The establishment of an Advisory Committee is an important component of the Waterborne Plan public involvement effort. A broadly inclusive group of community representatives - including residents and officials from waterfront communities; ferry operators and other representatives from the business sector; state and regional transportation officials, and other stakeholders - the Advisory Committee will meet at key junctures in the plan development process. While not a decision-making body in itself, the Committee will play a key role in helping the Project Team reconcile the various community interests in the process of identifying and screening alternatives. The Committee will also serve as a conduit for communicating ideas on local issues, needs and future development plans to the Project Team and the Steering Committee, as well as providing project updates back to the public, local governments, and the functional areas or organizations they represent.