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The Oregon Water Resources Department, in partnership with a multi-agency team, has been working collaboratively with communities across Oregon to create a best practices resource for engaging communities when developing water projects.
As part of Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 541.551, the named state agencies may choose to make support available for the creation of community engagement plans through designated programs. If agencies provide support for the development of community engagement plans, then Best Practices for Community Engagement must be followed. The agencies charged with developing these best practices recognize that each water project differs in scale and scope. As such, community engagement will also vary and not all best practices may apply to each water project.
The draft document titled, Best Practices in Community Engagement around Water Projects, can be found online at Oregon Water Resources Department's funding opportunities webpage.
HOW TO SHARE COMMENTS:
The agencies co-leading this process are excited to collaborate with partners to refine the draft Best Practices guidance for community engagement around water projects.
Comments will be accepted through 5 p.m. on August 1, 2024. Comments should be submitted via email to engagement.best.practices@water.oregon.gov. For more information about how this document was created, check out the March 14, 2024 open house or contact Charlotte Regula-Whitefield directly using the contact information noted below.
All comments received will be reviewed by the interagency team consisting of the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD), the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Oregon Business Development Department (OBDD), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB). The agencies will work together to ensure feedback is incorporated into the final document to provide the most meaningful set of best practices for community engagement around water projects.
For more information, please contact:
Charlotte Regula-Whitefield
Community Engagement Coordinator, Oregon Water Resources Department
Call: 971-375-3481 | Email: Charlotte.M.REGULA-WHITEFIELD@water.oregon.gov
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