JTC Delivery WG Charter

Purpose & Objectives

The purpose of the JTC Delivery WG will function as the primary forum for the LADCO members and their partners to discuss technical analyses to support ozone planning in the region. The O3TW will serve as a forum for sharing technical knowledge, information, and analysis approaches among the LADCO states, EPA, and LADCO in support of air quality management. The TOC will take direction on policy initiatives and air quality planning priorities from the Air Directors, and recommend technical work to the Air Directors in support of these initiatives and priorities.

The objectives of the TOC will be to provide guidance and oversight on technical air quality work being done by LADCO and in work groups and task forces within the Consortium. The TOC will engage in the following activities:

Planning Identify and propose priorities for the technical work in the Consortium with common acceptance among the members Identify and pursue opportunities for collaboration on air quality planning, including potential emissions reduction strategies Identify technical activities that benefit multiple states vs individual states and establish consensus on how and when to utilize the Consortium resources to support these activities Develop and execute technical work plans to support the planning branches in the state air programs; the scope of these plans will primarily include regional modeling applications and ambient data analysis, although additional activities that are of common interest to the members may also be pursued

Oversight

As directed by the Air Directors, guide and oversee the technical work by LADCO staff in support of the NAAQS and air quality goals of the Consortium. Establish and oversee technical work groups and task forces to develop scientific information and guidance in support of the NAAQS and air quality goals of the Consortium members. Review on a monthly basis the work of LADCO, technical workgroups, and task forces to ensure that their work products and timing are consistent with the needs of the majority of the Consortium members. Identify and coordinate overlapping work activities between technical workgroups

Communication

Serve as a forum for the Consortium members to discuss technical and policy details related to NAAQS and other air quality issues. Advise the Air Directors on the scope and resource needs of regional air quality planning priorities identified by the Committee Establish and enact norms for the flow of technical information, decision points, and communication between technical activities in the Consortium and the Air Directors.

Team Membership and Member Expectations

The TOC will be staffed by the LADCO Executive Director, and select planning branch managers from each LADCO member state, to be appointed by the Air Director of each respective state. Additional state staff may be invited to participate in the TOC on an ad hoc basis as directed by the Air Directors or by the permanent TOC members to add value to discussions on specific TOC agenda items.

Staff from air quality agencies that are not chartered members of the Consortium, such as EPA, tribes, or Federal Land Managers, will not be permanent members of the TOC but may be invited to participate in the TOC on an ad hoc basis. The Air Directors or the permanent Committee members may invite EPA or other air agency staff to TOC meetings to participate in discussions on specific TOC agenda items.

The expectations for the TOC members are as follows:

The LADCO Executive Director will send a draft agenda for the monthly TOC calls at least one-week in advance of the call; state members should provide input to the draft agenda, as needed to highlight priorities and key issues in their respective programs.

The LADCO Executive Director will facilitate discussion on technical decisions that are needed to guide work at LADCO, or that arise in workgroups or task forces.

The LADCO Executive Director will identify technical information or key limitations of data or technical approaches that the states need to be aware of and may need to make decisions about.

State members should attend monthly calls prepared to fully participate by having read all materials attached to the agenda. The members should be aware of the status of each agenda item in their respective programs and be ready to discuss and make decisions/recommendations on the items, as needed as well as provide a summary or have knowledge of any technical work their staff is involved in with a workgroup or task force.

State members should ensure that their program is represented on each call by a substitute if necessary and that their substitute is fully prepared to participate in the call and to represent the interests of their respective programs.

State members should identify issues or decisions requiring the attention of the Air Directors, and work with the LADCO Executive Director to develop issue briefs to present to the Air Directors

Authority and Boundaries

The TOC is responsible for providing oversight to technical work at LADCO and within the Consortium workgroups and task forces. The state members of the TOC should have the authority to engage in consensus building on recommendations for prioritizing LADCO’s technical work. Decisions on LADCO’s technical work priorities will be made by the Air Directors based on recommendations made by LADCO and the TOC. The TOC should be able to invite other state staff, or other partners, such as EPA, to participate in TOC discussions to advance technical and policy discussions on particular subjects. Meeting Structure and Operating Guidelines The TOC will meet monthly by either conference call or webinar to be facilitated by the LADCO Executive Director. An agenda for the TOC will be drafted and sent by the LADCO Executive Director at least one-week in advance of the monthly calls. The LADCO Executive Director will be responsible for arranging brief reports from each of the technical groups on the monthly TOC calls. The TOC will meet in-person annually at a location within the LADCO region that is mutually agreed upon by the Committee members.

Operational guidelines

The TOC will operate under the following guidelines:

Members will treat each other with respect. TOC discussions will be most effective when there is psychological safety and candor among the members.

Members will share relevant and important information from their respective programs to support technical recommendations that are based on complete and accurate information from across the Consortium.

Share agendas, notes, and issue briefs with their management teams and colleagues.

Review the TOC charter annually, revise if necessary, and submit to the Air Directors for final approval. Agendas, Notes and Issue Briefs The LADCO Executive Director shall distribute by email an agenda one week prior to each TOC call.

A standard format will be used by the LADCO Executive Director to record the proceedings of all meetings, including all recommendations, decisions made, and action items.

Draft meeting notes will be forwarded to all members.

Issue briefs will be developed by the TOC to present issues and decisions to the Air Directors. Issue briefs will be maximum 2-page summaries of key issues or decision points that require the attention of the Air Directors.

Final issue briefs and meeting notes will be distributed by email. Decision-Making Process

Decisions may be made through in-person or electronic communications.

LADCO was established as a consensus-based organization. The TOC will strive to build consensus recommendations to the Air Directors for prioritizing LADCO’s technical work.

Details on consensus building are available in the April 2019 brief on group decision making prepared by the LADCO Executive Director for the Spring 2019 Air Director meeting.