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'. 2;:?!~\ <,:-.:.:.'.:,," ..;:~I') ,~.' , ....~ '".,.. 0,,-; ~"1 :; _ iJ,~ Public Scoping Comments, Gunnison River Contract, conI. 22. CAMPBELL; pI,' 1. The public scoping meeting that is being held today, and the similar meetings that will be held are significant for several reasons. It marks the beginning of the process to involve the public in determining how to allocate our most precious resource -- water. It marks the beginning of the process to protect the Gunnison River. It represents an opportunity to solidify and stabilize longstanding commitments that Congress made to the people of the Gunnison Basin when it passed the Colorado River Storage Project Act. 02. CAMPBELL; pI, '2. Some may ask why this coo tract is necessary. The answer is easy -- it must ,be done to provide certainty that future water deliveries will not be impeded when the government completes it study of the impacts the Aspinall Unit has on endangered fish. It must also be done to protect tbe resources of the Gunnison River. 22. CAMPBELL; pl,'3. The process began when the Bureau first announced it would delay issuing a Record of Decision on the proposed A-B Lateral Projecl. At that time, the Bureau informed us that it would be negotiating with other Interior and state agencies to draft an agreement that would allow the Bureau to provide adequate flows for fish, wildlife and recreational users in addition to satisfying the demand for water to develop new hydro-electric and water storage projects. 6. CAMPBELL; pI, '4. In particular, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must do a reconsultation on the operation of the Aspinall Unit to determine if its operation should be changed to protect. fish and wildlife habitat within the Gunnison Gorge pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. 3. CAMPBELL; pI, '5. To resolve the uncertainties, I asked the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service to work with water users, the state and the Justice Department to develop a water contract that would also anticipate the passage of legislation to designate the Gunnison River as a Wild and Scenic River, create a National Conservation Area and redesignate the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument, protect the new park and recognize exi(s)ting water rights. 22. CAMPBELL; p2,'1. This contract, 'done under the process established by the National . Environmental Policy Act, will involve all affected parties, This contract will not be a "cart before the horse" proposal in which some projects are "grandfathered" at the expense of the resources of the Gunnison Gorge. 21. CAMPBELL; p2, '2. My concern was shared by the Colorado Water Conservation Board that expressed its concern that studies of the water resources of the Gunnison River Basin being conducted by the Bureau of Reclamation, tbe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service were proceeding separately, without adequate coordination. 8. CAMPBELL; p2,'3. As you know, there is no shortage of competing interests in the Gunnison Basin, In fact, the uncertainties surrounding the river have lead national environmental group American Rivers to list the Gunnison River as one of the most endangered rivers in America for the second year in a row, 13b. CAMPBELL; p2, '4. Few will dispute that the Gunnison Basin has long been in turmoil over water rights, The Upper Gunnison Water Conservation District, the Colorado River Water C~nservation District, the Tri-County Water District, the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users, the City of Delta, 33