Recent Developments
JSU’s Conroy Receives Army Award
for Patriotic Civilian Service
Sept. 9, 2004
Orange Beach, AL - In a presentation during the September
9th Alabama Water Resources Conference in Jacksonville State University
EPIC Director, Pete Conroy was awarded for “Patriotic Civilian
Service.”
The recognition was in association with Conroy’s work as US Alternate
Federal Commissioner for Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) River Basin
Compact and Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin Compact.
Conroy’s service was from 1999 to 2002. In August of 2003, the
ACF compact collapsed and more recently in August of 2004 the ACT compact
also collapsed.
“The failure of these compacts will go down in history as being
golden opportunities now lost,” said Conroy. “Especially
in consideration of all the legal work that lies ahead, I appreciate
the Army taking time to recognize those of us who tried to move the
process forward,” he said.
Presented by US Army Corps of Engineers Branch Chief Roger Burke and
signed by US Army Commanding Brigadier General, Peter T. Madsen, the
certificate states:
“He (Conroy) is recognized for his outstanding contributions
to the ACT and ACF River Basin Compacts process. His facilitation of
Federal awareness to third party interests was instrumental to the Federal
team in the interstate compacts process, and in promoting innovative
approaches to providing high quality government services to the public.
Mr. Conroy’s accomplishments are truly noteworthy and are a credit
to himself, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Federal government.”
Background (as of July 2002)
"The Compacts", as they are
known, are the congressionally authorized negotiation processes for Georgia,
Alabama and Florida to negotiate water allocation formulas for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint
(ACF) and the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) river basins. Negotiations
for the two compacts have been in progress for three years and periodically
the three states have agreed to extend them. The negotiations will end
at these times unless agreements have been reached or the states agree
to additional extensions.
The Compact Commissioners include
the Governors of each State and two Federal Commissioners - Mr. Lindsay
Thomas, CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and Mr. Pete Conroy (Alternate
Commissioner), Director of JSU's EPIC. Both were appointed by the
President of the United States as non-voting members. Under the ACF River
Basin Compact, the three State Commissioners must negotiate and agree on
a proposed allocation formula and present the formula to the Federal Commissioners
for concurrence before the allocation formula can be implemented. Under
the ACT River Basin Compact, the two State Commissioners (AL and GA) must
do the same.
Twelve federal agencies are
involved in the compacts: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Mobile District),
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Forest Service, Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Maritime Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, National Marine Fisheries
Service, National Ocean Service, Southeastern Power Administration and
the Department of Justice.
The compacts were signed
by President Clinton in the Fall of 1997 and they were implemented on the
first day of 1998. Following, are articles written by Commissioner
Pete Conroy (appointed on January 28, 1999) that describe the compacts
and their current status. For more information please contact us here at
JSU's EPIC.
