Section 12-5-581. Advisory councils

   (a) The board shall create separate advisory councils for the Chattahoochee, Etowah, Flint, Oconee, and Ocmulgee river basins and the Lake Lanier Basin. The Etowah River Basin Advisory Council shall include the Lake Allatoona Preservation Authority as a member. The Lake Lanier Basin Advisory Council shall include at least one member appointed by the Lake Lanier Association, Inc. Each basin advisory council shall be comprised of a minimum of 20 individuals. These individuals shall be from within the district area as well as from outside the district area, upstream and downstream of the district; provided, however, that such persons shall reside within the river basin. Each river basin shall be defined as those lands lying between the ridgelines dividing each river drainage from another. These representatives shall be selected and shall serve based upon procedures and rules established by the board.

(b) The director shall create two additional basin advisory councils each comprised of a minimum of 20 individuals. One council shall consist of individuals representing the watersheds upstream of the district and one council shall consist of individuals representing the watersheds downstream of the district. The director shall solicit the recommendation of the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment and the Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee as to the membership of such councils.

(c) Each basin advisory council shall have a chairperson and such other officers as necessary and convenient. Each chairperson shall be entitled to attend and comment at any meeting of the board.

(d) The basin advisory councils shall advise the district in the development and implementation of policy, provide input to the director concerning the development of minimum elements and standards for plans provided for under this article, and provide input on the content of plans provided for under this article as such plans are developed.

(e) The board chairperson shall appoint one or more board members to convene meetings of the basin advisory councils on a regular schedule established by the board; provided, however, that there shall be a minimum of four scheduled meetings per year. The district shall provide advance drafts of such plans or recommendations as it may make pursuant to this article to basin advisory councils for review and input, and the basin advisory councils shall prepare reports and recommendations for consideration by the district in formulating any plan or taking any other action provided for under this article. Each basin advisory council shall further provide input to the district concerning the development of minimum elements and standards for plans provided for under this article relating to its specific river basin.

Code 1981, § 12-5-581, enacted by Ga. L. 2001, p. 115, § 1; Ga. L. 2009, p. 303, § 13/HB 117.