Ash River Water Use Plan
Consultative Committee
Terms of Reference
DRAFT
26
October 2000
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of the Terms
of Reference is to ensure that participants of the Ash WUP process have a clear
understanding of their purpose and responsibilities, to provide assurance that
public values will be integrated into resource management decisions, and enhance
the smooth functioning of the Committee work.
1.0 CODE OF CONDUCT
All participants of the
Ash Water Use Plan will endeavor to:
·
Support an open and inclusive process
·
Treat others with courtesy and respect
·
Listen attentively with an aim to understand
·
Speak in terms of interests instead of positions
·
Be open to outcomes, not
attached to outcomes
· Challenge ideas, not people
2.0 CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE PURPOSE
The
broad consultative purpose is to integrate public values into water flow
management decisions related to BC Hydro operations.
The specific committee purpose is to provide clearly documented value
based recommendations for consideration by BC Hydro when preparing their Water
Use Plan for the Ash River hydroelectric facility. The objective of the Committee will be to recommend:
·
A preferred operating regime (or range of regimes)
for the facilities, considering allocation of water to different water uses
(e.g., flood control, fisheries, power generation, traditional use, aquatic
ecosystem ‘health’, and recreation);
·
Timing for periodic review of the Ash River Water
Use Plan.
Consensus
is a goal, but not a requirement of the WUP process. Consensus is defined in the WUP Guidelines as a decision in
which the participants can accept, without having to agree to all the details of
the operating regime. Where the
process identifies a preferred operating alternative (consensus), documentation
will include areas of agreement, as well as areas of contention, and the
underlying tradeoffs between alternative water uses.
Where no preferred operating alternative is identified (non-consensus),
documentation will record that agreement was not reached, and indicate
differences of opinion and reasons for disagreement.
3.0 PROCESS
3.1 Committee Tasks
The
Committee will achieve its purpose by undertaking steps 4 to 8 of the Water Use
Plan Guidelines. In summary these
include:
·
Confirm issues and interests in terms of specific
water use objectives along with quantitative and/or descriptive measures for
assessing their achievement
·
Gather additional information on the impacts of
water flows on each objective
·
Create alternative operating regimes to compare
impacts on water use objectives
·
Assess the tradeoffs between alternative operating
regimes in terms of the objectives
·
Determine and document areas of agreement and
disagreement
3.2 Procedure in the Event of Disagreement
The
following interest based negotiation steps will be used as a tool for resolving
issues:
·
Define the issue
·
Identify interests
·
Brainstorm options
·
Evaluate options
·
Choose an option.
Interests
are defined as the needs, wants, fears and concerns that are connected to an
issue. Positions are defined as a
predetermined solution to a problem without consideration for the interests of
others.
4.0 DELIVERABLE
A
Consultation Report, signed off by
the participants, documenting the overall process; water use interests,
objectives and performance measures; information collected, operating
alternatives reviewed, trade-off assessment, and areas of final agreement and
disagreement
The
target date for the delivery of this report is February 2002.
5.0
WATER USE PLAN PREPARATION, REVIEW, AND APPROVAL
Recommendations in the Consultation
Report will be fully considered by BC Hydro as they prepare the Draft Water
Use Plan for the Ash River hydroelectric facility.
The Draft Water Use Plan, prepared by BC Hydro, will be distributed to
the Consultative Committee for review.
The
Draft Water Use Plan and the Consultative Report will be submitted to the BC
Comptroller of Water Rights. The
Comptroller will coordinate a final regulatory review and approval as outlined
in the Water Use Plan Guidelines.
The target date for the
delivery of this report is March 13 2002.
6.0
MEMBERSHIP
6.1
Committee Membership
The
Ash WUP Consultative Committee [will be] has been established in accordance with
steps 2 and 3 of the WUP Guidelines. Committee
Members represent a broad range of interests affected by Ash facility
operations.
6.2 Alternates
Committee
Members should have Alternates (including another Committee member) to represent
them when they are unable to attend a meeting or on issues where the alternate
has more relevant knowledge or experience.
·
Members should ensure that their alternate is
familiar with the terms of reference for this process and is up to speed on
issues being discussed.
6.3
New Members
Individuals
or organizations may apply to become Table members by:
·
Submitting a request for Table membership to the BC
Hydro process coordinator. The
process coordinator will then schedule the membership request as an agenda topic
for the next Table meeting.
