Communications Committee: Meetings & Calls

Committee Conference Call
September 7, 2000

PRESENT: Jan Miller, Allison Vanosdell for Barry Aarons and Al Zemsky, co-chairs; Dwayne Arino, Ondrea Barber, Carl Bowman, Jeannine Coward, Karen Deike, Paul Mountcastle.

NEW MEMBER: Ondrea Barber of the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona was introduced and welcomed. She is still checking with her organization to determine if she will participate as a permanent Committee member. [Ondrea Barber; 2214 N. Central Ave.; Phoenix, AZ 85004; 602 307-1533; f: 602 258-4825; ondrea.barber@itcaonline.com

REPORTS ON PUBLIC MEETINGS TO CONSIDER THE BACKSTOP TRADING PROGRAM: Carl reported there were about 35 present for the Flagstaff meeting. Bill Auberle was the host, and there were extensive questions following the presentation.

Jan reported that only three attended in Salt Lake City, and there was one question and little discussion following the presentation. There was press coverage the day before.

Jan has received Dan Clark's report on the Casper meeting and Carl's write up from Flagstaff. Al will check with other CC reps to get the information.

SUMMARIZING PUBLIC COMMENTS: Carl, Dennis Haddow and Kirsten King will join Bruce Polkowsky and Greg Schaeffer of the Market Trading Forum at the WGA offices Sept. 11-12 to review and summarize public comments. They will need to prepare a report for the Market Trading Forum which will meet in Denver on Sept. 13-14. In addition, they will need a report to be submitted to the WRAP for its meeting on Sept. 25. Since the WRAP packet will be mailed about Sept. 15 or 18, the report to the WRAP may be the same as the report to the MTF. Or, if the summarizing group may prepare something more elaborate and ask Pat Cummings to distribute separately after the packet is mailed. The project managers have been forwarding comments so far to Jan; she will FedEx copies to WGA care of Pat Cummins so that the summarizing group will have them on Sept. 11.

CC REPORT TO THE WRAP: Al will prepare for the WRAP packet a table displaying public comment information similar to that prepared following the June comment period. Carl will give the oral report on the outreach effort. Al will ask Kirsten to prepare a brief report about use of the listserve. (Karen noted that she has registered for the listserve twice and has never received anything.)

PRESS RELEASE AFTER THE WRAP MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 25: Karen will draft a press release to be ready by Sept. 25 announcing the WRAP's decisions. It may be ready to hold it until all documents are final and submitted to EPA on Oct. 2. Jan will update the fact sheet immediately after Sept. 26 to reflect last-minute changes.

LIAISONS TO FORUMS AND COMMITTEES: Jeannine reported that the list of liaisons is ready to be posted on the Communications Committee page on the Web, and the liaison will be posted on each committee and forum's page. There is no liaison yet for the Economic Analysis Forum; that issue will be discussed at our meeting on Sept. 26. Allison will remind Barry to talk with Terry Larsen, Ellen Porter and Tom Clayson before Sept. 26 to see if they wish to continue with the Communications Committee and with their liaison assignments.

CC MEETING IN SACRAMENTO ON SEPT. 26: Karen Deike will make arrangements through WGA for conference call lines for the meeting in Sacramento on Sept. 26. So far, Dan Clark, Kirsten King, and Paul Mountcastle want to call in.

The meeting will be 9 a.m. through 4 p.m. Agenda items include continuing with our strategic planning and specific planning for expansion of our committee to include better representation from all sectors. Al will prepare an agenda and post on the Web calendar.

Minutes submitted by Jan Miller