Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Update: County Passes Stream Protection Measure


Last month, I mentioned an exciting piece of legislation that I've worked on, as a member of the County's Stormwater Committee, for some time: creating stream corridor protection zones in order to clean up our streams and rivers.

After two public hearings, the Commission unanimously agreed today to the legislation. This echoed a unanimous, bipartisan vote of the Stormwater Committee several months back.

Going forward, we will have in place "zones" that protect headwater streams that, when polluted with runoff and other materials, ultimately lead to the pollution of our major water corridors. (The EPA explains the issue well here -- including the photo above).

By reducing runoff and pollution into these headwater streams through the new "protection zones," we are taking a major step toward cleaning up our rivers, streams and water corridors.

Thanks to all those who helped bring about this important change. It was a great consensus-building process.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Well, good step - but, why not force the county and state to enforce the stream protection laws on the books now and pursue the "mitigation" green spaces that us citizens are entitled to now?

The county ground movement division has been refusing (for their "special" interests, ie Stone Creek) to enforce the state law since the USSC ruled that the Army Corp does not have jurisdiction to inspect, identify, and enforce "federal waterways" that our lovely, environmentally-conscience Supreme Court re-defined a couple years ago.
Despite stomping my feet for almost 2 years - the county still refuses to force enforcement of these basic stream protection laws against destructive development and thus pollution to our streams and major waterways.

I appreciate the interest and steps being taken - but why you're not just enforcing the law - I don't understand.

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