NO. 2003-23

A RESOLUTION authorizing the executive director to solicit public comment on the Draft Water Resources Plan for the Delaware River Basin.

WHEREAS, in September of 1999, the governors of the four basin states adopted a resolution directing the Commission to adopt a new comprehensive water resources plan for the Basin and to establish a watershed advisory council; and

WHEREAS, in October of 1999, the Commission established the Watershed Advisory Council ("Council"), ultimately consisting of 36 stakeholders representing a wide range of government, technical, industrial, utility, academic, environmental and other interests; and

WHEREAS, through a facilitated consensus-building process, in consultation with the commissioners and the Commission's technical advisory committees, and with the aid of Commission staff, the Council undertook to develop a draft basin-wide water resources plan; and

WHEREAS, on September 15, 2003, the Council approved a resolution, in relevant part formally submitting its Draft Water Resources Plan for the Delaware River Basin ("draft Basin Plan" or "plan") to the Commission, and recommending that the Commission solicit public comment on the plan; and

WHEREAS, in order to ensure that the Water Resources Plan for the Delaware River Basin is implemented, it is important that the goals and objectives of the draft Basin Plan be widely reviewed and that strategies for implementing the plan be discussed with those who will play an important role in its implementation; and

WHEREAS, the Commission recognizes the need to engage as many local and regional entities as possible, as well as members of the general public, in a dialogue about the plan, and in particular, about implementation strategies; and

WHEREAS, the Commission also wishes to ensure that the draft Basin Plan captures the concerns of stakeholders, including those who participated in a series of six public forums during the Flowing Toward the Future process in 1998 and 1999; and

WHEREAS, members of the Watershed Advisory Council have offered to co-host with the Commission a series of workshops on the draft Basin Plan, targeted to key audiences throughout the Basin; and

WHEREAS, e-mail and the Commission's web site also can be used to share the draft Basin Plan with a wider audience; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Delaware River Basin Commission:

1. The dedication, patience, and hard work of the participants on the Watershed Advisory Council and the support of their organizations over a period of three years is acknowledged and deeply appreciated by the Commission.
   
   
2. The executive director is hereby directed to solicit public comment on the Draft Water Resources Plan for the Delaware River Basin for the purposes of (a) ensuring that the concerns of stakeholders are captured in the plan; (b) developing management strategies to implement the plan; (c) identifying potential implementation partners; and (d) achieving broader general awareness of the plan.
   
   
3. The executive director is directed to solicit public comment on the plan in part through a series of meetings with stakeholders, co-hosted by members of the Watershed Advisory Council. Meeting locations shall include the six locations used to solicit public input in the Flowing Toward the Future visioning process of 1998 and 1999, as well as any additional locations the executive director deems appropriate.
   
   
4. In addition to soliciting public comment through meetings with stakeholders, the executive director is encouraged to take the Draft Basin Plan to a wider audience through use of e-mail and the Commission's web site.
   
   
5. Comments received through the public process should be incorporated in the plan as appropriate, and the revised plan should be submitted to the Council members and the states for their review early in 2004.

ADOPTED: October 15, 2003

P.O. BOX 7360, West Trenton, NJ 08628-0360
Voice (609) 883 - 9500 FAX (609) 883 - 9522
croberts@drbc.state.nj.us