(a) The Governor should designate a lead agency to manage the identification process. That agency should review established notification procedures to determine that at least all general purpose local governments within the State, all units of regional governance, all existing solid waste and water quality management planning agencies, and all areawide agencies and the state process under Executive Order 12372 will be notified. If necessary, a supplemental distribution list should be prepared. Consideration should be given to addressing individual offices within those agencies.

(b) The Governor should, by correspondence or State notification procedures, notify the agencies on the distribution list (paragraph (a) of this section) of the purpose and schedule of the joint identification process. This may be coincident with the notification in § 255.20.

(c) The Governor, an appropriate legislative committee, and appropriate local elected officials may submit nominations of agencies and functions to the lead agency appointed by the Governor. This lead agency should make such nominations public.

(d) Chief executives of agencies on the distribution list may comment by letter on the nominations.

(e) If a disagreement exists which cannot be settled by correspondence or a meeting with the Governor's representative, a public hearing should be held and all elected officials of local general purpose governments within the region should be invited. The purpose of this meeting will be for the local officials to reach a consensus regarding the agency(ies) to be formally identified.

(f) When a consensus is reached among local elected officials a formal agreement should be made in conformance with State administrative procedures. It should be binding until revised in accordance with this subpart.

(g) When the local consensus is in agreement with the State opinion, the State should confirm that agreed arrangement, formally establishing the duties and responsibilities of the identified agencies by legislative resolution or executive order.

(h) In the event that a consensus cannot be reached before 270 days after promulgation of regulations pursuant to § 255.22 the Governor should designate a State agency to develop and implement the plan for the concerned region.