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MEMORANDUM
TO: Watershed Evaluation Team (WET) Members
FROM: Dan Farrow
DATE April 1, 1997
SUBJECT: April 14 WET Meeting
The next WET meeting will be held on Monday, April 14th at 1:30 p.m. in the sixth floor conference room of the Department of Environmental Quality headquarters, 7290 Bluebonnet Road, Baton Rouge, LA. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and make decisions on a variety of topics concerning the next steps for the Barataria/Terrebonne Shellfish Challenge Implementation Assessment.
The results of our discussions will be incorporated into a presentation on the status of the Shellfish Challenge initiative being made to the Oyster Restoration Review Panel (ORRP) and the Management Conference of the Barataria/Terrebonne National Estuary Program on Wednesday, April 16th, so your participation in this meeting is very important. An annotated agenda of the discussion topics is presented below. We have also tried to identify the decision or action required for each topic.
1:30 Determining Support for Priority Projects Within the
WET.
Issue - Through a consensus process, the 60-plus
attendees at the Targeting Workshop identified eight priority
projects from an initial list of 61 projects. As a group, the WET
and the project team now have to determine the best way to move
all or some of these projects to implementation. Given our limited
resources, we need to focus our efforts on the projects that not
only will make progress toward meeting the goals of the Shellfish
Challenge, but have the greatest potential to be implemented.
A first step in doing this is to understand the level and type
of support each of these projects would receive from the agencies
and stakeholder groups represented on the WET. To help
characterize this support, please complete Attachment 1. If
possible, fax your response to us by COB Thursday, April 10th so
we can compile the results and present them at the meeting. If
this is not possible, please bring your response to the meeting .
We would like to have a frank and open discussion of the support
issue as our first order of business.
Decision/action required - Discuss and reach agreement
on the likely level of support from stakeholder organizations for
the priority projects.
2:30 Options for conducting the implementation feasibility
assessment.
Issue - The Project Team is proposing an approach for
developing the characterization reports and holding the
feasibility workshop. A diagram showing the major milestones of
this approach, and a description of the approach is included in
Attachment 2. Prior to the
meeting, please review this approach and note any comments or
alternatives you would propose.
Decision/action required - Agree on the best approach
for conducting the implementation feasibility assessment, better
define the purpose, objectives, and desired outcome of the
implementation feasibility workshop, and develop a preliminary
schedule.
2:45 Defining the relationship between the Shellfish
Challenge Project and BTNEP.
Issue - The Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary
Program (BTNEP) has been an active supporter of the Shellfish
Challenge Project. As we move towards implementation, how can
BTNEP participate in the implementation process? Suggestions have
ranged from assisting in public outreach and education, to
becoming a champion for one or more projects, to being the lead
organization for ensuring progress will continue to be made on the
Shellfish Challenge.
Decision/action required - Discuss and reach
preliminary agreement on BTNEP's participation in this phase of
the Shellfish Challenge Project.
3:00 Reviewing and finalizing the characterization report
outline.
Issue - The Project Team has developed a preliminary
outline for the Project Characterization Reports (see
Attachment 3). During the meeting,
the outline will be discussed and revised as needed, so please
review the outline and bring your edits to the meeting.
Decision/action required - Review and agree on a final
outline for the characterization reports. The revised outline will
be sent out to the WET after the meeting.
3:15 Agreeing on the process to write the characterization
reports.
Issue - Once the level of support for priority projects
has been determined and the approach for conducting the
implementation feasibility assessment has been agreed upon, a more
detailed discussion is needed on how the reports will be produced,
who will produce them, and the time frame for report development.
We propose that WET members serve as "section editors" who provide
information to project staff on specific topics, and review/edit
draft text developed by staff. If this proposal is accepted, we
would like to identify initial section editor volunteers at this
meeting.
Decision/action required - Discuss and agree on the
tasks, responsibilities, and time line for report production.
3:45 Identifying project champions, stakeholders, and key
decisionmakers.
Issue - To increase the probability of project
implementation, champions, stakeholders and key decisionmakers
need to be identified and brought into the process. Attached is a
preliminary list of possible candidates for each category
(Attachment 4). Champions would promote
and guide the selected projects to implementation. Stakeholders
are those individuals or groups directly affected by
implementation, and who therefore need to be informed and
involved. Identifying and enlisting the help of key decisionmakers
who can make one or more of these projects a reality is critical
to the success of this phase of the Shellfish Challenge Project.
Please review the list and bring your additions and deletions to
the meeting.
Decision/action required - Review and revise the
attached list of suggested champions, stakeholders, and key
decisionmakers, and discuss how and when to contact these
individuals or organizations, and how they should participate.
4:10 Reviewing the preliminary public education and
outreach (PEO) strategy.
Issue - A strategy is needed to create public support
for project implementation. A well designed education and outreach
strategy would enhance public support for projects ranging from
the improved use of pumpout stations to upgrading failing septic
systems. How can this be accomplished? Diane Altsman from the GMPO
and Lynn Schonberg from BTNEP will present a preliminary strategy
for discussion.
Decision/action required - Discuss and decide on a
public education and outreach strategy. Specifically, what do we
communicate to the public, when and how is this accomplished, and
who does the outreach?
4:30 Adjourn
Please call me (301.713.3000 x156), Fred Kopfler
(601.688.2712), or Brent Ache (504-561-6618) if you have any
questions regarding these issues or would like to add a discussion
topic to the agenda. Thanks again for your participation and
continued support for the Shellfish Challenge Project.
