The IDNR needs and depends on stakeholders (individuals and advisory groups) to assist and advise in the development of policy and rules in a variety of areas and environmental programs. The Department uses stakeholders to play a strong and vital role in advising the Department of how its actions impact the regulated community. In the end though, it is the Department's responsibility for making the decisions and administering the environmental programs.
The 1996 reauthorization of Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) required states to have an operator certification program meeting minimum standards. During that period of time the AWWA and IWPCA created a "joint" operator certification committee to provide liaison with DNR on matters impacting their members' training and certification. The committee expanded its membership to represent training providers, utilities and municipalities: Iowa State University (ISU) and Kirkwood Community College, Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) and Iowa Rural Water Association (IRWA).
IDNR selected the Iowa Joint Operator Certification and Training Coordination Committee (Joint Op) to serve in a stakeholder capacity for the Operator Certification program. IDNR participates in the meetings of the Joint Op Committee as a nonvoting member and uses the Committee as a technical resource and to provide advice in the development of policy and rules.
Joint Op meetings, held every two months, are open to the public. The Department encourages interested operators to attend these meetings and/or communicate relevant operator issues to its member organizations. The minutes of the Joint Op Committee meetings are listed below.
Operators are also encouraged to visit the web sites of the Joint Op's member organizations for additional information regarding training, participation and operator issues.
IJOCC Minutes:
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| IJOCC Minutes - September 21, 2007 |
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| IJOCC Minutes - July 20, 2007 |
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| IJOCC Minutes - May 18, 2007 |
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| IJOCC Minutes - March 16, 2007 |
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| IJOCC Minutes - January 26, 2007 |
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| IJOCC Minutes - November 17, 2006 |
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