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<br />,iilii. <br /> <br />, < ",' -:~l~\t~;,~---~-::J'~ <br /> <br />,~-- <br /> <br />- 10 - <br /> <br />Rich Valdez stated that: <br /> <br />1. Some' biologists in Washington have changed their~inds <br />about the Animas-LaPlata Project. The inference appeared <br />to be that some biologists who formerly favored the project <br />with a solution to the endangered species problem now felt <br />otherwise. <br />2. The San Juan River is a highly altered river system. The <br />system has been altered with respect to depletions of water <br />from the river and the magnitude and periodicity of the flows. <br />3. The best solution to the endangered species problem involves <br />consultation under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act <br />(ESA) and the development of a "reasonable and prudent" <br />alternative, using the process outlined in the USBR letter <br />of September 28, 1990, to F&WS under which the Animas-LaPlata <br />Project would be permitted to proceed. <br />4. Without the section 7 process little can be done to help the <br />fish. <br />5. If he, Rich Valdez, were to develop a program for the San Juan <br />River, it would be similar to the one in the September 28 letter. <br />6. Some biologists believe that nothing can be done to save the <br />squawfish. <br />7. If we do not trust the F&WS, the process described in the <br />USBR-F&WS letter will not work. <br />8. He regards the USBR-F&WS document as a compromise under which <br />the Ridges Basin Reservoir, Durango Pumping Plant and inlet <br />canal can be constructed. <br />9. There is an element of risk to the AL-P if the present plan <br />to build half the project is followed because he is not sure <br />that the 5-year research period will produce definitive answers <br />to the biologists. <br />