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<br />,.- <br /> <br />I. <br /> <br />002512 <br /> <br />PROPOSED LEGISLATION FOR A BASIN-WIDE <br />CONSERVATION PROGRAM TO PRESERVE ENDANGERED <br />FISH IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN (AN AMENDMENT <br />TO THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OR THE <br />COLORADO RIVER SALINITY CONTROL ACT, OR THE <br />COLORADO RIVER BASIN STORAGE ACT OR OTHER ACT) <br /> <br />I. The Secretary of the Interior, hereinafter referred to as the <br />"Secretary", is authorized and directed to proceed with a Basin-I<ide <br />Conservation Program of specific actions, studies and works. for the <br />protection, and enhancement of certain endangered fish in the Colorado <br />River Basin. <br /> <br />v (C' <br /> <br />..;/ <br />..., <br /> <br />A. Federal responsibility for implementing the Basin-I<ide <br />Conservation Program contained in this Act is based upon the <br />following considerations: <br /> <br />'1 <br />, <br /> <br />1. The Colorado River is an interstate river system; <br />2. Present evidence indicates that federal water development <br />projects on the Colorado River system such as the Glen Canyon <br />Dam, the Curecanti Unit, and the Flaming Gorge Unit have <br />contributed to the decline of endangered fish species such as <br />the squawfish; <br />3. The Colorado River Storage Project Act, 43 USC 6~0(~) <br />(April 11, 1956, ch 203, ~8, 70 Stat IDS, as amended) 'requires <br />that storage projects shall provide facilities to mitigate <br />losses of fish and to improve conditions for the propagation. <br />of fish; <br />4. Present evidence indicates that the humpback chub, an <br />endangered species, requires hi&h levels of turbidity; yet the <br />Colorado Basin Salinity Control Act, 43 USC-1S71 et seq. (June <br />24, 1974, P.L. 93-320, Title 1, ~IOI, 88 Stat 266) provides <br />federal funding for federal projects to remove sources of <br />salinity i.Il.c..!~,!g _~o~1;~.,,~_of h~gh turbidity; <br />5. The federal role through 'the 'u-:-s:-Fish--,r Wildlife Service <br />in eradicating in the 1960's native fish in the Colorado River <br />such as the squawfish, humpback chub, and the bony tail chub <br />in order to promote exotic species such as trout has <br />contributed signific~to the decline of these fish and to <br />their present endangered species status; <br />6. Federal_o~e,~~ of significant am?unts of land for <br />watershed purposes in the Up'p'er Co10rad'0 River Basin creates <br />a significant federal involvement in non-federal, water <br />development project approvals; <br />7. The Colorado River Basin Interstate Compact, which was <br />approved by the U.S. Congress, allocates water among the 7 <br />basin states, yet the Endangered Species Act could preclude <br />development of water resources by the Upper Basin states <br />contrary to the assurances of the Compact; <br />8. It is generally believed that the cumulative impact of <br />separate water development projects (both f~deral and <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />9/7/84f <br />