Current Department of Natural Resources rules require 150-foot stream buffers on waters seven miles upstream of drinking water reservoirs and intakes, allowing some variances if other water protection measures are taken. This bill allows these buffers to be decreased so long as the local government submits a watershed protection plan to EPD (and it is approved) that still maintains water quality. The state's 25-foot (all streams) and 50-foot buffers (trout streams) are not impacted by this legislation.