Special groundwater protection areas; nomination

§ 55-0109. Special groundwater protection areas; nomination.

1. Any municipality or person may nominate a special groundwater protection area within a federally designated sole source aquifer contained within counties having a population of one million or more.

2. Such a nomination petition shall be sent to the commissioner and shall include the following information:

(a) whether the special groundwater protection area is a recharge zone for groundwater with a present or future water supply potential;

(b) whether the special groundwater protection area is largely undeveloped with tracts of natural vegetation, or natural geological conditions;

(c) whether the groundwater which is recharged through the special groundwater protection area is of high quality;

(d) whether the hydrogeologic conditions are such that development could lead to degradation of water quality;

(e) whether portions of the groundwater within the sole source aquifer area are already contaminated with toxic organics, nutrients, salts or other pollutants so as to warrant special protection for areas which recharge high quality groundwater;

(f) whether maintenance of existing high quality in the groundwater recharged through the special groundwater protection area would have significant economic, social, ecological, recreational or aesthetic benefits for the sole source aquifer area; and

(g) whether degradation of such groundwater would have significant economic, social, ecological, recreational and aesthetic costs for the area.

3. The nomination petition shall also identify:

(a) the preliminary boundaries of the special groundwater protection area or areas;

(b) a brief outline of the plan of work;

(c) a tentative membership list for any advisory committees; and

(d) a reasonable budget request for the project.