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<br />I <br /> <br />~fi <br /> <br /> <br />002405 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Recently, Reclamation posted copies of all of the comments received on its web page (at <br />www.\c.usbr.gov/g4000flroc). I have made copies of each of the comment letters for your review <br />and information. These letters are included in your hand-out materials. <br /> <br />California's Colorado River Water Use Plan <br /> <br />IID/SDCWA Water Transfer <br /> <br />On June 14, 2002, I received a copy of a notification from the California's State Water <br />Resources Control Board (State Board) regarding the petition of the Imperial Irrigation District and <br />San Diego County Water Authority for approval of the long-term transfer of conserved Colorado <br />River water. Included within the notification were a series of legal issues which the State Board <br />wished to have briefed by parties to the proceeding. <br /> <br />In reviewing these suggested legal questions, I became concerned that the questions involved <br />interstate issues and federal law. Discussion and analysis of these issues could jeopardize the <br />continuing negotiations among the Basin States, as weU as could adversely effect future California <br />legal positions or strategies in other legal proceedings. Consequently, I prepared a letter on July 2, <br />2002, to the State Board requesting that the State Board rescind the call for parties to brief the <br />suggested questions. A copy of the State Board's Notification of June 14,2002, and the Board's <br />letter of July 2, 2002, is included in the Board folder. <br /> <br />I have been advised that Art Baggett, Chairman of the State Board, has indicated to the <br />parties that briefing these questions is optional and that he intends to respond to the Board's letter. <br /> <br />Federal Register Notice Regarding Implementation of Interim Surplus Guidelines - June 19, 2002 <br /> <br />On June 19, 2002, the Department of the Interior published a Federal Register Notice <br />regarding the Interim Surplus Guidelines. The Federal Register Notice re-affirmed the language <br />contained within the January 16,2001, Interim Surplus Guidelines (ISG) which states that absent an <br />executed California Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) by December 3 1,2002, the Interim <br />Surplus Guidelines would be suspended by the Secretary of the Interior until the QSA has been <br />executed. Included in the Board folder is a copy of the June 19,2002, Notice. <br /> <br />Additionally, the Notice identified several relevant considerations associated with the ISG, <br />including the foUowing: (1) The ability of Lower Basin entities outside of California, to affect <br />compliance with section 5(B) requirements; (2) the need of other Lower Basin entities outside of <br />California, to utilize the surplus quantities in 2003 (and the relative amounts of such surplus <br />quantities); (3) impacts on the storage of water in the Colorado River reservoirs, and the impact on <br />future deliveries to users of the waters of the Colorado River under applicable provisions offederal <br />law and international treaty; (4) impacts on California's ability to meet applicable conditions for <br />reinstatement ofthe determinations under sections 2(B)(1) and 2(B)(2). <br /> <br />At the July 2, 2002, meeting of the Agency Managers, the Managers requested that the Board <br />prepare a letter to Reclamation requesting that an errata sheet be published in the Federal Register <br /> <br />5 <br />