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<br />lHJ J3 'i7 <br /> <br />1998 ANNUAL REPORT <br /> <br />could occur in a number of ways. Regional Administrators could be more vocal in telling the <br /> <br /> <br />success of the effort and in urging the involved federal agencies and the Congress to give needed <br /> <br /> <br />support and to seek needed funding. The USEPA could ensure consistency with federal agencies' <br /> <br /> <br />actions, the Forum and the states' non-point source programs. An example of this may be actions <br /> <br /> <br />by the Basin's largest land manager, the BLM. The USEPA could also help resolve disputes like <br /> <br /> <br />those that might arise because of efforts of the USEP A to treat Indian tribes as states under the Clean <br /> <br /> <br />Water Act. A potential for this dispute resolution mechanism may be associated in the future with <br /> <br /> <br />tribes in the Basin adopting water quality standards. At a minimum, it would be helpful for the <br /> <br />USEPA to regularly and accurately report all efforts of the USEPA and Colorado River Basin tribes <br /> <br /> <br />to develop water quality standards in the Basin. The Council requests that the USEP A become more <br /> <br /> <br />active in supporting the programs and funding and, when needed, be prepared to initiate discussion <br /> <br />on how the USEPA will provide dispute resolution that may develop as Indian tribes move to adopt <br /> <br /> <br />and administer water quality standards. The Council also asks that the USEP A resolve the Section <br /> <br /> <br />7 issue raised on page 4 of this report and report that resolution to the Council by April I, 1999. <br /> <br />MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS <br /> <br />The Council's budget recommendations represent the required funding for the program to be <br /> <br /> <br />successful in maintaining salinity concentrations within the state-adopted and federally-approved <br /> <br /> <br />numeric criteria. The funding levels are consistent with and support the conclusions regarding the <br /> <br /> <br />funding required to accomplish the plan of implementation adopted by the Forum in its 1996 <br /> <br />Review. Unlike many other federal programs, the salinity control program provides a significant <br /> <br /> <br />amount of non-federal cost sharing. The states provide 30 percent cost share from the Upper Basin <br /> <br />Fund and Lower Basin Development Fund. In addition to the states' cost share, the local <br /> <br /> <br />participating farmers cost share in the USDA on-farm program. The non-federal participants (the <br /> <br />COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL ADVISORY COUNCIL <br /> <br />15 <br />