Local Government Advisory Committee
\	y
Report to the
Executive Council
November 29,2005
National Geographic Society,
Washington, DC
Executive Summary
Comprised of 21 members (six from each state and three from the District of Columbia), the
Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) is coordinated by the Alliance for the
Chesapeake Bay. We are pleased to report that we now have only two vacancies on the
Committee, both in the District of Columbia, which we anticipate will be filled within the next
few months.
Over the past year, LGAC traveled to different corners of the Bay watershed to learn about and
discuss issues dealing with stormwater management, low impact development, sewage treatment
plant upgrades, urban forestry, public education, and the financing of these activities.
As a result of these discussions, LGAC offers the following recommendations to the Bay
Program:
1)	Funding for Local Government Activities: In many aspects, local governments are
where "the rubber meets the road" in the implementation of the Bay's Tributary
Strategies. With over 1,650 local governments in the Bay's watershed, capabilities vary
tremendously in understanding the call to action in the Tributary Strategies and
implementing effective programs and practices.
We encourage the Bay Program to accelerate funding for programs that support local,
concrete action. We support continued funding of the Small Watershed Grants Program.
Priority should be given to those projects that leverage these dollars with both public and
private resources at the local level. We also ask that LGAC continue to be used as a
review partner during the grant application process.
We also encourage the Bay Program to help local agencies sort through the
complexity of existing financing mechanisms and provide guidance on how actions under
the Tributary Strategies can be supported through creative financing strategies.
2)	Chesapeake Bay Finance Authority: As local officials with years of experience in the
financing of local infrastructure projects, LGAC members again urge the Executive
Council and Bay Program to consult with LGAC as these initiatives unfold. Please tap
our expertise as decisions are made to prioritize needs and create an operating Finance
Authority.
3)	Chesapeake Bay Program Goals & Tributary Strategy Messages: We believe there is
confusion among local officials between the original 40 percent nutrient reduction goal
and the assigned load reductions for nitrogen and phosphorus for each major tributary
that were developed to support water quality conditions for living resources. We urge the
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dissemination of goal statements targeted at local government that clearly explain the
evolution of Bay Program goals.
Furthermore, we encourage the Bay Program to work with LGAC in clearly
articulating the expectations for local government actions as embodied in the various
Tributary Strategies. LGAC members and staff can assist in disseminating uniform
messages about the Tributary Strategies as these blueprints for action are refined.
4) Local Stormwater Management Programs: Stormwater issues will only intensify as
the Bay watershed becomes more urbanized. While there are local, state and federal
programs in place to better manage stormwater, there are roles the Bay Program can play
to ensure their success. We urge the Bay Program to support the transferability of tools
and approaches that local partnerships have used successfully. Many local governments
see the MS4 requirements (and possibly the tributary strategies) as yet another unfunded
mandate. To the extent that the Bay Program can share models of successful partnerships
and support quality training, we believe it would be a wise investment of Bay Program
funds.
5) Low Impact Development: There is a lot to learn about low impact development and
many different audiences to reach at the local government level ~ engineers, elected
officials, planning commissions, etc. These audiences need to be comfortable with what
low impact development promises, and that's where the Bay Program can help. Through
its interstate network and powerful website, the Bay Program can facilitate the delivery of
lessons learned across state lines and provide technical assistance to smaller communities
where resources are limited. The communication and outreach needs related to low
impact development are immense and yet we believe there are ways to effectively
package this information to reach local governments struggling with decisions to
implement new technologies.
Over the past year, LGAC strived to improve its role in facilitating effective two-way
communication between the Bay Program and local governments in the watershed. We launched
the Peer Match Program, improved the Bay LOGIN website, reinstituted the LGAC newsletter,
continued the Bay Partner Community Award Program, and participated in several local
government conferences throughout the watershed.
We look forward to building on these initiatives in 2006 and playing an active role in being
the voice for local governments in the Chesapeake Bay Program.
Local Government Advisory Committee Membership
Russell Pettyjohn, Chair
Mayor of Lititz Borough
Kenneth J. Wingo, Jr.
