The mission of the Council is to maximize successful restoration of the Harris Chain of Lakes, by ensuring sensible efforts to restore clean water quality, sound environmental policy, ecological diversity, and economic stability, now and into the future.

Specifically:

• To keep the citizens of Florida first, while performing their fiduciary responsibility, and do so with great urgency
• To recommend lasting and viable solutions to the legislature for appropriations of funds and resources
• To recommend projects that will be selected based on the ability to achieve restoration goals, sound science and prudent restoration philosophy
• To restore the Harris Chain of Lakes water quality to nothing less than pristine is our goal and our mission
• To develop a program for the improvement of the fish and wildlife habitat and natural systems of the Harris Chain of Lakes
• To propose methods of contaminated sediment removal and control nutrient loading to our lakes
• To evaluate and identify areas of human health concerns, resulting from the deterioration of our lakes
• To recommend and develop projects that substantially improve the economic benefit to the local communities

(From Executive Summary, HCRC Report to Legislature 2001)

Membership on the Council was initially appointed by the Lake County Delegation which is chaired by Senator Carey Baker (R-District 20). The Council consists of nine voting members representing a broad spectrum of expertise and interests as outlined in Chapter 373.467 Florida Statutes, the enacting legislation. The Council elected the positions of Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary, who shall serve for a period of two years and not serve consecutive terms.

Below is a listing of the 2012 Council members.

The enacting legislation also provided for the creation of a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to serve the Council for the purpose of providing scientific information along with both technical data and guidance in their review of various technologies and issues that come before it.

As of February 2, 2011, the TAG was comprised of the following individuals and their representing agencies or organizations: