Draft Comprehensive Plan Released for Public Comment

On May 19, SRBC released its draft Comprehensive Plan for the Water Resources of the Susquehanna River Basin for public comment through August 18. SRBC is required to have a Comprehensive Plan to manage and develop the Susquehanna basin’s water resources and guide SRBC’s programs and activities. The 2008 draft Plan – a substantial revision of the 1987 Plan – is available for review at www.srbc.net/planning/compplanfiles.asp.

"This planning project is an extremely important undertaking not only for the Commission, but also for its member jurisdictions, water resource managers and other governmental and nongovernmental interests that will benefit from the resource,” said SRBC Executive Director Paul Swartz. “In addition to addressing the more traditional priority water management issues, the draft Plan also features numerous current and emerging special-interest topics such as climate change, energy production and emerging contaminants.”

The 2008 draft Comprehensive Plan includes:

• an assessment of water resource needs;
• principles, guidance and standards;
• 6 priority management areas with goals and actions needed for water supply; water quality; flooding; ecosystems; Chesapeake Bay; and Coordination, Cooperation and Public Information;
• 12 areas of special interest featuring present-day management activities and future directions for abandoned mine drainage; climate change; consumptive use mitigation; drought coordination; economic development; recreation and other public values; emerging contaminants; energy production; flood forecast and warning; invasive species; migratory fish restoration; potentially stressed and water challenged areas; and water and wastewater infrastructure; and
• implementation procedures.

To enhance the public comment process, SRBC will conduct three public hearings to explain the key components of the draft Plan and to receive comments or testimony. The public hearings are scheduled for:

• July 8, 2008, 2:00 p.m., Owego Treadway Inn and Suites, 1100 State Route17C, Owego, NY
• July 9, 2008, 2:00 p.m., Days Inn and Conference Center, 50 Sheraton Drive, Danville, PA
• July 10, 2008, 10:00 a.m., Best Western Eden Resort, 222 Eden Road, Lancaster, PA

Written comments on the draft Plan are due by August 18 to Ava Stoops, Administrative Specialist, Susquehanna River Basin Commission, 1721 N. Front Street, Harrisburg, PA, 17102, (717) 238-0423, ext. 302, or by e-mail at astoops@srbc.net.