Potter County Commissioner
Charles Smithgall
Mayor, City of Lancaster
A. Carville Foster
Springfield Twp. Supervisor
Ann Simonetti
Marysville Borough Council
Carol Simpson
Manheim Twp Commissioner
Sheila Besse, Dept. of Health
Bureau of Environmental Quality
Washinaton DC
Marilyn Praisner, Vice Chair
Montgomery County Council
Ellen Moyer
Mayor of Annapolis
Phyllis Kilby
Cecil County Commissioner
Effie M. Elzey
Dorchester County Council
Kelly Porter
Seat Pleasant City Council
Robert C. Willey
Mayor of Easton
Gerald W. Hyland, Vice Chair
Fairfax County Supervisor
Paul Fisher, Executive Director
Richmond Regional Planning
Commission
Penelope Gross
Fairfax County Supervisor
William H. Whitley
Gloucester Co. Administrator
Sally Thomas
Albemarle County Supervisor
Kandy A. Hilliard
Stafford County Supervisor
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The 2005 LGAC Annual Report includes the following:
•	LGAC Meetings and Recommendations to the Bay Program
•	Summary of recent LGAC activities
LGAC Meetings and Recommendations to the Bay Program
LGAC members traveled throughout the Bay watershed to discuss important issues at
the following locations:
•	March 2005 - Washington, DC
•	June 2005 - State College, PA
•	September 2005 - Fredericksburg, VA
•	December 2005 - Annapolis, MD
During these meetings, LGAC members gained insight and provided feedback to Bay
Program representatives on urban forestry initiatives, urban stormwater management,
changing Chesapeake Bay restoration indicators, the Chesapeake Club Mass Media
Campaign, and Tributary Strategies. LGAC also helped the Bay Program conduct a focus
group as part of a study to evaluate and redesign the Bay Program's website and
electronic communication strategy.
Below is a summary of actions taken and recommendations made as a result of these
meetings.
Funding for Local Government Activities
Assistance to Small Watershed Grants Program
In many aspects, local governments are where "the rubber meets the road" in the
implementation of the Bay's Tributary Strategies. Responsibilities for waste water
management, stormwater management, land conservation and development, stream
buffer management, and wetlands conservation fall at the feet of local governments. With
over 1,650 local governments in the Bay's watershed, capabilities vary tremendously in
first understanding the call to action in the Tributary Strategies and subsequently
adopting effective programs and practices.
We encourage the Bay Program to accelerate funding for programs that support local,
concrete action. Last winter, three LGAC members (Marilyn Praisner, MD; Russell
Pettyjohn, PA; and Penny Gross, VA) provided assistance to the review of Small
Watershed Grant applications at the request of the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.
Each reviewed up to 50 applicants for each state. Because local governments are often
the recipients or partners in small watershed grant projects, we encourage the Bay
Program to continue using LGAC as a review partner and to continue providing funds to
local governments that leverage these funds with local resources.
We also encourage the Bay Program to help local agencies sort through the
complexity of existing financing mechanisms and provide guidance on how actions under
the Tributary Strategies can be supported through creative financing strategies.
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Misunderstanding of the 2000 Bay Agreement Goals & Tributary Strategies
LGAC urges the Bay Program to provide clarity to local governments on the goals of the
Chesapeake 2000 Agreement, especially as it relates to water quality and nutrient
reduction. We believe there is confusion among local officials between the original 40
percent reduction goal and the assigned load reductions for nitrogen and phosphorus for
each major tributary that were developed to support water quality conditions for living
resources. LGAC can help communicate clearer messages that target local governments
in understanding the evolving goals.
Furthermore, we encourage the Bay Program to work with LGAC in articulating the
expectations for local government actions as embodied in the various Tributary
Strategies. Through the communication vehicles that LGAC administers (Bay LOGIN,
newsletter, attendance at local government conventions, etc.), our members and staff can
assist in disseminating uniform messages about the Tributary Strategies as they are
refined.
