Strategic Plan
Issue: Lack of education of citizens
Strategy: Identify available funding sources for wastewater treatment and repair
Inform and encourage local governments of federal (Rural Development) funding for decentralized wastewater systems where public utilities are not provided
| Promote revolving fund programs for septic system installation using Kentucky’s PRIDE program as an example for both Virginia and West Virginia | BSRBC | 2012 | $5,000 / state |
| Promote existing funding sources for extremely low income families | BSRBC | Ongoing | $0 |
| Assess wastewater and drinking water needs; seek special project funding | BSRBC | Ongoing | |
| BSRBC | Ongoing | $0 |
Strategy: Form a Big Sandy Straight Pipe Task Force
Recommend changes to existing wastewater laws to legislators
| Host a straight pipe conference/workshop | BSRBC | 2010 | $2,000 |
| Propose the formation of a Straight Pipe Task Force (Committee) at spring conference | BSRBC | 4/2008 | $0 |
| Utilize Task Force to coordinate and promote straight pipe inventory efforts | BSRBC | 2009 | $0 |
| BSRBC and Straight Pipe Taskforce | 2011 | $1,000 |
B. Education
Issue: Lack of education regarding environmental pollution and sources of assistance.
Strategy: Educate our educators: Identify available resources and give opportunity for exchange of information
Promote the availability of environmental education materials from various conservation partners throughout the Big Sandy River Basin
| Annual spring conference to include environmental education session and possibly an entire day for teachers | Education Committee | Annually thru 2012 | $10,000 |
| Host an basin-wide educators workshop | Education Committee | 2009 | $10,000 |
| Identify other workshop needs | Education Committee | Annually thru 2012 | $0 |
| Education Committee | Ongoing | $0 |
Strategy: Create a tri-state watershed curriculum; assess current materials available
| Share materials from Virginia’s meaningful watershed experience, watershed address, correlate to standards of learning (SOLs in VA, KERA in KY) | Education Committee | Ongoing | $2,000 |
| Create speakers bureau available to organizations and schools | Education Committee | 2009 | $1000 |
| Convert Big Sandy Clean Water video from VHS to DVD and make available | Big Sandy RC&D | 2007 | $3000 |
Strategy: Assess educational needs
| Survey the needs of adult education and older audiences including: grassroots organizations, regulators, citizen groups, local governments | Education Committee | $2,500 | |
| Compile surveys of educational needs into communication and outreach plan | Education Committee | $2,500 |
Strategy: Sponsor watershed tours and workshops
Promote tourism demonstrations; invite local tourism organizations to assist with highlighting both positive and negative sights in the watershed
| Promote and assist with Kids in the Creek programs, streamwalks, etc. to younger audiences | BSRBC | Ongoing | $1,500 |
| Sponsor “highlight” tours for state and federal legislators to showcase good projects and emphasize need | BSRBC | 2008 | $3,000 |
| Promote and encourage town meeting and/or public workshop with a focus on the health of the local environment and possible solution strategies | BSRBC | 2010 | $1,000 |
| BSRBC | 2011 | $1,000 |
Strategy: Create environmental class topics
| Create a Wastewater 101 lesson plan | Education Committee | $2,000 | |
| Promote a Water Quality and Best Management Practices teaching tools and other information | Education Committee | Ongoing | $0 |
| Promote the use of the Septic Tank Model and in traditional and non-traditional settings | Wastewater and Education Committees | 2007 | $0 |
Strategy: Identify funding sources for education strategies
| Search for grants from state and federal agencies | Fundraising Committee | Ongoing | $0 |
| Solicit industry for funding to support education | Fundraising Committee | Ongoing | $0 |
| Solicit private foundations focusing on the Appalachian region, rural improvement, perhaps literacy funds | Fundraising Committee | Ongoing | $0 |
Strategy: Educate state and federal agency partners
| Encourage cross training of agency representatives to work across state lines on basin projects. | BSRBC | Ongoing | $0 |
C. Marketing
Issue: State and local governments are not working together.
