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00233n . . ,. adopt this Procedure, in order to allow staff to begin putting into motion those activities that are required to complete this process in a timely manner. Colorado River Environmental Activities Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (MSCP) The Technical Consulting Team ofSAIC/Jones and Stokes has made significant progress Over the past thirty-day period. SAIC/JSA has released several key draft work products, including: (1) final work plan for MSCP development; (2) proposed habitat classification; (3) revised "covered" species list and selection criteria; (4) proposed criteria for conservation opportunity area suitability; and (5) preliminary candidate conservation opportunity area options. I have included copies of the proposed habitat classification and revised covered species lists for your review and infonnation in the Board folder. I would like to point out that the SAIC/JSA Team has developed a set of biological and ecological criteria which were used to re-evaluate the need to include the nearly 100 species originally proposed for coverage in the MSCP. The SAIC/JSA Team has recommended that the MSCP participants only seck incidental take authorization for approximately 35-45 species. Generally, these would ensure inclusion of all currently listed species under federal and state laws, all of the California fully protected species (seven) which occupy portions of the planning area, and those species likely to be listed as threatened or endangered during the 50-year implementation period. The remaining 45-50 species would be addressed in the MSCP environmental documents (EIS/R) and HCP as "species likely to benefit from conservation actions, but are not likely to require incidental take authorizations." The MSCP Biology Subcommittee has reviewed the revised species list and selection criteria and has generally concurred with the process and results. Mr. Greg Taylor, the MSCP's Pilot Project manager, recently met with interests in Arizona, California, and Nevada regarding the development of the Pilot Project Legislative package. The proposed projects to be included in the package are the following: (I) habitat acquisition along the lower Virgin River in Nevada; (2) habitat restoration on the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation in Arizona; (3) potential acquisition of the SDG&E/Sempra lands in the Palo Verde Valley; (4) potential acquisition of the Cibola Valley Irrigation & Drainage District in Arizona; and (5) a wetlands restoration project near Yuma, Arizona. Mr. Taylor has had a series of meetings with proponents for each of these projects and is developing packages for inclusion in the proposed legislation. According to agency representatives and legislative liaisons, the proposed package needs to be completed by mid- to late-April 200 I if it is to be seriously considered in this session of Congress. MSCP Steering Committee Meeting with Us. Fish and Wildlife Service - Arizona Ecological Services Office, Phoenix, March 21,2001 On November 29, 2000, the MSCP Steering Committee received a letter from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Arizona Ecological Services Office in Phoenix, Arizona. The letter expressed concern over the proposed schedule for completion of the MSCP by May 2002. The USFWS 5