§214.8.6. Annual basin plan

            A. The director shall develop an annual basin plan that includes all projects or stages of projects that will be proposed for funding or funded in any one fiscal year. The annual basin plan may include projects that are any of the following:

            (1) A part of the basin master plan.

            (2) A part of the Atchafalaya Basin Floodway System, Louisiana Project.

            (3) A water management or water quality project that meets the criteria developed by the director for inclusion in an annual plan and has been approved through the procedures adopted by the board for inclusion of a project in the annual plan, including public hearings.

            (4) A project consistent with the mission statement contained in the basin master plan.

            (5) A project to be completed that was previously approved by the board.

            (6) A project consistent with the comprehensive master coastal protection plan as defined in R.S. 49:214.2.

            B. As a part of the procedures to be followed by the director in the development of an annual basin plan, the chair of the board shall appoint a technical advisory group to review, evaluate, and approve all water management and water quality projects proposed for inclusion in an annual plan. The technical advisory group shall consist of the following appointments:

            (1) The director or his designee who shall serve as the chair of the group.

            (2) One member from the Department of Environmental Quality.

            (3) One member from the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

            (4) One member from the Department of Energy and Natural Resources.

            (5) One member from the United States Geological Survey.

            (6) One member from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

            (7) One member from the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

            (8) One member from the Louisiana State University School of Renewable Natural Resources.

            (9) One member from the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

            (10) One member from the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.

            (11) One member from the Louisiana Department of Health.

            (12) One member from the state land office.

            (13) One member from the Atchafalaya Basin Levee Board, selected by the levee board who must be a professional in engineering, geotechnology, hydrology, or environmental science.

            (14) One member chosen by the Police Jury Association of Louisiana from a list of names submitted by the parish governing authorities of parishes which lie, all or part thereof, within the boundaries of the Atchafalaya Basin west of the Atchafalaya River who must be a professional in engineering, geotechnology, hydrology, or environmental science.

            (15) One member chosen by the Police Jury Association of Louisiana from a list of names submitted by the parish governing authorities of parishes which lie, all or part thereof, within the boundaries of the Atchafalaya Basin east of the Atchafalaya River who must be a professional in engineering, geotechnology, hydrology, or environmental science.

            C. Meetings of the technical advisory group shall be held in accordance with R.S. 42:11 et seq., the Open Meetings Law, and the group shall allow for public input and comment into its deliberations. The date, time, and location of any meeting held to discuss projects for inclusion in the annual basin plan shall be advertised in the official journal of the state at least seven days prior to the meeting. Any project recommended by the technical advisory group for inclusion in an annual basin plan shall first be certified by that group as a project that would result in significant water management or water quality improvements that will enhance the wildlife, fisheries, or forest resources of the Atchafalaya Basin.

            D. After receipt of the recommendations on all water management and water quality projects approved by the technical advisory group and receipt of recommendations from the staff, the board shall develop an annual basin plan. The board shall hold public hearings on the proposed plan prior to the adoption of the annual plan. Information received during the public hearings may be used by the board to amend the annual plan prior to presentation to the legislature.

            Acts 2018, No. 570, §3, eff. July 1, 2018; Acts 2023, No. 150, §20, eff. Jan. 10, 2024.