Capital Region Water Board Meeting

Draft Minutes


Capital Region Water Board Meeting

November 17, 2004

Susquehanna River Basin Commission

 

Betty Conner opened the meeting with introductions.

 

Present:  Kevin Laptos, Gannett Fleming, Roger Karsnitz, SC Assembly, Cindy Metzger, CRWB, Marshall Goulding, CRWB, George Lazorchick, SRBC, Daniel Standish, City of Harrisburg, Bureau of Water, John Seitz, York County Planning, Jeff Hines, York Water, Betty Conner, CRWB, Randy Hurst, Mette, Evans & Woodside, Walter Lyon, CRWB.

 

Minutes-  Marshall Goulding made a motion to approve the Minutes from the September 28, 2004 meeting, Roger Karsnitz seconded the motion.  Motion passed.

 

Budget-  Betty Conner handed out the budget already approved by the CRWB Board of Directors.  Walter Lyon pointed out that the $5,000 for the Public Workshop was only a portion of what the actual workshop would cost and that hopefully other cost will be born  by grants, contributions and registration.

 

Minutes of Director’s Meeting on October 27, 2004 were passed out and discussed.

Items from the Annual Workplan were discussed.

1                    Recognize and celebrate the 100th Anniversary of PA’s State Water Law

2        First of two workshops would be held to look back at what has been accomplished and what is being accomplished.  Look at what problems there are now.  Look at current Pa water law and ask are these adequate?  What are our biggest problems.

3        Second Workshop would take the information from the first workshop to look at future water management needs.  And develop policies for the future. 

4        To plan and carry out the workshops establish a Planning Committee organized by CRWB which would include government and non-government members.

 

Walter also reminded the Board that a chair for the planning committee needed to be appointed.

 

PA State Water Planning Process-  John Hines spoke to the Board about Act 220 and its goal to develop next State Water Plan with 16 component parts divided between 5 basins.  Each region will look slightly different.  The plan will designate critical water planning areas.  In developing this plan they want to do projections not just snap shots.  This plan should wind up being a water management system as well as a plan.  (Integrated Water Management Plan).

 

John Hines also announced that he has been given the go ahead for planning a Water Summit and the theme will be “Past, Present and Define the Future.”  John had planned on one workshop for this, but Walter Lyon suggested that as the CRWB planned for two workshops, he thought it would serve the purpose better to have two workshops.  John Hines replied that the Planning committee could decide that.  The target date for the first workshop is next fall.

 

With reference to the problem of fragmentation in water data management; Walter Lyon mentioned that the Air Pollution data management and planning was done in a more unified way and suggested that John Hines speak to Air Quality since they were so successful. 

 

John Hines handed out a DEP Fact Sheet titled, “The Pennsylvania State Water Plan and Act 220 of 2002.”  This document is available on DEP’s website www.dep.state.pa.us  under Keyword “Water Resources.” 

 

Phase II Study Funding Request Status:  Marshall Goulding

 

Marshall reported that EPA is open to discussing the project with us and they asked for additional information which Marshall provided.  He has also received suggestions for contacts to make and he is looking into those.  Currently we are waiting to hear from the EPA Office of Water and Marshall is planning to go to a meeting with them in Washington, DC as soon as possible. 

 

Committee Reports:  Marshall reported that he spoke to Kevin Breen currently Chair of the Groundwater Committee.  Kevin indicated that he is unable to continue as Chair of the Committee, but he made several recommendations for a replacement and is able to still serve on the Committee.  Marshall will contact the people Kevin recommended.  The purpose of the Committee is to identify critical groundwater areas.  Delaware River Basin Commission has identified critical groundwater areas and it was recommended that the Groundwater Committee contact them for guidance and suggestions.

 

Walter Lyon said that the Journal of American Water Resources Oct. 2004 publication has an article about private wells in the US containing a volatile organic compound that has been tied to cancer.

 

LSRB Regional Water Resource Committee Act 220 Report-  Betty Conner

Betty reported that the Regional Committee met on Oct. 4, 2004 and discussed the Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy Update.  The Public Participation Subcommittee, which is a statewide committee, met on November 15 to work on a State Water Plan Media and Outreach Strategy up to 2007 drafted by Susan Obleski of SRBC.

 

George Lazorchick asked several questions about Act 220 and what it covers. 

1. Who will make the final water resources decisions?

2. Will local entities be more empowered in the water arena?

3. Will regional priorities be reprioritized from a state perspective?

4. Will each watershed have sovereignty over its own watershed?

 

Basin Conditions:  George Lazorchick reported that in October there was a rainfall deficit, ¾ inches below normal in the basin.  In November to date the entire basin is below normal in rainfall, some substantially below normal.  Streamflows are still above normal, soil moisture is still high, and ground water is still above normal. 

 

New Business:  Marshall Goulding reported that he is ready to hire a bookkeeper and this person can also handle payroll.  The members agreed that he hire the bookkeeper. 

 

Meeting adjourned at 2:30 PM.