Well, it does not have a stellar acronym (BLLWRSG) or even an APE (Acronym- Producing Expression) but the Benton-Lane-Linn Water Resources Study Group is moving right along.
Even has a WWW site now.
I posted about this group (albeit with a different name) in July 2009.
Here is some of the BLLWRSG's history:
Working to address water issues, Benton, Lane, and Linn Counties (conveners) and their partners will seek to understand, pursue projects and offer recommendations to governing bodies concerning the region’s water quality and quantity. County Commissioners lead the Study Group, which began collaborating on the water issues crossing jurisdictions in March 2009.
The Study Group finalized a Work Plan in December, 2009. There are two strategies--short- and long-term. The value of the two strategies is forming and accomplishing immediate work with limited formal/policy related process and funding required. Conversely, longer term work is dependent on internal and external funding (grants), intergovernmental agreements and other more complicated and lengthy processes.
And its purpose:
To ensure a reliable supply of clean water for all users and beneficial uses and inform the decision-makers in Benton-Lane-Linn Counties, the Benton-Lane-Linn County Water Resources Study Group will: 1) comprehensively examine shared water resources quantity, use and quality issues; and 2) work collaboratively and transparently to address water issues.
I'm heavily involved with this group and am enjoying my participation. We have some visonary County Commissioners involved: Linda Modrell (Benton; she initiated the group); Will Tucker (Linn) and Rob Handy and Bill Fleenor (Lane). My faith in local politicians has been restored after working with these folks.
Local governments seeking to take charge of their water futures!
In which direction this group heads is anyone's guess; I know where I would like it to head.
But for now, the short-term calls: I've got to get back to writing a proposal for the BLLWRSG. It is due to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by 1 PM 1 June 2010. Plenty of time!
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it." -- Alan Kay
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