The Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) is a governmental entity that was established under state statute in 1967 as a comprehensive regional agency to "prepare plans for the physical, social and economic development of the District". The Council was formed in response to a growing need of local communities to be able to address the multitude of problems that cross over local boundaries such as air and water pollution, transportation deficiencies and economic distress. These types of problems require cooperative action by affected local governments and the Old Colony Planning Council is the governmental mechanism available at the local level to effect municipal cooperation and coordination. Old Colony Planning Council is one of thirteen regional planning agencies in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The plans and recommendations of the Old Colony Planning Council are advisory only and non-binding upon the fifteen member communities that form the planning district. The effectiveness of the Council is therefore largely dependent upon its ability to engage a qualified professional staff that conducts in-depth research, compiles relevant factual data, and prepares plans for addressing specific problems that have the general acceptance and support of its member municipalities.