Section 55-0103. Legislative findings

The legislature finds that:
    1. The scientific evidence of groundwater contamination is mounting;
    2. Such contamination, once it occurs, is often irreversible;
    3. Within this area subject to sole source aquifer designation, due to
  their   particular  rate  of  recharge  and  associated  hydrogeological
  conditions,   certain   groundwater   recharge   watershed   areas   are
  particularly  critical  for  the  maintenance  of  large volumes of high
  quality groundwater for long periods of time;
    4. In the face of mounting cases  of  groundwater  contamination  from
  toxic  organic  compounds,  nutrients,  salts  and other pollutants, the
  state needs a program for the designation, protection and management  of
  special groundwater protection areas;
    5.  It  is  desirable to maintain natural vegetative and hydrogeologic
  conditions in special groundwater protection areas;
    6. Prevention of the contamination of high quality groundwater and the
  protection of special groundwater protection areas  costs  substantially
  less than measures to mitigate harm following contamination; and
    7.  There  is a demonstrated need to protect, preserve and enhance the
  land and water resources of special groundwater protection areas through
  a new program which combines  the  capabilities  and  resources  of  the
  local, state and federal governments and the private sector.
    8.  Some  of  the nonpoint source control strategies developed for the
  special groundwater protection areas can be  used  to  minimize  further
  contamination in developed deep aquifer recharge areas.