Wendell News Outlet

Dear Friends,

In recent years, increased stormwater contamination and point source discharges have contributed increasingly high levels of bacteria and nutrients, threatening to ruin the health and beauty of the Falls Lake State Recreation Area and Water Supply Reservoir. Today, the Lake is "listed" as impaired, a status that requires the State to take certain actions to try and improve the condition of the water.

Because the lake is officially "impaired," the General Assembly ordered that rules be developed to clean it up, but the deadline set to do that has already been extended once. The Falls Lake Stakeholder Project is open to the public and has been working for years trying to develop a science-based set of rules that is sound, practical and achievable. The thousands of hours already devoted to the stakeholder and technical advisory process should -- and do -- mean something; we are ready to make hard decisions that will change the course of history for Falls Lake and point it on a course for recovery. Recently, the state Division of Water Quality asked for another two-and-a-half-year extension; a delay of that magnitude is simply unacceptable.

Click here to tell Falls Lake Watershed State Senators that two-and-a-half years is too long to wait for clean water

In addition to decreasing the length of any extension granted to a maximum of one year, interim measures must be provided that will take significant steps to protect and improve Falls Lake until the rules are in place...but some stakeholders stand to benefit from stall tactics, blind to the fact that Falls Lake become more sickly during each day that passes without protective measures in place.

If you drink from, fish in, swim in or simply care for Falls Lake, you are a stakeholder in the outcome of the Falls Lake rules. You have a right to ask - or even demand - that this vital resource be protected for the health and well being of yourself, your children, and your grandchildren.

The voices supportive of delay are many and they are loud - Falls Lake NEEDS your voice to survive and the NC Senate needs your support to make the right decision.

ADDITIONAL WAYS TO TAKE ACTION

· Forward this message to a friend

· Twitter the e-letter address

· Visit our webpage to learn more about the Falls Lake Nutrient Management Strategy

· Come to the next Falls Lake Stakeholder meeting on July 16 from 1-4 pm

Thanks in advance for voicing your opinion. I greatly appreciate your attention to protecting the Neuse River Basin!

Alissa Bierma

Upper Neuse RIVERKEEPER^®

posted by Administrator  # 9:16 PM