Federal Agencies Work Group Meeting Minutes, October 20, 1998

LAKE CHAMPLAIN BASIN PROGRAM
FEDERAL AGENCIES WORK GROUP

OCTOBER 20, 1998, MEETING SUMMARY

LOCATION:
Lake Champlain Office - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Essex Junction, Vermont

ATTENDEES:

o Ward Freeman, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, New York
o Fran Keeler, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Vermont
o Grady Moore, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, New York
o Brian Mrazik, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, New Hampshire/Vermont
o Donna Parrish, U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, University of Vermont
o Keith Robinson, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, New Hampshire/Vermont
o Lee Steppacher, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Northeast Region, Lake Champlain Basin Program
o Dave Tilton, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lake Champlain Office

Absent:

Jennifer Waite, National Park Service, Vermont
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2, New York
U.S. Department of Agriculture, New York
U.S. Forest Service

AGENDA:

10:00 am - Introductions, convene meeting - confirm agenda
10:05 am - Developing an MOU: Do we agree it could be helpful?
10:15 am - Review technical roles that could be described in an MOU
10:45 am - Discuss how to address the LCBP budget process as it relates to each agency's core program funds relevant to Lake Champlain. What program funds are part of the discussion?
11:15 am - Which agencies are we missing? Who can contact them?
11:30 am - Review example MOU format, identify items for agency representatives to write.
11:45 am - How do we finalize the MOU? Do we need to schedule another meeting?
12 noon - Adjourn

SUMMARY:

After participants made brief presentations about their agencies' roles in the Lake Champlain Basin Program, they agreed it would be useful to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the agencies. A discussion of the goal of the MOU included the following preliminary ideas:

Format/Protocol for the MOU

o The MOU should be transmitted to the Lake Champlain Steering Committee.

o The MOU should be clearly identified as a working document, which is easily modified to fit changing circumstances.

o The MOU should be simple and short, not a lengthy, elaborate document.

Purpose of the MOU

o The MOU should identify what the Federal agencies can do and are doing, contingent on continued funding and personnel, to implement Opportunities for Action .

o The transmittal letter should define the things the Federal agencies cannot do under current limitations in funding and/or authorization. As appropriate, these issues should be characterized as opportunities for further implementation of Opportunities for Action , if funding is provided.

o The MOU should identify collaboration between Federal agencies toward implementing Opportunities for Action . The MOU should serve as the mission statement for a Federal partnership, and provide a process for periodic meetings, as necessary, to coordinate activities.

o The MOU should encourage development of a funding pool for research to address issues identified in Opportunities for Action .

o The MOU should clarify Federal funding issues, including decision-making authority and consistency of the use of Federal funds with the Federal agency mission.

o Since most of the flexible Lake Champlain Basin Program funds are allocated through the Environmental Protection Agency budget, the EPA's mission for these funds should be identified in the MOU.

NEXT STEPS:

1. Participants will forward items to Dave Tilton for use in "whereas statements" in the MOU, which will identify each agency's mission as it relates to the Lake Champlain Basin Program. For example, "Whereas the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is authorized to provide assistance to and cooperate with Federal agencies to protect and increase fish and wildlife resources; and ...."

2. Dave Tilton will collate the "whereas statements" into a preliminary draft MOU outline and forward it to each participant.

3. Lee Steppacher will provide "whereas statements" that spell out the role of the Lake Champlain Basin Program administrative and committee structure, in addition to the EPA's authorities.

4. Absent members will be contacted and provided with a preliminary draft MOU outline, after participants have had a chance to review it.

5. A followup meeting(s) will be scheduled, as appropriate, to develop articles for the MOU.