Messages for 12/9/09 Rulemaking Workgroup Meeting

1. Appreciate the work of the group over the last year. It’s very beneficial to the Department to have the various stakeholders and interests all at the table speaking directly to each other and us and working to solve problems with us. We feel like through this process we were able to come up with some better proposals.

2. Implementation tools table – summary

•  Looked at quite a few options; considered some creative tools and will propose some ideas that are relatively new

•  DEQ understands that some of you would like there to be more and others are concerned about whether what we have will not push for adequate progress. We believe we’ve struck a reasonable balance and that there is room for creativity within the proposed and available tools

•  The permit tools need to stand up to EPA review and any legal challenge or they don’t provide the desire result

3. Nonpoint source/multi-media rules

•  Current status

•  Confirm we will delay rule-making by approximately 6 months

4. We support one more RWG meeting to tie up loose ends—e.g. draft final products based on input from today’s discussion (or follow up e-mails), draft final criteria table, fiscal impact statement input.

5. February EQC agenda and stakeholder participation