Task Force Meeting- October 15, 2003

DRAFT (October 2003)
CHARTER, South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Science Coordination Group

1. AUTHORIZATION. Section 528(f) of Public Law 104-303, the Water
Resources
Development Act of 1996 (hereinafter referred to as the Act), enacted
October 12, 1996, established the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration
Task
Force and assigned several duties, including the coordination of
scientific
research and other restoration activities. This charter establishes the
South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Science Coordination Group (Science
Coordination Group) to assist the Task Force in carrying out those
duties.

2. MISSION. The Science Coordination Group is established to support the
Task Force in its efforts to coordinate science policies, strategies,
plans, programs, projects, activities, and priorities, pursuant to
section
528(f)(2)(B) of the Act, and to coordinate scientific and other research
associated with the restoration of the South Florida ecosystem, pursuant
to
section 528(f)(2)(G) of the Act.

3. DUTIES. The Science Coordination Group--

a) shall develop and implement a process for tracking, coordinating and
communicating programmatic-level science and research;

b) shall identify programmatic-level priority science needs and gaps;

c) shall develop a draft science coordination plan, and biennial
updates,
for Task Force approval;

d) shall help to facilitate the resolution of scientific conflicts;

e) shall review RECOVER technical reports and other technical matters on
South Florida Restoration projects, as directed by the Task Force;

f) shall bring to the Task Force for its consideration matters the
Science
Coordination Group believes are relevant to the Task Force mission, and;

g) shall assist the Task Force with other tasks as assigned.

4. MEMBERSHIP.

a. The Science Coordination Group shall represent an appropriate balance
of
senior managers and scientists appointed by Task Force member for their
respective agencies. Membership shall consist of a senior representative
from the following agencies and governments authorized to represent that
agency's or government's interest on matters pertaining to the
responsibilities of the Science Coordination Group:

   Department of the Interior:
   (1) National Park Service.
   (2) Fish and Wildlife Service.
   (3) United States Geological Survey.

   Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
   (1) National Marine Fisheries Service-SEFSC.
   (2) National Ocean Service-FKNMS.
   (3) Ocean and Atmospheric Research–AOML.

   Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers.

   Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

   US Department of Agriculture

   Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.

   Seminole Tribe of Florida.

   Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

   Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

   Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

   South Florida Water Management District.

   Local governmental representatives

   Chair, Working Group

b. The Task Force may appoint other persons to the Science Coordination
Group as representatives of other agencies or governments not
represented
above.

c. (1) Each Federal member of the Task Force will appoint the science
coordination group representatives for that department or agency.

   (2) For each Federal department or agency listed in subsection (a)
not
represented on the Task Force, the head of such agency or designee
thereof
will appoint the science coordination group representative for that
department or agency.

   (3) Each chairman of a Tribe represented on the Task Force shall
appoint
that Tribe's representative to the Science Coordination Group.

   (4) Each State member of the Task Force, including the member from
the
South Florida Water Management District, will appoint the Science
Coordination Group representative for that department, agency, or
district.

   (5) The Governor will appoint the Science Coordination Group
representative for each State department or agency listed in subsection
(a)
not represented on the Task Force.

   (6) Appointments to the Science Coordination Group shall be made by
notifying the Task Force Chairperson or Executive Director in writing.
Upon
receipt, the Executive Director shall forward the notification to the
Task
Force Chairperson and the Science Coordination Group Chairperson.

d. Each member of the Science Coordination Group serves at the pleasure
of
the appointing authority. e. Any vacancy on the Science Coordination
Group
shall be filled as specified in paragraph 4(c) above.

f. Any member of the Science Coordination may designate a temporary
alternate for a meeting by notifying the Chairperson or Executive
Director
prior to or during that meeting.

g. A member or a1temate sha11 receive no additiona1 compensation for
service on the Science Coordination Group, in accordance with section
528(f)
(4) of the Act.

