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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />proposed legislation become more fully defined and described, I propose to convene a meeting of <br />the Board's Agency Managers to discuss these elements in more detail (e.g., cost-sharing and water <br />use provisions, etc.). <br /> <br />The Steering Committee is also significantly involved in the preparation ofan Implementation <br />Agreement (IA). The lA, and related documents, define the roles and contractual responsibilities <br />and guide the implementation of the long-term Program. Most, if not all, HCPs utilize an IA to <br />identify the contractual obligations and responsibilities ofthe HCP proponents and the U.S. Fish and <br />Wildlife Service. The LCR MSCP is in a unique situation of also including federal agencies, i.e., <br />the Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, et aI., as participants in the <br />implementation of the Program and receiving incidental take authorizations from the USFWS. This <br />requires a more complex contractual arrangement. <br /> <br />The LCR MSCP Compliance Subcommittee is meeting on February 12,2004, to review a list <br />of remaining compliance-related issues. Some ofthe issues that remain to be addressed in the HCP, <br />BA, and EIS/R include the following: (I) mitigation in perpetuity; (2) indirect effects; (3) <br />finalization of the environmental baseline definition; (4) multiple incidental take authorizations <br />versus a single all.inclusive permit; and (5) opportunities for LCR MSCP mitigation projects and <br />credit on USFWS National Wildlife Refuge lands along the Lower Colorado River. The results and <br />agreements associated with these issues will be included within the public review documents to be <br />released in March 2004. <br /> <br />Finally, on January 30, 2004, Mr. Harris participated in a detailed staff briefing for Mr. Dale <br />Hall, the USFWS Southwest Region Regional Director in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The purpose <br />of the briefing was to provide the Regional Director and his senior management staff with an <br />overview of the current status of the LCR MSCP and the remaining significant issues. The meeting <br />was very positive, with Mr. Hall and his staffbeing enthusiastic and supportive of the progress made <br />and general direction of the LCR MSCP. Regional Director Hall indicated that he was firmly <br />committed to help with the coordination efforts necessary to complete the Program on schedule in <br />late-2004. <br /> <br />Proposed Designation of Critical Habitatfor the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher <br /> <br />On January 26, 2004, Mr. Harris attended a public scoping meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, <br />associated with the USFWS's proposed designation of critical habitat for the Southwestern willow <br />flycatcher (WIFL). The meeting was the first in a series of scoping meetings held throughout the <br />Southwestern United States. The purpose ofthe meeting was to provide the public with information <br />related to the process the USFWS intends to utilize for designation of critical habitat for the WIFL <br />and to solicit concerns and issues that the public believes the USFWS should consider in preparing <br />the critical habitat designation. Included in the Board folder for your information is the Federal <br />Register notice and related documents. <br /> <br />The Board is preparing a draft letter providing initial comments and concerns associated with <br />the proposed critical habitat designation. For example, an issue that Board staff believes should be <br />considered is whether the USFWS should designate critical habitat in areas with existing HCPs or <br /> <br />6 <br />