DEQ-CFW_00070225

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Cumberland County Board of Commissioners
Resolution of Support
For the Bladen Bluffs Regional Surface Water System
Whereas, the Board of Commissioners of Cumberland County (the Board) finds
that the availability of water suitable for industrial use, irrigation, and human
consumption is instrumental to the economic well-being of Cumberland County,
particularly as it relates to the growth of industry and agriculture, and the development of
commercial and residential properties; and
Whereas, the Board finds that the continued availability of adequate water
resources will be promoted by the management of long-range sustainable water supplies;
and
Whereas, the Board finds that the preservation of the regional groundwater
resources supplying Cumberland and surrounding Counties will be enhanced by the
development of alternative water sources, including surface waters; and
Whereas, the Lower Cape Fear Water & Sewer Authority (the Authority) is a non-
profit public agency organized under the provisions of the North Carolina Water and
Sewer Authorities Act to construct and operate water and sewer systems in Bladen,
Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover and Pender Counties and the City of Wilmington;
and
Whereas, the Authority and Smithfield Packing Company, Inc., (Smithfield) have
entered into a Memorandum of Understanding dated January 9, 2006, with respect to the
terms, conditions and important elements regarding the development, construction and
operation of an up to 35 million gallons per day raw water intake located behind Lock
and Dam Number 2 on the Cape Fear River and a raw water storage reservoir and a water
treatment plant to meet the needs of Smithfield's facility located in Tarheel, North
Carolina, with the possibility of additional capacity to serve the needs of regional, local
government and other industrial users (the Project); and
Whereas, the name of the Project shall be the Bladen Bluffs Regional Surface
Water System; and
Whereas, the Authority has determined and reported that the Project will diminish
the demand for groundwater which, in turn, will allow the recharge of regional aquifers,
thereby increasing groundwater storage volume and improving its quality by reducing the
intrusion of salt water; and
Whereas, the construction of the Project and the use of the surface water will
require a reclassification of a portion of the Cape Fear River from a Class "C" surface
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water to a "WS-IV" water supply classification (the Reclassification), including
approximately 18,000 acres in southern Cumberland County; and
Whereas, the Reclassification must be approved through rulemaking by the North
Carolina Environmental Management Commission; and
Whereas, the Authority must prepare an Environmental Assessment and the North
Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources must issue a Finding of No
Significant Impact as a prerequisite to permitting the Project; and
Whereas, the Authority has asked the Board to adopt a resolution endorsing the
Project, the Reclassification and the required regulatory approvals.
Now therefore be it resolved, that the Board of Commissioners of Cumberland
County hereby endorses the Project, without objection to the necessary reclassification of
that portion of the Cape Fear River basin within the county's jurisdiction, subject to the
conditions that:
(1) The Project is developed incident to a plan for the development of sustainable
water sources satisfactory to and approved by the Division of Water Resources
as contemplated by the Cooperative Agreement between the Environmental
Management Commission, the Division of Water Resources, and the Lumber
River Council of Governments dated October 14, 2004.
(2) The long-term impacts of the Project in conjunction with existing and planned
surface water use from the entire Cape Fear River Basin be fully considered by
the appropriate regulatory agencies.
(3) The Authority shall keep Cumberland County informed of the filing of all
permit applications, agencies' requests for written comments, public hearings,
and regulatory hearings conducted incident to the permitting process.
Adopted this 4th day of December, 2006.
Cumberland County Board of Commissioners
By:
Kenneth S. Edge, Chairman,**'
DEQ-CFW 00070226