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N N C"j . s.ur KIGUIL PIO.JECT. CO~ Summary, Analysis of Authorizing Legislation, and Description of Project o Summary The San Miguel Project (see project area map on the following page) was one of five projects authorized for construction by the Colorado River Basin Project Act of September 30, 1968 (Public Law 90-537). Following authorization, advance planning studies showed that sane of the potential irrigable land had unacceptably high levels of salinity and was deleted from the project. Also, the anticipated need for 44,000 acre-feet of municipal and industrial water did not materialize during advance planning. To attempt to arrive at an economically justified plan, about 100 alternatives were studied, of which 23 are considered to be representative. None of the plans is economically justified. Water for potential energy development has been included in all but two of the 23 representative alternatives, but a firm commitment for this water has not been identified. Irrigation at any scale of development would not be economically justified because the irrigation benefits do not exceed the separable costs for irrigation. Some proponents of the proj ect have implied from Section 50l(b) of Title V of the authorizing legislation that the Congress intended for the project to be constructed regardless of its economic justification. However, the Associate Solicitor, Energy and Resources, of the Department of the Interior takes the position that the Congress' directi,e as it relates to construction of the project is contingent upon appropriation of funds therefor and execution of an appropriate repayment contract and is su~ject to the continuing underlying responsibility on the part of the Water and Power Resources Service (Water and Power) to report to the Congress any new findings it has on feasibility and any recommendations it has concerning continued authorization. Water and Power is