| (a) Prior to the preparation for the RWPs, in accordance
with the public participation requirements in §357.21 of this
title (relating to Notice and Public Participation), the RWPGs shall:
(1) hold at least one public meeting to gather suggestions
and recommendations from the public as to issues that should be addressed
or provisions that should be included in the next regional or state
water plan;
(2) prepare a scope of work that includes a detailed
description of tasks to be performed, identifies responsible parties
for task execution, a task schedule, task and expense budgets, and
describes interim products, draft reports, and final reports for the
planning process;
(3) approve any amendments to the scope of work only
in an open meeting of the RWPG where notice of the proposed action
was provided in accordance with §357.21 of this title; and
(4) designate a political subdivision as a representative
of the RWPG eligible to apply for financial assistance for scope of
work and RWP development pursuant to Chapter 355, Subchapter C of
this title (relating to Regional Water Planning Grants).
(b) A RWPG shall hold a public meeting to determine
the process for identifying potentially feasible water management
strategies; the process shall be documented and shall include input
received at the public meeting; after reviewing the potentially feasible
strategies using the documented process, then the RWPG shall list
all possible water management strategies that are potentially feasible
for meeting a need in the region. The public meeting under this subsection
shall be in accordance with the requirements of §357.21(b) of
this title.
(c) If applicable, and approved by the EA, implement
simplified planning in accordance with guidance to be provided by
the EA. If a RWPG determines in its analysis of water needs that it
has sufficient supplies in the RWPA to meet water needs for the 50-year
planning period, RWPGs may conduct simplified regional water planning
as follows:
(1) identify water supplies that are available for
voluntary redistribution in a RWPA or to other RWPAs;
(2) where appropriate, adopt previous RWP or state
water plan information, updated as necessary, as the RWP; and
(3) other activities upon approval of the EA necessary
to complete a RWP that meets rule and statute requirements.
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