1. PA State Water Planning
Hoss Liaghat, P.E.
Chief, State Water Plan Section
Office of Water Resources Planning
Tom Wolf, Governor
Patrick McDonnell, Secretary

2. Statement of Need
DEP is conducting review and update of State Water Plan
We need individuals in various sectors to serve on regional committees and State-wide committee
We need your help in getting nominations
Appointments are made by Governor
6 Regional Committees and 1 State-wide committee
The Department of Environmental Protection is seeking individuals to serve on committees advising the Department in the review and update of the Commonwealth’s State Water Plan.  This review involves the re-establishment of six (6) regional committees representing the Great Lakes, Ohio, Potomac, Upper/Middle and Lower Susquehanna and Delaware Planning Regions (see map below).  Members of the committees are appointed by the Governor, from nominations provided by regional and state-wide organizations.

3. Regional Committees
The Department of Environmental Protection is seeking individuals to serve on committees advising the Department in the review and update of the Commonwealth’s State Water Plan.  This review involves the re-establishment of six (6) regional committees representing the Great Lakes, Ohio, Potomac, Upper/Middle and Lower Susquehanna and Delaware Planning Regions (see map below).  Members of the committees are appointed by the Governor, from nominations provided by regional and state-wide organizations.

4. DEP Coordination State-wide Committee Regional Committees
The Department of Environmental Protection is seeking individuals to serve on committees advising the Department in the review and update of the Commonwealth’s State Water Plan.  This review involves the re-establishment of six (6) regional committees representing the Great Lakes, Ohio, Potomac, Upper/Middle and Lower Susquehanna and Delaware Planning Regions (see map below).  Members of the committees are appointed by the Governor, from nominations provided by regional and state-wide organizations.

5. Roles of Committees
Advise the Department and make recommendations on State Water Plan deliverables on Past, Present and Future issues
Role of Committee Members:  The role of committee members is to advise the Department and to make recommendations to the statewide committee regarding the deliverables such as finalizing the Critical Area Resource Plans (CARPS), and to direct the state water plan review and update efforts throughout the process.
Tentative Agenda for Plan Review/Update and Deliverables:
Finish old business – Finalize the Critical Area Resource Plans (CARPs) for Marsh/Rock Creek in the Potomac Basin, and Laurel Hill Creek/Back Creek in the Ohio Basin.
Create a cohesive product. 
Build upon the new website for the SWP that will house all relevant information, be up-to-date, user-friendly, and be readily accessible by the public.
Convert the paper Atlas into online Water Atlas.
Consolidate the State Water Plan document, State Water Plan Principles document into one State Water Plan.
Provide public access to water withdrawal data for informed decision making at all levels.
Work with regional and state committees to determine the adequacy of the existing SWP:
Review and evaluate work contained in the existing SWP
Review and evaluate the work of others (SRBC, DRBC, other states)
Review and evaluate emerging issues (climate change, climate change adaptation, water usage associated with natural gas drilling)
Discuss Long term items:
Develop a sustainable funding model.
Identify legislative, regulatory, and programmatic changes to improve the SWP process and product.
Develop a work plan to accommodate regular, timely, and substantive reviews of the SWP into the future.

6. Roles of Committees Past: old business
Completion of Critical Area Resource Plans
Major achievements of previous plan:
Ability to share that information with others
Development of models to assess general water availability
State-wide “screening” of water availability
Identification of initial “Critical Water Planning Areas”
Three draft “Critical Area Resource Plans”
Contribution to assessing in-stream flow needs.
Role of Committee Members:  The role of committee members is to advise the Department and to make recommendations to the statewide committee regarding the deliverables such as finalizing the Critical Area Resource Plans (CARPS), and to direct the state water plan review and update efforts throughout the process.
Tentative Agenda for Plan Review/Update and Deliverables:
Finish old business – Finalize the Critical Area Resource Plans (CARPs) for Marsh/Rock Creek in the Potomac Basin, and Laurel Hill Creek/Back Creek in the Ohio Basin.
Create a cohesive product. 
Build upon the new website for the SWP that will house all relevant information, be up-to-date, user-friendly, and be readily accessible by the public.
Convert the paper Atlas into online Water Atlas.
Consolidate the State Water Plan document, State Water Plan Principles document into one State Water Plan.
Provide public access to water withdrawal data for informed decision making at all levels.
Work with regional and state committees to determine the adequacy of the existing SWP:
Review and evaluate work contained in the existing SWP
Review and evaluate the work of others (SRBC, DRBC, other states)
Review and evaluate emerging issues (climate change, climate change adaptation, water usage associated with natural gas drilling)
Discuss Long term items:
Develop a sustainable funding model.
Identify legislative, regulatory, and programmatic changes to improve the SWP process and product.
Develop a work plan to accommodate regular, timely, and substantive reviews of the SWP into the future.