5. ADMINISTRATION.

a. The Task Force will appoint one of the Science Coordination Group
members as Chairperson and one as Vice Chairperson, for such terms as
the
Task Force may select. The Vice Chairperson will serve as Chairperson in
the absence of the Chairperson.

b. The chair of the Science Coordination Group, with the assistance of
the
Task Force Executive Director, are responsible to the Task Force for the
management of the affairs of the group and for reporting to the Task
Force
on Science Coordination Group activities.

c. The Science Coordination Group may create, reorganize, or dissolve
subgroups of its members to study specified issues or work on tasks, and
to
report to the Task Force as a whole.

d. The Science Coordination Group will normally brief the Task Force on
its
activities at each Task Force meeting.

e. The Science Coordination Group sha11 implement procedures to
facilitate
public participation in its meetings or functions and those of its
subgroups. Those procedures shall include providing advance notice of
meetings, providing adequate opportunity for public input and comment,
maintaining appropriate records, and making a record of the proceedings
of
meetings available for public inspection, as required by section
528(f)(3)
(A)(I) of the Act.

f. The goa1 of the Science Coordination Group will be to build consensus
among its members. Where complete consensus is unattainable, a
two-thirds
majority vote will suffice for fina1 Science Coordination Group action,
and
actions other than fina1 actions may be taken by a simple majority vote.

g. The Science Coordination Group may adopt additiona1 principles,
operationa1 guidelines or procedures to facilitate the accomplishment of
the duties described in section 3 of this Charter, provided those
protocols
are consistent with the Act and Task Force guidance.

h. The Science Coordination Group shall meet at the ca11 of the Chair or
of
a majority of the members, but not less often than quarterly.

i. A majority of the members or a1temate members in attendance will
constitute a quorum.

j. Travel expenses incurred by a member of the Science Coordination
Group
in the performance of services for the Science Coordination Group shall
be
paid by the agency, Tribe, or government that the member represents, as
provided in section 528(f)(5) of the Act.

k. The Science Coordination Group is not considered an advisory
committee
subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and it may seek advice or
input from interested, knowledgeable, or affected parties without being
subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, pursuant to section
528(f)(3)
(C) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996.

l. The Executive Director of the Task Force shall advise the Science
Coordination Group on behalf of the Task Force and will assist the group
in
carrying out its administrative and procedural duties, including the
requirements in section 528(f)(3)(ii) of the Act. The Executive Director
of
the Task Force will advise the Science Coordination Group on behalf of
the
Secretary of the Interior regarding those responsibilities of the
Secretary
specified in the Act.

m. Actions, recommendations, votes, or discussions by the Science
Coordination Group shall not be construed to limit the discretion or to
override the decisions of any government or agency represented on the
Science Coordination Group. Nothing in this charter compromises or
restricts the authority or power of any government or agency.

6. COORDINATION WITH THE WORKING GROUP. To assist the Task Force in its
duties to coordinate the development of consistent policies, strategies,
plans, programs, projects, activities, and priorities for addressing the
restoration, preservation, and protection of the South Florida
ecosystem,
pursuant to section 528(f)(2)(B) of the Act, the Science Coordination
Group
will communicate and coordinate with the Working Group to identify and
provide to the Task Force and Working Group recommendations pertaining
to
science as it affects policy and management activities in support of
Everglades restoration.

7. PERSONNEL. The Executive Director of the Task Force shall provide
staff
support to the Science Coordination Group, and may request the
assistance
of any member or the staff of such member.

7. AMENDMENT. This Charter may be amended by the Task Force. Any member
of
the Task Force may propose an amendment. All members of the Task Force
shall be notified of the proposed amendment. The Task Force may vote on
the
amendment at any meeting held at least thirty days after notification of
the proposed amendment. The amendment may be approved only on two-thirds
majority vote of the Task Force.

8. TERMINATION. The Science Coordination Group shall continue to exist
only
for so long as it is authorized by Federal law.