Who Are the Members of 

 the Policy Committee ? 



Management 

 Committee 



though the policy committee guides, reviews, and evaluates the 

 program, it leaves the operational duties to other working commit- 

 tees. 



The EPA Regional Administrator and the governors of involved 

 states or their designees are members of the key policy committee. 

 Other political appointees, such as state secretaries of natural 

 resources or environmental protection, may sit on the committee. 

 A local mayor or other elected officials may serve; so may senior 

 regional EPA managers (the Deputy Regional Administrator or the 

 Water Management Division Director). One or more senior regional 

 agency officials may be appointed by the governor of each par- 

 ticipating state. Additional state and local representatives may also 

 be members. These include appointees from the water department 

 or water quality board, the public health department, or the depart- 

 ment of natural resources. In some programs, committee chairper- 

 sons also sit on the policy committee. 



An effective management committee communicates and colla- 

 borates among its members to build consensus for recommended 

 actions. Members represent water quality, resource management, 

 and other important environmental perspectives. They understand 

 the estuary, what needs fixing, and what mechanisms are available 

 or needed to fix it. The management committee members serve as 

 the focal point for consensus building among Conference partici- 

 pants and all other committees. Their recommendations reflect this 

 process. 



Weighing differences and negotiating compromises can be diffi- 

 cult. Assume, for example, an estuary program has a $100,000 

 budget. The STAC believes this budget must support research to 

 find out what is causing a decline in oyster reproduction. The user 

 groups within the CAC want to establish oyster farming to offset the 

 decline. The state environmental agency wants to manage septic 

 systems in certain shore communities, because bacterial con- 

 tamination is closing oyster beds. Opening such beds can offset 

 the decline in production. 



In these negotiations, members recognize that scientific studies to 

 determine the cause of the decline may take several years. Never- 

 theless, the management committee may negotiate an agreement 

 that allows for all three approaches in a phased program. The 

 committee also understands that oyster farming may not succeed 

 if the same problem affects new oysters. The committee may seek 

 professional negotiators to facilitate consensus. In fact, failure to 

 settle disputes amicably and early can lead to serious polarization, 

 thus impeding later progress. 



When setting up this committee, several pitfalls should be avoided. 

 These include spending too much on a scientific study that will not 

 yield results for years; committing resources to address a symp- 

 tom, but neglecting its cause; and failing to keep lawmakers and 

 other influential citizen leaders informed and involved. 



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