7. Roles of Committees Future: Emerging issues
Develop sustainable funding model
Climate Change
Legislative, regulatory and programmatic changes
Improvement to SWP process
Role of Committee Members:  The role of committee members is to advise the Department and to make recommendations to the statewide committee regarding the deliverables such as finalizing the Critical Area Resource Plans (CARPS), and to direct the state water plan review and update efforts throughout the process.
Tentative Agenda for Plan Review/Update and Deliverables:
Finish old business – Finalize the Critical Area Resource Plans (CARPs) for Marsh/Rock Creek in the Potomac Basin, and Laurel Hill Creek/Back Creek in the Ohio Basin.
Create a cohesive product. 
Build upon the new website for the SWP that will house all relevant information, be up-to-date, user-friendly, and be readily accessible by the public.
Convert the paper Atlas into online Water Atlas.
Consolidate the State Water Plan document, State Water Plan Principles document into one State Water Plan.
Provide public access to water withdrawal data for informed decision making at all levels.
Work with regional and state committees to determine the adequacy of the existing SWP:
Review and evaluate work contained in the existing SWP
Review and evaluate the work of others (SRBC, DRBC, other states)
Review and evaluate emerging issues (climate change, climate change adaptation, water usage associated with natural gas drilling)
Discuss Long term items:
Develop a sustainable funding model.
Identify legislative, regulatory, and programmatic changes to improve the SWP process and product.
Develop a work plan to accommodate regular, timely, and substantive reviews of the SWP into the future.

8. Roles of Committees Present: Adequacy of current plan
Deployment and communication of water use data for public use and planners
Development of decision support tools
Website
Conversion of Water Atlas to Digital Story Map(s)

9. Meetings:When and Where
As soon as committees are fully reconstituted
18 to 24-month time
Quarterly basis
Primarily webinars and/or conference calls
Reimbursement of travel expenses
Meetings will begin as soon as committees are fully reconstituted and public notice requirements are fulfilled. Then, over the course of an 18 to 24-month time, regional committees will meet on a quarterly basis, primarily through webinars and/or conference calls to help guide and advise a Statewide Committee on the development of the regional components of the State Water Plan. Procedures for reimbursement of travel expenses incurred in performance of committee duties will follow established management directives and policies relating to such committees.

10. How to Volunteer Provide to the Department:
a letter of interest addressed to Governor Tom Wolf,
A resume
A nominating letter from state-wide or regional organizations.
How - Steps to volunteer: Planning Directors who wish to serve are to provide to the Department a letter of interest addressed to Governor Tom Wolf, a resume, and a nominating letter from county governing body (Commissioners) of the Planning Commission. Attached is further instructions for nominations, and a sample nomination letter. Directors will be notified of successful appointments.

11. Who to Contact Hoss Liaghat, P.E. Chief, State Water Plan Section
Planning Region/Committee
DEP Liaison
phone
Ohio
Derrick McDonald
Upper Susquehanna
Rhonda Manning
Lower Susquehanna
Aaron Ward
Great Lakes
Tim Bruno
Delaware
Mike Hill
Potomac
Joe Sieber
Hoss Liaghat, P.E.
Chief, State Water Plan Section
Office of Water Resources Planning