WakeUP Applauds Action of Wake Commissioners and Urges Swift Action by the State to Clean Up Falls Lake
WakeUP Wake County applauds Wake’s Board of Commissioners for passing a resolution urging the clean up of Falls Lake. Wake Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution committing the county to protect Falls Lake and to adopt improved stormwater runoff measures by the currently proposed July, 2010 deadline. However, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the City of Durham are asking N.C. legislators to move the deadline back until 2011. WakeUP Wake County, which is working on behalf of the almost 500,000 citizens who rely upon Falls Lake for drinking water, disagrees.
“The clean up of Falls Lake can’t afford to wait many more years. New development is happening every day around Falls Lake. Our current standards are not working, which is why the lake is so polluted,“ said Karen Rindge, WakeUP Wake County’s Executive Director.
Wake County and other Triangle legislators have been meeting with officials from DENR and local municipal governments (including Raleigh, Durham and Butner) about the deadline for the rulemaking process on Falls. Also, they are exploring possible ways to accelerate the process, given that the stakeholder process for the rules is already underway. The deadline for the rules was supposed to be July 1, 2009. Wake Senator Josh Stein and Wake Representative Jennifer Weiss are taking the lead on these negotiations.
“Falls Lake is vital to a major metropolitan area in the state. Steps need to be taken right now to reduce algae overgrowth and potentially toxic bacteria in the lake. We urge the legislature to act quickly and decisively to support a cleaner drinking water supply,” stated Rindge.
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