June 18, 2003

MEMORANDUM

TO: Coastal Legislators

FROM: Bill Holman

Re: Stormwater Pollution

Stormwater runoff carries bacteria, sediment, metals, petroleum products, pesticides, excess nutrients, and other pollutants onto our beaches and into our estuaries. Stormwater pollution can close our public beaches, close our shellfishing waters, and harm the coastal economy.

Attached are two recent articles from the Raleigh News & Observer and the Outer Banks Sentinel about the negative impact of stormwater pollution and state and local efforts to respond to the problem.

The Clean Water Management Trust Fund has been working with local governments, state agencies and non-profit conservation organizations to prevent and reduce stormwater pollution of our coastal waters.

Thanks to appropriations from the General Assembly the CWMTF has funded five major projects to collect and treat stormwater pollution in constructed wetlands in Washington, Emerald Isle, Nags Head, Plymouth, and New Bern before it reaches our beaches and estuaries. The Town of Kure Beach applied for funding for a similar project on June 2.

CWMTF has also funded a number of projects to acquire riparian buffers and wetlands in coastal counties to prevent stormwater pollution.

Please contact me if you have questions or need more information.