Enlibra

WGA Winter Meeting Update
December 3, 1999

Recommendations of the Advisory and Steering Committees

As directed by the resolution, WGA convened its Enlibra advisors and the governors’ representatives to the Enlibra Steering Committee in Estes Park, Colorado in September to discuss how to promote the doctrine, and to engage and evaluate appropriate projects that seek to advance its principles. The Estes Park meeting participants made the following recommendations:

Develop an Enlibra Communications Strategy
In order to reach the greatest number of persons, institutions and governments with a consistent and powerful message, an integrated and comprehensive strategy should be created. The strategy should include a recognition/awards program; media outreach; an Enlibra Web site; an Enlibra bulletin board; a speaker’s bureau; and, a second Enlibra Summit. A working group of advisors and steering committee members then assisted in developing the attached draft strategy.

Publish a Resource Guide Emphasizing Best Practices/Case Studies/Lessons-Learned
In order to provide a central location for information on Enlibra-type resources, finalize and expand a draft resource compendium reviewed in Estes Park to include the broadest array of technical, financial and educational resources. The resource guide would include a ‘Best Practices’ section to showcase Enlibra-type projects through descriptions and contact information. WGA has completed the resource guide, will post it on the Web site shortly and will update it frequently. WGA is developing a template/procedure for case study submissions.

Establish an Enlibra Resource Fund
To make resources available to Enlibra-type projects for varied activities such as facilitators, public relations assistance, independent scientific assessment and peer review, monitoring and evaluation, and other technical assistance, WGA should establish a fund administered through the Western Governors’ Foundation possibly in partnership with other institutions such as universities. WGA will soon commence fund raising efforts from a variety of sources.

Enhance Support for State Implementation
Explore the range of options available to governors to implement Enlibra in their states with the aim to increase Enlibra activities across the West. Seek lessons from governors that are already implementing Enlibra-type activities in their states. Possible tools to be used by the governors could include Executive Orders, State-Wide Enlibra Coordinators, State Enlibra Ambassadors or Community Circuit Riders; and regular Enlibra dialogues with agency directors.

Recent Enlibra Activities in the West

On October 6, 1999, Governor Gary Johnson signed Executive Order 99-33 directing New Mexico’s Environmental and Natural Resources agencies to review the Enlibra principles and incorporate them into the agencies’ environmental policy making. The Executive Order also encourages other governments and interest groups in New Mexico to review and adopt the Enlibra principles.

On October 25-27, the first New Mexico Water Summit opened a forum for a new way to address the question - How does the state make wise water-management decisions? The Water Summit introduced the Enlibra principles to nearly 200 persons. The goal of the Water Summit was to engage people in using the Enlibra principles in the hope that people will carry the principles back to their communities, talk about them, and use them in their decision-making. It is hoped that in the future Enlibra will provide a means for making faster and better water-planning decisions, while developing a longer-term vision and establishing better dealings in water resource management.

On October 27, 13 Western governors signed a letter to EPA Administrator Carol Browner urging her to adopt the Western Regional Air Partnership's recommendation affecting small refineries. The governors cited the recommendation as an example of the Enlibra principles at work. Through a collaborative stakeholder process which included representatives from the refinery industry, automobile manufacturers, environmental groups, tribes and states, the WRAP developed a consensus recommendation. It supports the proposed rule's national standard for sulfur in gasoline, provided that the WRAP's new definition for small refineries is adopted along with a phased-in schedule for meeting the EPA standard.