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<br />The final EA is being provided to the following groups who expressed an interest in the
<br />Agreement. A news release was also mailed indicating the availability of the EA. In addition, the
<br />final EA will be provided to other individuals and organizations upon request.
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<br />Mailing List for final EA:
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<br />Fish and Wildlife Service, Grand Junction, CO
<br />Forest Service, Gunnison, CO
<br />National Park Service, Gunnison, CO
<br />Western Area Power Administration, Salt Lake City, UT
<br />Colorado Water Conservation Board, Denver, CO
<br />Colorado State Engineer, Montrose, CO
<br />Colorado Division of Wildlife, Gunnison and Montrose, CO
<br />Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, Gunnison, CO
<br />Colorado River Water Conservation District, Glenwood Springs, CO
<br />Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association, Montrose, CO
<br />Redlands Water and Power Company, Grand Junction, CO
<br />Western States Water Council, Midvale, UT
<br />Environmental Defense Fund, Boulder, CO
<br />High Country Citizens Alliance, Crested Butte, CO
<br />Upper Colorado River Commission, Salt Lake City, UT
<br />WRC Engineering Inc., Denver, CO
<br />Arapahoe County, CO
<br />Gunnison County, CO
<br />Vranesh and Raisch, Boulder, CO
<br />Ralph Clark, Gunnison, CO
<br />A.S. Andrews, Littleton, CO
<br />Gunnison Country Times, Gunnison, CO
<br />Mr. Bruce Driver, Boulder, CO
<br />Dave Miller, Pahner Lake, CO
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<br />Comments on the draft EA have been reviewed and major comments are presented below with
<br />responses.
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<br />General Comment: The Agreement prevents development of Compact water, impacts
<br />Colorado's ability to use water, allows Federal control of the appropriation of water, forecloses
<br />high elevation storage reservoirs in the Gunnison Basin, and has negative impact on Front
<br />Range's ability to make transmountain diversions.
<br />Response: The United States holds absolute water rights for storage and direct flow for the
<br />Aspinall Unit obtained through the legal avenues under Colorado law. At issue is the voluntary
<br />subordination ofa fixed amount of the United States' water storage rights. In 1963 the United
<br />States agreed to subordinate up to 60,000 acre-feet of its storage rights to in-basin users to prevent
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