The Local Agenda 21 Planning Guide - Democrats Against UN ...

The Local Agenda 21 Planning Guide
Committees were then charged with the task of selecting the most serious problems facing the community and developing a costeffective
strategy to address these problems, taking into consideration the limited financial resources of the municipality. Two
problems were identified as having the highest priority for action—poor quality and low quantity of drinking water, and pervasive
air pollution.
Identification and Selection of Action Strategies
A workshop was held to develop environmental strategies for specific problems. Focusing on drinking water and air pollution, the
Committees collected information on potential implementation strategies. Long-term goals were set to provide guidance in selecting
strategies, and information on alternative strategies was gathered from both the US and Western Europe. As part of this process, a
delegation of 11 Bulgarians visited the US and Canada to collect information and observe how environmental programs are
implemented. A one-day workshop was held on developing an environmental Action Plan. Among other criteria, potential strategies
were evaluated through brainstorming sessions and group discussions, based on their relative cost efficiency, effectiveness in
addressing the problem, and time needed for implementation.
The Committees then summarized the information on the risks associated with each problem and the appropriate strategies for the
top-priority problems. Initially, the Action Plans consisted of detailed lists of strategies and sub-strategies grouped into five
categories:
• education and public involvement;
• economic incentives and sanctions;
• municipal programs;
• technical assistance; and
• acts and regulations.
Bearing in mind the limited financial resources of the project, the Committee analyzed and ranked the strategies. A profile of each
problem was developed through group consensus, which included: a problem description; goals and objectives in solving the
problem; strategies and practical steps; and obstacles for solutions. A conservation strategy was chosen, which included
infrastructure repairs as well as water efficiency and conservation measures. A draft document was circulated for comment by the
public, city council, and municipal government, and a final plan was prepared and approved by the Troyan City Council.
The Final Report and Environmental Action Plan, prepared by the Troyan EAP citizens’ committees, is a 90-page document that
gives an overview of the project as well as its process and results. It contains a ranking of the various environmental problems and a
discussion of each problem in terms of impact on human health, ecosystems, and quality of life. The document includes objectives
and strategies to deal with each problem, and an implementation plan for addressing the drinking water problem that identifies
specific steps, details organizational management, delineates responsible groups and agencies, and establishes a budget.
Strategy Implementation
The Action Plan document has been used as a framework for strategy implementation. The first action plan focused on the water
problem. The objectives of this action plan included increasing the quantity of drinking water and improving its quality and
distribution. A number of measures were considered and it was decided that implementing a conservation and education program
was the most cost-effective way to solve the water quantity problem. The concrete steps required to implement this strategy
included: control and repair of leaks in water mains, creation of new local regulations to encourage the efficient use of water,
especially by industries, sanctions against those who waste water, and the creation of an education program to explain strategy and
to encourage efficient water use.
Repairing leaks in the water mains was chosen as the highest priority action because 50-60 percent of the available water was being
lost before it reached consumers, and because similar programs had achieved positive results in several US communities. In
cooperation with the municipal government and the local water utility, the Committees established a comprehensive program to
detect and repair leaks in the underground water main and distribution pipes. The municipality purchased leak detection equipment
and an expert from a US Water Resources Authority helped local water utility officials launch the program.
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