The Governance Committee will make Program decisions and implement the Program.

The membership of the Governance Committee is as follows:

1. One (1) representative from the State of Wyoming.
2. One (1) representative from the State of Colorado.
3. One (1) representative from the State of Nebraska.
4. One (1) representative from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
5. One (1) representative from the United States Bureau of Reclamation (BOR).
6. Environmental entities in the three states shall have three (3) representatives (2 votes).
7. The water users in the Upper Platte River basin in Wyoming, and those water users in the North Platte River basin in Nebraska located above Lake McConaughy who have storage contracts for water in the federal reservoirs in Wyoming (Upper Platte Water Users), shall have one (1) representative.
8. The water users on the South Platte River above the Western Canal diversion and those water users on the North Platte River in Colorado (Colorado Water Users) shall have one (1) representative.
9. The water users downstream of Lake McConaughy and the Western Canal, and those water users upstream of Lake McConaughy who do not have federal storage contracts (Downstream Water Users), shall have one (1) representative.

The Governance Committee’s responsibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

1. Meet as needed but no less than on a quarterly basis for the first year of the Program and twice a year thereafter.
2. Elect a chair and vice chair annually.
3. Adopt rules for carrying out its responsibilities.
4. Select an Executive Director, a land interest holding entity, a financial management entity, and other contractors as it deems appropriate.
5. Establish committees as needed, including but not necessarily limited to those described in Sections VI and VII below, and modify the committee charters as needed.
6. Approve budgets and request funds or financing from the Signatories for Program purposes, which would be provided pursuant to applicable federal and state procedures and subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
7. Approve Program activities and criteria (such as land and water acquisition and management criteria, management actions, and revisions to milestones or land and water plans or the Adaptive Management Plan), after considering recommendations from the Executive Director and committees.
8. Review accomplishments annually, including consideration of the schedules, operations of the initial Program water projects, and other Water Plan projects and Land Plan projects.
9. Evaluate Program management activities, as described in the Adaptive Management Plan, and take action as appropriate using the procedures described in the Plan.
10. Annually compare accomplishments with the milestones, and implement measures to correct shortfalls, if needed, and as necessary revise milestones so long as such revisions are consistent with the Program’s long-term and First Increment goals and objectives.
11. Review implementation of the States’ and Federal government’s Depletions Plans; approve modifications to plans; and, provide a forum for resolution of any issues related to implementation and modification of the plans.
12. Assess the need to extend the term of a Program increment to assure transition to any subsequent Program increment. The Governance Committee may extend the term of a Program increment if the extension does not require the commitment of additional funds by the signatories.
13. Develop milestones and recommend to the Signatories the duration, goals, and objectives for future increments as appropriate, to ensure that the Program can continue to provide ESA compliance for certain new and existing water-related activities.

The organizational structure of the Program is presented in Attachment 6 to the Program Document (see page 713).