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r'~ . . 1i" ..... r-', _.~ JANUARY 15, 1985 BRIEFING TO DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND BUREAU OF RECLAMATION '-', _.' BY Wa lter E. Fite Assistant Project Manager Bureau of Reclamation Saline Water Transport And Use Office The purpose today is to update you on the AQUATRAIN Project as it is now configured, and give you my thoughts on what the future holds. Fi rst, 1 et me state that despi te rumors to the contrary -- AQUATRAI N is alive and well. It seems that almost since the AQUATRAIN concept was conceived, stories of its impending demise have been ci rculated. And yet today, as we enter the project's fifth year, AQUATRAIN is not only alive, but continuing to grow stronger and JOOve closer to realization. AQUATRAIN holds more promise than ever, and I am confident that the coming year will see marked progress as we obtain financing and start work in many areas. A number of factors allowing me to be optimistic about AQUATRAIN's future. One of the JOOst prominent is the support the project is now receiving from our private industry partner, Aquatrain, Inc. Knowledgeable, experienced professionals in Aquatrain, Inc., believe the project has a great potential and they are ready to commit the resources required to bring it to fruition. Mr. Morgan Greenwood, the firm's pres i dent, has over 40 years' experi ence in corporate ope rat ion, project management, energy resource development, environmental and pollution control, and engineering design and construction. Aquatrain, Inc., has pledged to assist Interior in meeting its mandate to control of salinity in the Colorado River. The firm has agreed in principle to help plan and fund saline water projects. A modification to the cooperative agreement between Reclamation and Aquatrain, Inc" is now being negotiated to determine the level of that funding. I antici- pate the level could be as much as $32 million. This financial assistance will allow Reclamation to construct saline water projects which might not otherwise he built in these days of shrinking budgets and looming deficits. I think you will agree that this is cause for optimism. Many people find it difficult to understand this seemingly unusual partner- ship between government and private industry, parties that are often opponents. And the fact that the AQUATRAIN Project addresses two problems that appear to be far afield from one another -- salinity control and coal transport -- seems even JOOre unusual to some. An explanation is in order. Please Note: To reflect changes subsequent to this presentation, please change references in this briefing as follows: Aquatrain, Inc. becomes Western Resource Transport, Inc. The AQUATRAIN Project becomes WESTRANS and Saline Water Use and Disposal Projects.