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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 04-16-1997 - 8c 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 16, 1997 Action Agenda Item#_1g.C. SUBJECT: APPLICATION FOR GROUNDWATER GUARDIAN DESIGNATION ACTION BY: DEPARTMENT: PLANNING PUBLIC HEARING: Yes X No BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUIRED: Yes X No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil • Memo from WRC Chair Ext 2590 • Summary of Groundwater Guardian TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough - 732-8181 Durham - 688-7331 Mebane -227-2031 Chapel Hill -967-9251 PURPOSE: To consider applying for designation as a Groundwater Guardian community. BACKGROUND: On March 25,the Water Resources Committee received a report on Groundwater Guardian, a national program sponsored by the Groundwater Foundation in Lincoln,Nebraska. Groundwater Guardian links counties and cities across the nation that are involved in proactive steps to protect groundwater supplies. All Guardian communities share information and resources with each other, and educational materials/technical expertise are available from the Groundwater Foundation. Groundwater Guardian communities are recognized and honored in national and local ceremonies each year, and may display the Groundwater Guardian community logo. There is no cost or fee involved in becoming a Groundwater Guardian community. Communities wishing to join must submit an application form and undertake"result-oriented activities" during the year to further public awareness of ground water protection. Such activities have and will be undertaken as part of the Water Resources project. A Groundwater Guardian Team to develop public 4 Guardian designation. Groundwater Guardian officials are interested in having Orange County as a member, and are holding the application process open past its deadline for us. Additional material on the Ground Water Guardian program is attached. Please feel free to contact myself, or Dave Stancil in the Planning Department (extension 2590), if you have any questions. copies: John Link, County Manager Marvin Collins, Planning Director Paul Thames, County Engineer Gail Hughes, Soil Conservationist Craven Hudson, CES Area Education Agent 5 Summary of the Groundwater Guardian Program A program to support, recognize and connect communities taking voluntary steps to protect their groundwater ' Groundwater Guardian • Raise public awareness Program Goals., Provide information and resources • Inspire communities to plan and protect resources • Help communities develop solutions • Support regional/national cooperative networks • Provide recognition for community efforts Membership Benefits. Communication and Education Links • Information and technical assistance clearing house • Supportive regional and national networks to facilitate communication and collaboration on groundwater issues • Free publications and website access • National Groundwater Guardian Designation Conference • National/local recognition of groundwater achievements Groundwater Guardian Community Assistance Kit • Teaching materials for public education projects • Guides to media, fundraising and program evaluation • Abstracts for reference materials Membership Responsibilities: Groundwater.Guardian Team-! Designation of a team responsible for developing local goals, objectives and long term plans for protecting groundwater must be done before application submission. The team should be representative of the community and include persons from citizen groups, government, education, business & agriculture. Annual Entry!Form- Annual submission for membership(free) is designed to facilitate community thought regarding groundwater supply&protection, and how the Guardian program can facilitate this effort. Result Oriented AdiVity- Guardian programs must include task-oriented activities the community can implement to conserve and protect its groundwater. These activities are developed by the groundwater guardian team, and should include measurable objectives, implementation plans, and a method for evaluating the results. Designation as a Groundwater Guardian community identifies the area as a leader in groundwater protection - one taking active steps to protect groundwater. Display of the Groundwater Guardian logo sends a signal to community, regional, state and national officials that the community cares about quality of life, for its present and future residents. This summary prepared by Orange County Planning Department from A Community Guide to Groundwater Guardian, 1997. 6 �. Groundwater Guardian is a program of The Groundwater Foundation,a private non-profit educational organization that informs and motivates people to care about and for groundwater. The Groundwater Guardian program is made possible through grants from the W.K.Kellogg Foundation,the United States Geological Survey,the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water at the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency,and Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, Section 319. Additional financial support is provided by ConAgra,DuPont Agricultural Products and Union Pacific Railroad. The Groundwater Guardian Program is directed by a dedicated group of community representatives and groundwater experts. The current Groundwater Guardian Management Team(GGMT)members are: Tom Cambareri Cape Cod Commission,Barnstable,MA Raynor Cathey Morgan County Middle School,Madison,GA Catherine Chertudi Boise City Public Works,Boise,ID John Chess Lincoln/Lancaster County Health,Lincoln,NE Betty Conner League of Women Voters,Lebanon,PA Brad Cross Texas Water Commission,Austin,TX Barbara Dembeck Canadian Institute of Planners,Wilmot,Ontario,Canada David George National Association