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10 <br />PUBLIC PARTICIPATION <br />Public involvement in water resources planning has received the <br />strong endorsement of the U. S. Water Resources Council and the National <br />Water Commission. <br />Public participation in the 1975 Assessment at the national level <br />already has begun as part of the development of the Plan of Study. A <br />variety of public involvement mechanisms has been used, such as speeches, <br />newsletter reports, letters, conferences, public meetings, special task w <br />forces, interviews, and informal contacts. <br />The Plan of Study has been designed to provide for public partici- <br />pation at all key stages of the assessment process. The Regional Sponsors <br />have the primary responsibility for developing the public participation <br />programs at the regional, State, and local levels. These programs will <br />be described in the Regional Work Plans. Specific mechanisms are as <br />follows i <br />o Review of the detailed Plan of Study through the Regional <br />Sponsors. <br />o A "fact sheet" on the 1975 Assessment, which will receive <br />wide distribution either by WRC news release or by direct <br />mailing to assessment participants, potential users, and <br />other interested parties. <br />o Wide distribution of reports that briefly summarize the <br />results of the literature review for each WRC Region, <br />along with a national overview. <br />o The User Awareness and Needs Survey. <br />o The Problem Identification Survey. <br />o Authentication of those problems identified in the fore- <br />going surveys. <br />o An interim report that summarizes the results of the <br />preceding surveys. <br />o Judging of problem severity and urgency at both the <br />regional and national levels. <br />o Press releases at various stages in the assessment. <br />0 Review of the draft assessment reports. <br />