CSU Public Education Project FY07-08 - Final

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1. Create a process to inform, involve, and e ducate the public on interbasin compact committee2. Create a mechanism by which public input and feedback can be relayed to the interbasin compact committe es and co mpact ne gotiators. Colorado State University Extension was invited by the Colo rado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to have a liaison with each basin roundtable and the IBC C. The lia ison serv es at the behest of the Roundta bles to he lp facili tate disc ussion, mod erate e lections, and aid in educati onal proc esses. Ad di ti on al ly, CSU Extension liaisons are to provide links be tween the university, Roundtables, and Coloradoby Colorado and improve your quality of life. Extension professionals have been educating the citizens of Colorado and takin g their resear ch need s back to t he univer sity for more than 75 y ears. Scope of Work Colorado State University Extension proposes a three- part approach to help Basin Round tables a nd IBC C meet their mandated obligations to infor m and educate the public and solicit feedback. The approaches will include assistance in developing com municatio n materia ls, press releas es, and to wnhall meeting s. Part I . Communica tion Mater ials CSU Extension will assist DNR in developing communication materials about the I nterbasin Compact process and eac h of the ni ne basin roundtab les. This will include fact sheets and accompany ing Po werPoin t presentations. Components of the communication materials may include (1) a brief explanation of House Bill 05-1177; (2) information about each of the nine basin roundtables; such as, membership, leader s hip, roles and responsibilities, progress towards completion of a water needs assessme nt, proposed methods a nd/or pro jects to me et future water ne eds, and public ed ucatio n and outreach activitie s; (3) inf ormati on abo ut the I BCC; such as, membe rship, ro les and r esponsibi lities, its negotiating framework and f ounda ti on principles, procedures for ratify ing compacts or other agree ments, authorities and procedures for making c ompacts/agreements legally binding and enforceable, etc.; (4) major water issues by b asin; and (5) othe r pertine nt informa tion; such as, webs ites, roundtab le and I BCC meeti ng date s, and va luable r esource s. CSU Extension w ill coordina te with DN R, the basin roundtables, and the roundtablecommunic ation mate rials. The materials produced will be made available to the public on the CSU Extension and Department of Natural Resources websites, and will be delivered to and distributed by Basin Rou ndtable m embers. Additiona lly, the mater ials will be made a vailable to attendees of townhall meetings. This part of the proposed educational effort will be completed by 31 October 2007. Part II . Press Releases Press releases will be written by CSU Extension personne l, approv ed by Basin Rou ndtable l eaders hip and DNR, and distributed to Colorado newspapers and other media out lets. The press releases will be contain basin specific information pertaining to Roundtable activities and accompl ishments. T he press releases will also b e availa ble on the CSU Extension and DNR websites. Dates for these media releases will be approximately 01 December 2007, 01 March 2008, and 01 June 2008.