of Counties,Washington,DC Michelle Hiller US EPA,Washington,DC David Lusch Michigan State University,East Lansing,MI John Pape Ada,OK Greg Parker Memphis/Shelby County Health,Memphis,TN Phillip Peters American Planning Association,Chicago,IL Harrison Phipps Yolo County Water Resources Association,Winters,CA Bridget Spethman Great Plains Physicians Group,Omaha,NE Rita Sudman Water Education Foundation,Sacramento,CA Bob Volk University of Nebraska Water Center,Lincoln,NE Jim Weber Lacey,WA Jon Witten Horsley-Witten,Inc.,Boston,MA Nancy Wright Mission Springs Water District,Desert Hot Springs,CA Input and review for this Guide was provided by participating members of the Groundwater Guardian Management Team, Bob Kuzelka,Groundwater Guardian Consultant,and Susan Seacrest,Groundwater Foundation President. A Community Guide to Groundwater Guardian has been published by The Groundwater Foundation,P.O.Box 22558, Lincoln,NE,68542-2558. For more information about the Groundwater Guardian guide or program,please write this address or call toll-free 1-800-858-4844; FAX 1-402-434-2742;or e-mail guardian @groundwater.org. The name"Groundwater Guardian"and the shield logo have been registered with the U.S.Department of Com- merce Patent and Trademark Office. They may not be used or reproduced without the expressed written permission of The Groundwater Foundation. Editor and Groundwater Guardian Coordinator:Cindy Kreifels Page Layout and Text Editor: Maura Dawson Design and Cover Illustration: Tony Schappaugh tjPrinted on recycled paper ii GUARDIAN COMMUNITY 6 During the past 25 years, there has been a rapid growth of concern about groundwater pollution and interest in groundwater protection activities.As a result, the Groundwater Foundation has been providing scientifically sound groundwater education programs to the public since 1984. Despite this growth in awareness and activity, groundwater champions are still needed. Groundwa- ter is the "forgotten" resource because by its very nature it remains invisible.Yet at the same time it is the environmental "bottom line." A community actively protecting groundwater is, at the same time, wisely managing its other natural resources. Foundation leaders believe that creative, interactive community-centered pollution prevention activities are important tools to perpetuate public interest in and activity on behalf of groundwater protection. Consequently, the Groundwater Guardian program has been developed to encourage, support and connect communities that want to take comprehensive, voluntary steps towards the protection of their groundwater. The Groundwater Foundation is uniquely qualified to lead this effort.The Foundation's focus is groundwater;with roots in one of the nation's most groundwater-rich states, Nebraska. From the beginning, the mission of the Groundwater Foundation has been to create an informed citizenry caring about and for groundwater.This mission remains unchanged. Towards this goal, the Foundation annually reaches thousands of people through innovative and engaging publications such as The Aquifer and the Children's Groundwater Festival. The result, citizens empowered by an increased level of understanding and ability to actively respond to the issues facing them and their communities. The Groundwater Foundation has been recognized by numerous national and international groups. In 1995, the Groundwater Guardian Program was chosen as one of 25 National Demonstra- tion programs by the National Nonpoint Source Forum sponsored by The National Geographic Society. Foundation President Susan Seacrest was a recent recipient of the USGS John Wesley Powell award. iv 8 0 1996 Groundwater Guardian �a Communities 1. Bradley, Calhoun, Columbia, Ouachita 41. Imperial, NE and Union Counties,AR 42. Lancaster County, NE 2. Anaheim, CA 43. Lincoln, NE 3. City of Lompoc, CA 44. Logan East Rural Water System, Norfolk, NE 4. Desert Hot Springs, CA 45. North Platte, NE 5. Yolo County, CA 46. Seward County, NE 6. Coors Brewing Co., Golden, CO 47. Trenton, NE 7. Pinellas County, FL 48. Water Conservation Task Force, Holdrege, NE 8. Tallahassee, FL 49. Atlantic County, NJ 9. Chatham County, GA 50. Stafford Township, NJ 10. Cobb County, GA 51. Orange County, NY 11. Keysville, GA 52. Pine Bush Water District, NY 12. Morgan County, GA 53. Gaston County, NC 13. Oconee County, GA 54. Tillery, NC 14. Honolulu, HI 55. Ada-Liberty Township, OH 15. Molokai, HI 56. Dayton, OH 16. Boise City, ID 57. Hamilton County, OH 17. Pocatello and Chubbuck, ID 58. Wilmot, Ontario, Canada 18. McDonough County, IL 59. Woolwich, Ontario,Canada 19. McHenry, Boone&Winnebago Counties, IL 60. Coburg/Pioneer Valley, OR 20. Pekin, IL 61. Lane County,OR 21. DowElanco Venture Center, Indianapolis, IN 62. Lower Umatilla Basin, OR 22. Elkhart, IN 63. Warm Springs Indian Reservation, OR 23. Lindsborg, KS 64. Antis Township, PA 24. Worthington, KY 65. Kutztown, PA 25. Barnstable County(Cape Cod),MA 66. Lancaster, PA 26. Martha's Vineyard, MA 67. Lebanon County, PA 27. Coldwater,MI 68. Washington County, PA ' 28. Greater Lansing Area, MI 69. State of Queretaro, Mexico I 29. Village of Oxford, MI 70. North Kingston, RI 30. Village of Schoolcraft, MI 71. Memphis &Shelby County,TN 31. Brown- Nicollet-Cottonwood Counties, MN 72. Edwards Aquifer Region,TX 32. City of Detroit Lakes, MN 73. El Paso,TX 33. Kittson-Marshall Rural Water, MN 74. City of Austin,TX 34. St. Olaf College, MN 75. Snyderville Basin/Summit County, UT 35. Twin Cities Metro Area, MN 76. Covington,WA 36. Cape Girardeau County, MO 77. Lacey,WA 37. Greene County, MO 78. Renton,WA 38. Missoula, MT 79. Spokane Metro Area,WA 39. Cargill Corn Milling, Blair, NE 80. Thurston County,WA 40. Grand Island, NE 81. Chippewa Falls,WI 82. Eau Claire County,WI 83. Goshen and Platte Counties,WY