Strategy: Develop a Big Sandy Water Quality Interstate Agreement by April 2008
| ORSANCO will facilitate the interstate agreement with lead agencies and eventually each state’s Governor | ORSANCO, Black Diamond RC&D, VA, WV, & KY agencies | 2007 | $1,000 |
Issue: Coalition is not well known in the basin.
Strategy: Promote the strategic plan throughout the region by December 2008
| Host a “Media Event” to roll-out the new strategic plan. | BSRBC | 4/2008 | $1,500 |
| Submit news releases to all media within the basin. | BSRBC | 4/2008 | $1,500 |
| Participate in at least three TV/radio programs promoting the coalition’s new plan | BSRBC | 4/2008 | $0 |
Strategy: Increase public involvement by recruiting 50 new members by April 2010
Host a “Big Sandy Weekend at the Breaks” to entice families to come for a fun-filled weekend or recreational events, float trips, hikes, etc. in conjunction with annual conference
| Sponsor a photo contest and subsequent traveling exhibit of winning photos. Produce outreach materials with winning photos (calendar, note cards, photo essay, etc.) | BSRBC | 2010 | $1,000 |
| Encourage individual state roundtables to develop their own traveling exhibit and rotate each exhibit within the basin for each respective state | VA, KY, & WV | 12/2007 | $1,200 |
| Establish a marketing committee | 4/2008 | $0 | |
| BSRBC | Marketing Committee | 2009 | $1,000 |
Strategy: Educate state and federal legislators about the Coalition
| Each Roundtable to meet with their state and federal legislators annually to inform them of current priorities, which may lead to legislative requests | VA, WV, KY | Annually till 2012 | Unknown |
Strategy: Seek regional and national attention for the Big Sandy River Basin
| Declare “Year of the…” which will trigger a media blitz calling attention to that particular basin-wide issue | BSRBC | 2012 | Unknown |
Issue: Increase awareness and ability of local governments to comply with existing state regulations
Strategy: Educate local governments about how to run an effective sediment control program and why it is important
| Develop list of goals for local governments to reach by 2012 | BSRBC | 2008 | $0 |
| Develop & distribute a publication to all local governments in the basin | BSRBC | 2009 | $3,000 |
| Develop & distribute a 2nd publication showcasing progress in sediment control efforts to all local governments in the basin | BSRBC | 2012 | $4,000 |
Issue: Resource extraction is the single largest contributor to sedimentation in the waterways within the Big Sandy River Basin
Strategy: Develop a long-term dialogue process that brings representatives of the coal, timber and gas industries to the table with conservationists to seek opportunities to reduce future sediment loadings in streams within the basin
| Invite industry representatives to speak at the 2008 Big Sandy Conference | BSRBC | 2008 | $0 |
| Initiate constructive dialogue at the 2008 Conference to establish a Big Sandy Resource Extraction Task Force with proper representation from industry within the basin | BSRBC | 2008 | $0 |
| Convene the 1st meeting of the Big Sandy Resource Extraction Task Force | BSRBC | 2008 | $500 |
| Continuing hosting the Big Sandy Resource Extraction Task Force | BSRBC | 2010 | $2,500 |
The Big Sandy River Basin Coalition began loosely in 1999 when the challenge of coordinating environmental efforts across state lines was taken up by a few very committed individuals. Since then, the organization has become a formal organization, acquiring 501c3 status in 2001, approving by-laws and electing officers, applying for grant funding, and extending our hands to similar organizations. In eight short years, the Big Sandy River Basin Coalition, Inc. has accomplished many improvements to water quality. A tri-state litter clean up was organized and support has been given to each locality for their efforts to clean-up illegal trash dump sites and pursue enforcement actions. The Big Sandy River Basin Coalition, Inc. was the first tributary watershed group to develop a formal working relationship with ORSANCO and has partnered with ORSANCO to develop an interstate agreement. The Big Sandy River Basin Coalition, Inc. received funding from the Water Quality Improvement Fund in 2006 to address streambank restoration, and abandoned mined land. In 2007, the Coalitions welcomed its first Office of Surface Mining AmeriCorps* VISTA member. The Big Sandy Soil and Water Conservation District also received funding from the Water Quality Improvement Fund to address streambank restoration, abandoned mine lands, and septic tank repairs.
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