Commission Proceedings 



Wetlands 



Ms. Sullins also reported on the progress of the Wetlands Stream Management 

 Advisory Committee, which is a stakeholder group that is working to improve regulatory 

 and nonregulatory programs to protect wetlands and streams. Ms. Sullins also noted that 

 a recently filed lawsuit questioned the authority of the State's wetlands protection 

 programs. 



Research 



The ERC heard reports from university researchers on several projects related to water 

 quality and animal waste management. 



Dr. Kenneth H. Reckhow, Director of the Water Resources Research Institute at the 

 University of North Carolina, reported on the Neuse River Modeling and Monitoring 

 Project (MODMON). Dr. Reckhow said the models developed by the project will 

 become increasingly beneficial for predicting the outcome of management techniques as 

 the models are further developed. 



Dr. Charles M. "Mike" Williams, Director of the Animal and Poultry Waste Management 

 Center at North Carolina State University, reported on the following projects: 



• Altemative waste technologies: Dr. Williams said that the key to making most 

 altemative technologies work would be to take a systems approach so that the end 

 product of treatment would have value, rather than be a liability. 



• Groundwater impacts of lagoons: This study assessed contamination levels in 

 groundwater at 125 feet, 250 feet, and 1000 feet fi-om a selection of 34 lagoons. The 

 study docimiented substantial contamination levels at the wells closest to the lagoons 

 and significantly less at the more distant wells. 



• Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen in the Neuse Estuary: This study found a 

 significant association between animal waste lagoons and atmospheric deposition of 

 nitrogen. 



Dr. William T. Showers, Associate Professor in the Department of Marine, Earth, and 

 Atmospheric Sciences at North Carolina State University, reported on a project to trace 

 sources of nitrogen through identifying isotope markers. Dr. Showers said weather 

 cycles influence the levels and sources of nitrogen in surface waters. He also noted that 

 wetlands appear to absorb nutrients very well. Dr. Showers recommended that major 

 nitrogen sources be moved out of groundwater recharge areas as well as floodplains and 

 noted that more study of groundwater was needed. He also recommended the 

 preservation of riparian buffers. 



Joint Meeting with Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture (JLCSA) 



The ERC and the JLCSA met jointly to hear reports on fishery management plans and 

 coastal habitat protection plans. 



