Panel adopts revised charter; staff to publish draft report and schedule public comment

The expert panel advising the State Water Resources Control Board voted to adopt a revised panel charter on a motion to approve the document as edited, moving the schedule language to reflect possible March or April meeting dates. Legal counsel reviewed the proposed edits before the motion.

Panel legal counsel asked for a motion to adopt the revised charter with the additional scheduling change; a motion and a second were made and a roll call followed. Panel members identified on the record as present and voting in favor were Ally Matasar, Daniel Geisler, Michael (Kahn/Kern as recorded), Richard Smith, Ruth Dalkwist Worth, Thomas (surname recorded as 'Thomas' in roll call), and Hannah Waterhouse. The chair declared the motion approved.

The adopted revisions clarify meeting scheduling and authorize staff to publish the draft panel report for a 30-day public comment period, to be followed by a workshop and a subsequent group-of-work meeting to review comments. Staff said the draft is expected to be published for comment in February, with the public comment period closing roughly 30 days later. The panel discussed possible dates for a final plenary session in March or April depending on timing of the public comment review.

The vote was procedural and did not change substantive recommendations in the draft report. Staff will publish the revised charter and circulate the draft report and the public-comment schedule to the panel and post materials on the panel website.