Blue Ribbon Panel: Finance Authority Task Force
We understand that recommendations are being made to further examine approaches for
the regional financing effort, building on the work of the Chesapeake Bay Financing
Authority Committee. LGAC is honored to have a member from this Finance Authority
Committee, Penny Gross, Fairfax County Supervisor, as one of its own members, who
have benefited from Supervisor Gross's first-hand knowledge of the Finance Authority
Committee's investigations.
We also understand that, in the meantime, a voluntary Watershed Assistance Network
has been created to support today's financing needs without any changes in legislation,
and that a series of top spending priorities, based largely on cost-effectiveness, has been
developed.
As local officials with years of experience in the financing of local infrastructure
projects, LGAC members again urge the Executive Council and Bay Program to consult
with LGAC as these initiatives unfold. Please tap our expertise as decisions are made to
prioritize needs and create an operating Financing Authority.
Chesapeake Club
LGAC members were highly impressed with the quality of the Chesapeake Club mass
media campaign and encourage financial support for the expansion of this program to
other parts of the Bay watershed. LGAC would welcome the opportunity to provide input
on message development that will target areas upstream, particularly those regions far
removed from the Bay itself.
Stormwater Management & Low Impact Development
As the watershed continues to develop, the impact of stormwater runoff will have ever
growing consequences for the stability of local stream channels, groundwater supplies,
and downstream watershed health. In 2005, LGAC spent considerable time listening to
local concerns and needs with regard to the demands on local government to meet these
challenges. Below is a series of recommendations.
As the Chesapeake Bay Program considers ways to reduce the impact of urban stormwater as
called for in the various tributary strategies, the Local Government Advisory Committee
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urges the Bay Program to support the transferability of tools and approaches that local
partnerships have used successfully.
During the June 2005 LGAC meeting, we heard from a panel of local partners who impressed
the Committee with their ability to work together to meet new challenges in stormwater
regulation and education. The Centre County Council of Governments, the Clearwater
Conservancy (a local watershed organization), and Penn State University have collaborated in
a unique way to meet these challenges. Following that meeting, the LGAC offered
suggestions for consideration by the Bay Program in its development of the Urban
Stormwater Strategy under the Executive Council's Directive 04-2.
Specifically, LGAC members were impressed with 1) the use of a watershed/land trust
organization for stormwater education & outreach that collectively reaches a wider audience,
2) the collaboration of 14 separate municipalities to address stormwater issues through a local
watershed commission (made up of elected officials), and 3) the cooperation between a land
grant university and its surrounding local governments related to establishing sound scientific
research on the local applicability of stormwater techniques. We urge the development of a
model for local stormwater partnerships.
Secondly, we understand that the urban stormwater summit resulted in a recommendation for
additional education and capacity building for local programs. We therefore encourage the
Bay Program to support gaps in stormwater education and training. Many local governments
see the MS4 requirements (and possibly the tributary strategies) as yet another unfunded
mandate. To the extent that the Bay Program can help fill these gaps and support quality
training and program support, we believe it would be a wise investment of Bay Program
funds.
At our September LGAC meeting, a focus group suggested many constructive ideas to
improve the knowledge base of innovative stormwater and low impact development
practices:
Website and Electronic Communication:
1)	Clearinghouse on techniques and lessons learned in low impact development
(important to include what failed and why)
2)	forum - chat room or forum on stormwater issues
3)	target local governments with few or no technical staff - communicate resources
available to help them develop effective stormwater programs
Messages:
1)	Generate stronger connection between specific stormwater controls and sub-
watershed health - important to stress watershed perspective and cumulative impact
of site by site stormwater measures
2)	Need for more homeowner education for stormwater techniques on private lots
New partnerships:
1)	involve American Planning Association and state chapters in assessing ordinances
and best management practices
2)	facilitate regional meetings of planning directors, engineers and planning
commissioners
We urge the Bay Program to consider incorporating these recommendations through its
Stormwater Workgroup activities.
