Publication Date
2020
Abstract
This report explores structures and statutory authorities of Drought Management Task Forces across the United States, and particularly how different states have approached the issue of managing their respective Task Forces. There is growing interest in drought planning in the United States and worldwide.
As Massachusetts considers how to best respond to a new climate norm of short-term extreme droughts, one aspect of drought planning that is undergoing additional review is the role of the Massachusetts Drought Management Task Force, the state entity responsible for analyzing and reporting on drought conditions to the Secretary of Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA). This report examines how Nebraska, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and New Hampshire have approached this issue of managing their respective Task Forces, and in particular, whether or not they pursued statutory authority for these entities.
Water variability is a global problem. Many areas of the world, including Australia and South Africa, have a pressing need to deal with water variability. The scope of this report is Task Forces in the United States, and this research is useful to planners in Massachusetts and all over the world looking to manage Drought Task Forces in analogous conditions.
This research was originally conducted with Massachusetts Rivers Alliance in support of Massachusetts State Senate Bill S.425.
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