GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 399
Short Title: Study Jordan Lake Nutrient Managem't Strategy. (Public)
Sponsors: Senator Galey (Primary Sponsor).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 25, 2025
*S399 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIR ONMENTAL QUALITY TO STUDY 2
AND REPORT ON THE JORDAN LAKE NUTRIENT M ANAGEMENT STRATEGY. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1. The Department of Environmental Quality (Department) shall conduct 5
a study and analysis of nutrient management strategies and compilation of existing water quality 6
data pertaining to Jordan Lake. As part of this study, the Department shall do all of the following: 7
(1) Review data collected by the Department and other stakeholders from water 8
sampling (including the study conducted by the University of North Carolina 9
pursuant to Section 14.13(c) of S.L. 2016-94, as amended) in areas subject to 10
the Jordan Lake Water Supply Nutrient Strategies (Strategies). 11
(2) Compare trends in water quality to the implementation of the various elements 12
of each of the Strategies and evaluate the extent to which those elements are 13
resulting in improvements in water quality. 14
(3) Examine data regarding natural background conditions for total nitrogen and 15
total phosphorus in Jordan Lake, and internal loading of those nutrients, and 16
evaluate whether portions of the Strategies imposing nutrient reduction 17
requirements on upstream users will lower levels of chlorophyll-a. 18
(4) Evaluate and determine additional actions or funding needed to revise water 19
quality criteria in order to produce realistic, achievable site-specific criteria 20
that ensure that Jordan Lake maintains all designated uses in the most 21
cost-effective manner. 22
SECTION 2. The Department shall report to the Environmental Review 23
Commission and the Environmental Management Commission no later than January 31, 2027, 24
with interim reports no later than January 31, 2026, and July 31, 2026. The final report shall 25
include any statutory or regulatory changes necessary to implement the recommendations made 26
in the report. 27
SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law. 28