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Watershed Planning Subcommittee
The Watershed Planning Subcommittee (WPS) meets on the last Monday of a month, approximately four times per year. These meetings include an annual joint meeting with the Environmental Planning Advisory Committee (EPAC) and a meeting with the Arizona Hydrological Society. WPS is governed by EPAC Bylaws and provides input on EPAC’s Annual Top Environmental Issues list, which guides PAG programs and topics presented at Subcommittee meetings. Water quality issues identified in PAG’s 208 Plan drive WPS meeting topics and the EPAC Top Issues list, in order to enhance regional coordination and planning efforts which address the issues.
The Subcommittee discusses pertinent water-related issues and provides advice to EPAC for regional coordination and planning purposes. For example, WPS may work with PAG staff to draft regional Resolutions and WPS members vote on Amendments to the PAG's Section 208 Areawide Water Quality Management Plan. EPAC reports recommendations to be considered by the PAG Regional Council. Water-related meeting topics include: water quality issues, stormwater management, wastewater treatment and use, groundwater levels and pumping, riparian ecology, green infrastructure and more.
Members include representatives from jurisdictions and various interest groups, including the University of Arizona and water companies. All interested parties are welcome to attend, participate and suggest pertinent presentation topics. Those interested in participating may contact Mead Mier at mmier@pagnet.org
Other related committees include the Stormwater Management Working Group, the Statewide Water Quality Management Working Group and 208 Planning Task Forces, which are formed as needed to provide a public comment venue.
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Public Comment and Hearing Notice:
- Dec. 13, 2019 45-day legal notice of the public hearing
- Dec. 31, 2019 Document will be available for public review 30 days before the meeting
- Jan. 15, 2020 Management Committee update
- Jan. 28, 2020 Mailed comments should be postmarked by this date
- Jan. 30, 2020 Public comment review ends. Public hearing held at the PAG Regional Council meeting, 12:00 p.m.
The draft 208 Plan and comment forms are available in the links below. A hard copy may be viewed at the PAG offices. Written responses on Comment Form may be mailed or emailed to:
Under Section 208 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), PAG, as the region's Designated Planning Agency (DPA), must update the 208 Plan. Federal Regulation 40 C.F.R 130.6 additionally describes that Plans shall be updated as needed to reflect changing water quality conditions and results of implementation actions or new requirements. Existing and new point sources of pollution must be consistent with the principles and future conditions described in this 208 Plan. The PAG 208 planning process provides a means for stakeholders to engage in regional environmental decision-making and helps create coordination among jurisdictions, while meeting water quality management goals and protecting priority water bodies.
For the October 18, 2019, WPS/EPAC Joint Meeting at 9:30 a.m., the second draft was provided in advance of the meeting. Key changes resulting from feedback by committee members were reviewed. EPAC/WPS voted to accept the draft document and approved the innitiation of the public review, anticipated to close with the Public Hearing at a PAG Regional Council meeting.
The most recent Draft 208 Plan, including appendices, are listed below:
The PAG 208 Plan represents regional stakeholder's work in several areas. Designated Management Agencies (DMAs) – the Town of Marana, Pima County and the Town of Sahuarita – responsible for assuring treatment of wastes, have been involved at each stage of development since 2017.
The first draft of the plan was released in February 2019 to WPS, EPAC and interested parties. Read the summary of feedback and cross-reference between Feb. and Oct. draft chapters. The reviewers could comment on any page and were also asked to provide feedback on the following:
- The changes to the procedure for a facility to achieve 208 consistency. These were streamlined to be more efficient and effective at achieving regional coordination and water quality benefits;
- The completeness of the updates to the water quality conditions inventory;
- Corresponding accomplishments in managing water quality issues across the region;
- Alignment of the Action Plan's goals with the goals of local programs in the region that may benefit from related water quality funding;
Please send feedback to Mead Mier, PAG Watershed Planning Lead, or call 520-792-1093 if you have any questions. We appreciate your time and input.
To read the PAG 208 Plan adopted in 2006 and to view the discussions at meetings during the update process, please visit the 208 page, here.
Lower Santa Cruz River Basin Study
Through PAG’s public committees, regional stakeholders representing municipal, agricultural, environmental, industrial and tribal water providers, users and others will have an opportunity to weigh in on the Lower Santa Cruz River Basin Study. The Tucson metro area is one of only two regions which were selected by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the three-year climate-model and scenario-planning study, based on strong local water planning efforts already in place to complement the project. Basin Studies are cost-shared, collaborative studies with the goal of identifying where physical water resources are needed to mitigate climate change impacts and improve water reliability for all sectors.
PAG, Regional Council and Committee Actions:
- April 8, 2015 - Management Committee– Memo- PAG Director’s Letter of Support to apply for study
- May 26, 2016 -Regional Council Memo –Announcement of the Bureau of Reclamation’s selection of Tucson Region for the study
- June 2016 - PAG Regional Objective Newsletter
- November 30, 2016 - WPS hosted the first Public Meeting, Invited EPAC members, Management and Regional Council - Meeting Invitation
- January 11, 2017 - Management Committee Memo – Informational Update for Consent, Recruiting additional Stakeholder Advisors, Results of Public Meeting
- January 26, 2017 - Regional Council Memo -Recruiting Additional Stakeholder Advisors, Results of Public Meeting
- February 24, 2017 – Basin Study presentation and discussion at PAG UA Transportation Research Seminar: Technologies for Watershed Planning and the intersection with Land Use, Transportation, Climate Change, and Growth
- April 24, 2017 - WPS hosted Basin Study Stakeholder Advisors Mtg
- September 2017 – Update and invitation in PAG Regional Objective Newsletter
- September 28, 2017 - Regional Council - Memo – Results of Stakeholder meeting, additional outreach, invitation to Second Public Meeting
- January 29, 2018 - Study’s Water Demand Sub-Team joined PAG’s land use projections meeting - PopTech
- February 26, 2018 – PAG hosts second Stakeholder Advisors Meeting
- March 12, 2018 - WPS/EPAC hosted Second Public Meeting
- May 4, 2018 – Update in the Regional Council Memo
- October 5, 2018 – Update presentation at EPAC
Annual Public Meetings
Public meetings are hosted by PAG’s Watershed Planning Subcommittee or Environmental Planning Advisory Committee.
Stakeholder Advisors Team
WPS and EPAC members are invited to become dedicated members of the Stakeholder Advisors Team, which meets at PAG.
04-24-2017 Stakeholder Advisors Meeting
02-26-2018 Stakeholder Advisors Meeting
More Info
To be added to the email list of interested stakeholders and be notified of public meetings, news releases, informational mailings, please contact Eve Halper at ehalper@usbr.gov.
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©Pima Association of Governments | 1 E Broadway Blvd, Suite 401, Tucson, AZ 85701 | Telephone (520) 792-1093, FAX (520) 620-6981
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