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Recent LGAC Activities
Bay Partner Community Award Program Provides Recognition and
Foundation for Tapping Local Expertise
Local governments appreciate the opportunity to be recognized for their local efforts
in water and land management. During 2005, LGAC took strategic advantage of the Bay
Partner Community Award Program, which has recognized 72 local governments (cities,
townships, boroughs and counties) since the program's inception in 1997.
First, we used the information provided by applicants to populate the Bay LOGIN
website's Local Innovations page, which was designed to purposely mirror the
benchmarks evaluated under the Bay Partner Award program.
Second, we use Partner Award communities as mentors in our new Peer Match
program (see below).
Third, we offered for the first time a $1,000 mini-grant to the first ten applicants as
encouragement to apply for status as a Bay Partner Community. Though modest in
amount, these grants are being used to help plant a riparian buffer park in Chester
County, PA; purchase watershed boundary signs in Clarke County, VA; and create an
urban park that's completely free of chemical pesticides in the City of Lancaster, PA.
Smaller communities, in particular, appreciate these grants to support on-the-ground
projects and educational initiatives.
Peer Match Program
In 2005, LGAC launched a new Peer Match Program designed to stimulate change by
connecting Gold and Silver level Bay Partner Communities with local governments that
are striving to improve their land and water management activities. One-day visits to
mentoring communities involve facilitated discussion of specific needs, barriers, and
recommended actions and a tour of local sites that demonstrate innovative programs or
policies. Last spring, two Gold communities — Annapolis, MD and Harris Township, PA
— hosted Peer Match visits involving Plymouth and Lancaster townships, PA and
Aberdeen, MD. Additional visits are planned for this winter. The program is a simple,
cost-effective approach to providing technical and program assistance to local
governments. In addition, it takes advantage of the local expertise that we learn about
through the Bay Partner Community Award program.
Bay LOGIN
We are excited to report that our electronic communication vehicle - Bay LOGIN —
has new and improved content and search capabilities. Through the website
www.bavlogin.org. subscribers can now:
1)	apply to be a Bay Partner Community;
2)	search a database for examples of local government innovations in water quality,
living resources and habitat, sound land use, and community engagement;
3)	answer a quick survey question on issues related to local government's
involvement in the Bay's recovery;
4)	apply to participate in the Peer Match Program;
5)	subscribe to receive regular Bay LOGIN newsflashes; and
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6) link to the Bay Program website for information on the Chesapeake 2000
Agreement and other issues
LGAC continues to invest time in improving this site and is anxious to promote the site
among local governments in the coming year.
Print Media: Chesapeake Channels Newsletter & Targeted Articles
LGAC recognizes the need to reach local government audiences outside of electronic
communication media. In 2005, we re-instituted the LGAC newsletter Chesapeake
Channels, a quick-and-easy, two-page newsletter that is mailed quarterly to over 2,200
local governments in the watershed.
We also prepared articles targeting local government publications in an effort to
educate local officials about the jurisdictions' tributary strategies and how local
governments can take specific action to help implement the strategies.
Outreach at Local Government Conferences
LGAC believes it's imperative to carry the Bay Program messages to the places where
local government officials gather to learn and discuss issues. In 2005, LGAC staff
manned the new LGAC table-top exhibit and print materials at the Pennsylvania State
Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) convention in April, Maryland Municipal
League conference in June, and the Maryland Association of Counties in August. A
workshop presentation was also made at the PSATS convention. Efforts will be made to
be part of the Virginia Municipal League conference next fall.
Activities in the Coming Year
The coming year will require many local governments to undertake fundamental
changes in the management of sewage and stormwater. LGAC will strive to foster
effective communication between the Bay Program and local governments on matters
related to financial opportunities, technological advancements, and education and
outreach for these key areas.
Through Bay LOGIN, Bay Partner Awards Program and Peer Match Program, we will
continue to get the word out about effective technologies and programs and facilitate the
sharing of local expertise. In 2006, staff will work to aggressively promote these tools
and services to a wider audience of local government officials.
We recently reevaluated LGAC activities as they relate to the 2002 Local Government
Participation Action Plan and will be working with the Bay Program to revisit action
items that warrant additional attention.
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