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A.  A comprehensive water management program must continue to be developed and implemented.  To that end, there is hereby created a Water Management Advisory Task Force with membership as follows:

(1)  A person representing the office of the governor appointed by the governor.

(2)  The president of the Louisiana Senate or his designee.

(3)  The speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives or his designee.

(4)  The chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources or his designee.

(5)  The chair of the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality or his designee.

(6)  The chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment or his designee.

(7)  The district engineer of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, or his designee.

(8)  The Louisiana State Conservationist, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service or his designee.

(9)  The chancellor of the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center or his designee.

(10)  The executive director of the State Soil and Water Conservation Commission or his designee.

(11)  The director of the United States Geological Survey, Louisiana Water Science Center or his designee.

(12)  The director of the Louisiana Geological Survey or his designee.

(13)  The executive director of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation or his designee.

(14)  The president of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation or his designee.

(15)  The president of the Louisiana Chemical Association or his designee.

(16)  The executive director of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana or his designee.

(17)  The president of the Louisiana Rice Growers Association or his designee.

(18)  The executive director of Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association or his designee.

(19)  The president of the Louisiana Cotton and Grain Association or his designee.

(20)  One representative of the Capital Area Groundwater Conservation District.

(21)  One representative of the Sparta Groundwater Conservation District.

(22)  The executive director of the Louisiana Forestry Association or his designee.

(23)  One representative of the Sabine River Authority.

(24)  The president of the American Sugar Cane League or his designee.

(25)  One representative of the Red River Compact Commission.

(26)  The executive director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation or his designee.

(27)  The executive director of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program or his designee.

(28)  The president of the Louisiana Crawfish Farmers Association or his designee.

(29)  The chairman of the Louisiana Pulp and Paper Association or his designee.

(30)  A representative of the Louisiana Engineering Society who is a registered engineer with water resources management experience.

(31)  A representative from Louisiana State University, Department of Geology and Geophysics.

(32)  A representative from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Department of Geology.

(33)  A representative of the Association of Electric Utilities.

(34)  A representative of the League of Women Voters.

(35)  A representative of the Citizens for a Clean Environment.

(36)  A representative of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association.

(37)  A representative from the Louisiana State University at Shreveport, Red River Watershed Management Initiative.

(38)  A representative of the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board.

(39)  One representative of the Louisiana Rural Water Association.

(40)  The president of the Louisiana Soybean Association or his designee.

(41)  The president of the Louisiana Cattlemen Association or his designee.

(42)  A representative of the Louisiana Ground Water Association.

(43)  The dean of the Southern University College of Agriculture, Family, and Consumer Science or his designee.

(44)  A representative of the Irrigation Association.

(45)  A representative of the Louisiana Water Environment Association.

B.  The Water Management Advisory Task Force shall assist the commissioner of conservation and the Water Resource Commission in continuing to develop a statewide water resource management program.  Such water management program shall include but not be limited to evaluation of the state’s ground water resources including current and projected demands on the aquifers of the state; development of a water use conservation program; study of alternatives to ground water use, such as surface water to include treatment and transmission system, and reclaimed water; incentives for conservation; use of alternative technologies; and education and conservation programs.  The plan should stress conservation as the primary mechanism for the protection of the state’s ground water resources.

C.  The Water Management Advisory Task Force shall assist the Water Resources Commission in its duty to evaluate the state’s surface water resources including current and projected demands, inventory the state’s surface water supplies, identify technical research and previously developed information on the surface water, study water use conservation, identify potential future deficit areas, study alternatives to surface water use including treatment, transmission systems, and reclamation, and investigate incentives for conservation and the use of alternative technologies, including public education and conservation programs.

D.(1)  Fifteen members of the task force shall constitute a quorum.  A quorum being present, the favorable vote of at least ten members of the task force or a simple majority of the total membership present, whichever is greater, shall be required for the commission to take action on any matter.

(2)  The task force shall meet at least once per year, or more frequently as necessary.  The task force shall report to the commissioner and the commission periodically on the activities and progress of the task force on continuing to develop the comprehensive water management program.

Acts 2011, No. 301, §2; Acts 2012, No. 471, §2.