The Natural Environment: The USMP will provide greater protection to North Carolina’s rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries, sounds, and coastline than the State’s existing stormwater programs. This will help to preserve and protect NC’s scenic waterways, recreational swimming and boating opportunities, commercial and recreational fishing, shellfishing resources, and the State’s world famous coast and sounds for future generations. In addition, the USMP will provide a significantly enhanced level of protection to the threatened and endangered and other sensitive aquatic species that inhabit the State’s water bodies. In short, the USMP will better protect all of North Carolina’s fresh and salt waters, from Murphy to Nags Head, while at the same time providing local governments with a management plan that is easier and simpler to administer and implement.
Local Governments: The USMP will provide local (city and county) governments the option of adopting one stormwater program and one set of post-construction requirements to replace all of their existing, overlapping programs. This will reduce the administrative burden on these local governments and provide them with a stormwater program that is not only more straight-forward and simpler to administer and implement, but is also more protective of the natural environment. For graphic examples of how the USMP would simplify stormwater issues in two counties within North Carolina, click here.
Developers and Builders: The USMP will replace the myriad of confusing, conflicting post-construction stormwater requirements that builders and developers currently must sort through with a single set of straight-forward, easily understood requirements that would apply statewide. Remember the USMP will not establish new stormwater control requirements where none currently exist, it only replaces existing programs. In addition, the USMP will remove most high density development limits. The emphasis in the universal program is on controlling stormwater run-off, not trying to cap, or limit, impervious surfaces. This will alleviate the oft-heard criticism that DWQ’s stormwater programs are “de facto” zoning. Perhaps, most importantly, the USMP will achieve all this while providing greater protection to the natural environment at the same time.
The Natural Environment: The USMP will provide greater protection to North Carolina’s rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries, sounds, and coastline than the State’s existing stormwater programs. This will help to preserve and protect NC’s scenic waterways, recreational swimming and boating opportunities, commercial and recreational fishing, shellfishing resources, and the State’s world famous coast and sounds for future generations. In addition, the USMP will provide a significantly enhanced level of protection to the threatened and endangered and other sensitive aquatic species that inhabit the State’s water bodies. In short, the USMP will better protect all of North Carolina’s fresh and salt waters, from Murphy to Nags Head, while at the same time providing local governments with a management plan that is easier and simpler to administer and implement. 
Local Governments: The USMP will provide local (city and county) governments the option of adopting one stormwater program and one set of post-construction requirements to replace all of their existing, overlapping programs. This will reduce the administrative burden on these local governments and provide them with a stormwater program that is not only more straight-forward and simpler to administer and implement, but is also more protective of the natural environment. For graphic examples of how the USMP would simplify stormwater issues in two counties within North Carolina, 
Developers and Builders: The USMP will replace the myriad of confusing, conflicting post-construction 
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