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<br />0028S9 <br /> <br />agencies cqn~erned with drought problem areas have been identified as <br />follows: Department of Local Affairs - municipal water, and tourism and <br />commerce problems; Department of Natural Resources - water shortage and <br />wildlife problems; Department of Agriculture - agricultural problems; <br />State Forester - Wildfire protection problems; Office of Planning and <br />Budgeting - economic problems. As oth~r response needs become apparent <br />additional lead agencies will be establ ished, e.g. should hydro-electric <br />power generation be affected by low reservoir levels or should health <br />proolems from intense heat develop, the Publ ic Util ity <br />Commission and the Department of He~lth wil I be appointed as lead <br />agencies. <br /> <br />This response system is based upon the existing statutory authority <br />of State government agencies, and it is distinguished from "assessments" <br />which can be generated through a variety of means and sources. Thus, <br />the response system within any department is monitored and controlled <br />by the departmental drought coordinator and senior level departmental <br />management. The system within State government is coordinated through <br />"lead agencies" - for example, at this stage of drought response, lead <br />departments are responsible for making news releases concerning depart- <br />mental programs. Authority for releases covering overall status and <br />direction of drought response will be retained by the Director of the <br />Division of Disaster Emergency Services. <br /> <br />Later, if drought conditions worsen, if agencies become overburdened and <br />if emergency conditions threaten, an Inter Agency Coordinating Group <br />(IACG) will be activated by proclamation of the Governor. The tACG will <br />be comprised of senior level managers of involved State departments <br />(Drought Coordinators or represnatives of lead agencies). The IACG will <br />act in concert with or through a department(s) and will: review unmet <br />needs identified by task forces and lead agencies, identify and recommend <br />means to meet those needs, ensure inter-agency coordination and determine <br />when its own deactivation should occur. <br /> <br />Occasionally this response system may require I imited expansion beyond <br />the normal processes of government. Should a given problem, or set of <br />problems, become unusually compl icated and extensive, departments may <br />require additional support. This may be necessary when continuous <br />flow of information or continuous availabil ity for handling publ ic <br />inquiries requires that a full-time position be activated, along with <br />a pubi icly announced telephone (800) number. The person(s) occupying <br />this position would respond for departments, to answer public queries <br />and refer requests to responsible officials. Similarly, if either a <br />geographic area or pol itical subdivision of the State develops a need <br />for day-to-day coordi'nation between a variety of programs, then a <br />State field representative may be designated as State I iaison to local <br />government. In this situation the field representative will respond to <br />guidance and control by the IACG. The IACG wil I be responsible to <br />recommend to the Governor the establishment of positions for additional <br />departmental staff or field representative!. <br /> <br />In general, assessments will be produced continually through a drought <br />period, but responses wil I be generated when impacts and needs can be <br />identified and evaluated. Specific activation conditions for both <br />assessment and response systems are shown below. <br /> <br />A-4 <br />