Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum: March 10, 2011 Alysa Suero EPA Region 3 Source Water Protection Team

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum FORUM OBJECTIVES: Heighten awareness of issues and decisions affecting water resources—now and future—in the Delaware River Basin Connect basin-wide and local actors, issues and needs Create a framework for ongoing collaboration among officials, planners, water suppliers and other stakeholders and practitioners

Delaware River Basin Forum ABOUT THE FORUM Sponsored by the Source Water Collaborative Staged by Local Planning Team EPA Regions 2 & 3NJ DEP DRBCNY DOH, NY DEC DE DNREC & DE DHSSPA DEP Concurrent, coordinated events at six locations in Basin Central event in Philadelphia Five “satellite” sites: DE, NJ, NY and PA (2) Simultaneous internet broadcast from each satellite site

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum Sullivan County Community College Loch Sheldrake, NY Monroe County Public Center Stroudsburg, PA Reading Area Community College Reading, PA WHYY Public Media Commons Philadelphia, PA Rutgers Eco Complex Bordentown, NJ University of Delaware – Newark Newark, DE

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum ABOUT THE FORUM – “Green meeting” practices – minimize environmental footprint Travel reduced: attend nearest meeting to participate, or view online Website, electronic media used for communications Electronic registration only Limited printing; no meeting trinkets (aka “eco-junk”) – Approx. 400 participants registered at 6 locations, dozens viewing online throughout the day

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum ABOUT THE FORUM – Significant use of innovative technology Live internet broadcast to/from satellite locations Live Tweets, blogging Podcasts Created narrated GoogleEarth flyover Person on the Street video Shared Gmail account for Event Day communication with satellite sites Shared docs via Google Docs Website:

Save-the-Date Flier

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum CENTRAL AGENDA FOCUSED ON BASIN-WIDE ISSUES

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum CENTRAL AGENDA Basin-wide Issues of Local Consequence: Water Use, Population Growth, Climate Change and Water Protection Straws in the Delaware: Water Use Today and Tomorrow Susan S. Hutson, US Geological Survey Climate Change Implications for the Delaware Basin Raymond G. Najjar, Jr., Ph.D., Penn State University Strategies for Drinking Water Protection–from Planning to Partnering G. Tracy Mehan III, Principal, The Cadmus Group, Inc. Delaware River Basin: Challenges On the Ground and In the Water Carol R. Collier, ACIP – Executive Director, Delaware River Basin Commission Drinking Water: Facts, Fears, and the Future Jeffrey K. Griffiths, MD, MPH&TM, Tufts University School of Medicine

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum LOCAL AGENDAS Developed from local input – Survey of prospective participants – Solicitation of interests from registrants Local speakers Facilitated discussions to focus issues & needs, what works, & next steps Summary reports sent to Philadelphia for closeout

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum SATELLITE ISSUES RAISED Need integrated leadership Education-many levels, varied audiences Communication/coordination/ outreach Externalities: “True cost of water” Effectiveness of local planning Lack of funding Stormwater management Infrastructure needs Marcellus Shale development

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum SATELLITE ACTIONS/NEXT STEPS Build integrated leadership Education—many levels, audiences Use technology, social media tools Let officials know we care about water! Municipal water & wastewater forums Funding Measuring & implementation of monitoring results Enhanced government action— regulation, enforcement, transparency Collaboration

Delaware River Basin Forum POST-FORUM PLANS & GOALS Develop summary of Forum, including process, format, outcomes Basin-wide and local issues, needs, actions and recommended next steps Video recordings posted on website Potential for States, DRBC, EPA, others to provide continued leadership/facilitation Maintain collaboration with stakeholders Reconvene for status check, summer 2011 Website maintenance--depends on funding, support (meld into SWC site?)

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum FORUM HIGHLIGHTS – Accomplished Forum objectives: Heightened/broadened awareness of issues affecting water resources Connected basin-wide & local players & concerns Established expectation for further collaboration – Uncovered stakeholders’ need for action, leadership & collaboration

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum LESSONS LEARNED FOR NEXT TIME… Begin process with a clear plan for post-Forum collaboration and support from partners Establish plan for communication with attendees post-Forum to maintain momentum and interest Ensure all satellite site managers are comfortable with technology and newer services/platforms Engage non-government partner early in process to overcome logistical obstacles (lunch $$$, website compliance, etc)

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum NEEDS /TO DO’s FOR SOURCE WATER COLLABORATIVE: Grow awareness among memberships that your organizations are part of a great national effort – Be bold about role/interest in drinking water protection – Give the SWC (and Forums) space in publications, websites – Advertise tools (e.g., AWWA SWP standard, planning approaches for water resource protection) – Consider collaboration on cross-jurisdictional aquifers Go Local – Encourage presence and partnerships at “local” level: State Collaboratives, watershed- or aquifer-based partnerships – Help us find your colleagues in the Delaware River Basin (and the Susquehanna, Potomac, Ohio, Salmon Falls…..)

Delaware River Basin Forum Delaware River Basin Forum Website: EPA Region 3 Forum Planning Team: Vicky Binetti(215) Chuck Kanetsky (215) Alysa Suero (215)