EPA Grant “Community Partner Workshops”

EPA Grant “Community Partner Workshops”

Background: The Friends of the Potomac will provide assistance to local governments and community-based organizations to hold six (6) “Community Partner Workshops” in 2000.  The workshops will be held in the communities described in attachment A.  They are intended to help communities implement protection, restoration, conservation and revitalization actions related to the Potomac River Watershed Visions Project.  

The workshops will be designed to emphasize identifying the causes, effects and extent of water pollution and local alternatives for the prevention, reduction and elimination of water pollution.  The meetings will be held in cooperation with the Federal agencies which committed to assist this effort (see July 30, 1999 Commitments to the Potomac) including USDA-NRCS, HUD, OSM, COE, FS, FWS, EPA-CBPO, NPS and FEMA.  In addition, the Interstate Commission for the Potomac River Basin Commission, appropriate State government agencies and private non-profit groups will be invited to participate and assist. 

Workshop Process: The workshops will be designed and implemented as follows.

Task 1: The Friends of the Potomac and the communities interested in co-sponsoring a “Potomac Community Partner Workshop” will design the workshops to meet local needs and capabilities. Local partners will be encouraged to involve a cross-section of community leaders, including local elected officials to participate in the pre-planning; arrange for and host the workshop; attend the workshop; and help the Friends and the Potomac AHR River Navigator prepare a report on the workshop results.

Task 2: The Friends will request the local partners to identify a list of community needs which related to the goals and objectives of the Potomac River Watershed Visions Project.  Local partners will also be asked to identify the Federal and State agencies, and conservation and revitalization expertise they would like to have available for the workshop.

Task 4: Based on the discussions and community input the River Navigator will identify Federal and State government agencies, and private sector organizations, and representatives to participate in the workshop.  The River Navigator will secure the assistance of these service providers for the workshop.  Government and private sector representatives will be provided background information on community needs, resources/ assets, and interests prior to the workshops. 

     

Task 5: The Friends of the Potomac, lead community partner, and the River Navigator will facilitate the workshop session which will include:

1. Overview presentation on the Friends of the Potomac and the Potomac River Watershed Visions Project.
2. Presentations by community leaders on their Potomac River watershed conservation, restoration, and revitalization assets, needs, water quality and living resource issues and problems, and interests.  Specific attention will be given to identifying a list of community projects and needs.
3. Presentation by Federal, State and private sector representatives on programs and services relevant to local needs and interests. Specific attention will be given to locally available programs which can be used to prevent, reduce or eliminate water pollution (i.e. stormwater management, brownfields, riparian buffers, source water protection, habitat restoration, etc.).  Specific attention will be given to identifying agency programs and priorities, and defining program eligibility.
4. Discussion and work session on the common local needs and government and private sector program/ service interests.  Specific commitments for collaboration and local action, with federal, state and non-government assistance, will be identified.
5. Presentation on the results of the work session and next steps.

Task 6.  The Friends of the Potomac and NPS River Navigator will be responsible for preparing a brief report on the discussions and follow up commitments.  The report will be made available to community partners, the workshop attendees, EPA and the appropriate State government offices. 

     

 Attachment A—Add Leigh’s list