·
Applicants must be present at the meeting where the
application is considered and be prepared to describe the interests they
represent and the reasons why they believe those interests are not adequately
represented in the process
·
Table members will consider new applications based
on the principle of a fair, open and inclusive process.
New
Table members will be required to:
·
Abide by the terms of reference
·
Become familiar with past work completed by the
Committee
·
Accept agreements previously made by the Committee.
6.4 Observers and Guests
Observers
will be given opportunity to provide input into the discussions of the
Committee.
Guests
may be invited to attend meetings to provide a technical presentation or respond
to questions on a subject that is relevant to the development of the Ash River
Water Use Plan.
Observers and guests will not
participate in making committee decisions.
7.0 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
7.1 Committee Members
In
addition to following the code of conduct, participants of the Ash River WUP are
responsible for:
·
Attending and openly participating in Ash River
Consultative Committee meetings;
·
Articulating their interests with respect to water
use;
·
Reviewing relevant information and coming to
meetings prepared;
·
Making recommendations concerning study/research
work;
·
Exploring the implications of a range of operating
alternatives;
·
Seeking areas of agreement;
·
Ensuring continuity in representation;
·
Being accountable to constituents, other table
members and the general public;
·
Keeping constituents current on progress and
decisions of the Committee;
·
Signing off on the final Consultation
Report; and
·
In the event of a consensus, signing off on the Draft
WUP.
7.2 Facilitator
In
addition to following the code of conduct, the Facilitator of the Ash River WUP
is responsible for:
·
serving the
Consultative Committee in achieving its purpose and associated tasks (i.e.
undertaking steps 4 to 8 of the Water Use Plan Guidelines);
·
making every
endeavor to ensure that all parties are heard and that all differences are
resolved fairly, without unnecessary delay or expense;
·
making every
endeavor to be, and remain, completely impartial between the parties, according
equal attention and courtesy to all persons involved; and
·
producing
the Consultation Report
for review and sign off by the consultative committee
7.3
BC Hydro Project Team
A BC Hydro Project Team has
been established to assist with the work of the consultative committee.
In addition to following the code of conduct, the BC Hydro Project Team
is responsible for:
Assisting and taking the lead role in
technical support to the committee which includes working with the entire
committee, internal BC Hydro resources and external resources including the
regulatory agencies, local resources and experts
which include:
·
Managing and
resourcing the process to maintain an acceptable time schedule;
·
Compiling and providing existing data and
information;
·
Establishing the scope, limits and boundaries for
proposed studies; and
·
Arranging and managing studies for collection of
new data and information
Assisting
with administrative tasks which include:
·
Arranging meetings;
·
Taking notes at Consultative Committee meetings or
any Working Group meetings;
·
Arranging for facilitation services (as necessary);
·
Maintaining a database of interested parties who
are to receive copies of meeting notes and other written materials;
·
Distributing meeting notes and supporting
materials;
·
Developing and maintaining communication links with
interested parties;
·
Producing and issuing all communications materials;
·
Supporting report and document preparation and
copying;
·
Assisting with publication of the Consultation Report; and
·
Presenting the Draft Water Use Plan to the
Consultative Committee.
8.0
WORKING GROUPS
To
expedite the completion of tasks identified by the Committee, Working Groups may
be established to undertake work between Committee meetings.
Working
groups will:
·
Be open to all members, who will be notified in
advance of any meeting
·
Schedule meetings to optimize opportunities for
attendance
·
Offer opportunity for input from members who cannot
make a scheduled meeting
·
Include non-Committee members as appropriate
·
Include facilitators as required
·
Prepare options and/or recommendations for
consideration by the Committee.
Working
groups will not make decisions on behalf of the Committee
9.0
PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
The
following procedure will be followed with respect to public communication:
·
Committee meetings will be open to the public and
the media;
·
Newsletters, press releases or media updates
describing the water use planning process and its progress will be prepared on a
periodic basis by BC Hydro with approval from the Committee; and
·
Committee members will describe their points of
view as interests rather than positions and will not criticize or discredit the
process or the views of others when communicating with the broader public with
respect to the process
·
Where needed, the Committee will select an
appropriate spokesperson to represent the Committee
