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Interstate Stream Commission says Water Security Planning Act implementation is underway; public comment, tribal advisory council and tools prioritized
Summary
ISC staff told the committee the 2023 Water Security Planning Act has moved into rulemaking with public comment open through Sept. 27, 2025. ISC described plans to finalize rules this winter, stand up regional planning councils early next year, and provide templates, mapping and decision‑support tools and tribal consultation.
Hannah Risley White of the Interstate Stream Commission briefed the committee on implementation of the 2023 Water Security Planning Act and related regional planning work. She said ISC intends to complete rule and guideline development this winter so regional planning councils can begin to form early next year and that public comment on the proposed rule is open through Sept. 27 on the ISC website.
White said ISC’s approach emphasizes local leadership and iterative state support: rules will set minimum standards while guidelines will be adaptable and managed by the commission. The proposed rule includes provisions for regions to self‑convene and for ongoing reporting—ISC is required by the statute to report annually on planning progress and funding priorities.
White described extensive public engagement to date: open houses across existing planning regions in 2024, more than 700 in‑person participants and over 1,000 online participants, multiple rounds of public and tribal input, and a Water Security Tribal Advisory Council that provided suggested language included in the discussion draft. She stressed the need for funding to follow planning: while rules and guidelines will establish process and priorities, regionally prioritized projects will require state and federal resources to move into implementation.
Panelists also discussed practical tools ISC is preparing: a public‑water‑system decision‑support tool, a regional mapping tool, governance templates for bylaws and operating principles, and templates for public engagement. Mike and the water ambassadors described pre‑planning “pods” to mobilize local water champions and tribal outreach efforts; Daryl Vigil emphasized sovereign‑to‑sovereign transaction experience (tribal leases/marketing) and the need for tribal leadership and consultation.
Legislators asked about funding and staffing. Representatives and senators suggested dedicated staff in each planning district (for example, two full‑time staff per district) and codification of existing technical‑assistance line items to avoid year‑to‑year vulnerability. White noted ISC is preparing outreach and staffing plans and encouraged legislators and constituents to review the proposed rule and participate in the October rule‑making hearing in Santa Fe.
The committee moved from the planning update to the Texas v. New Mexico briefing after the Q&A period.
