuance of several required permits for the Project; and
WRE11EAS, the construction of the .project and use of surface water for water supply purposes will require
a reclasdfiication (the Reclassification) of a portion ofthe Cape Fear Rivas' from a Class "Cr surface water to a "WS-IV"
*ater supply classifications and
WHEREAS, thoReclassifcationmustbeapproved through mlemakingbytheNorthCarol nlEnviraumentat
Nfat`Q;a ent Commission; and
VABZREAS, the Authority has initiated work on the Project by awarding contracts for the preparation of the
Environmental Assessment and the Request for Raclsssiflcadon; and
WHEREAS, the Authority intends to submit the Environmental Assessment and the Request for
Reclassification for approval by appropriate State and Federal regulatory agencies,
NQW, THE19EV(?1t .RF, IT RESOL ( M, the Columbus County Board ofCommissiouers hereby endorses
the, Project and supports the issuance ofthe, regaIred.ragttlatoryapprovals, including the FCNSI andthe Reclassification;
and
DEQ-CFW 00070229

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Columbus County Board of Commissioners resolves to consider
pvrebasing water from the Authority upon completion of construction of the Project and in accordance with the W b?J
of mi oxecuted Treated Water Service Agreement.
.ADOPTED this the 2' day of October, 2006_
COLUAMUS COUNTY BOARD OF COMWSSIONERS
KIFLTNG DWIlK, Chairman
ATTESTED BY:
X 4" -
E B. BALL, Clerk to Board
DEQ-CFW 00070230