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<br />and the Endangered Species Act (ESA),
<br />
<br />Attempts are still being made to model various surplus criteria, taking into consideration the
<br />comments that have been received from the Basin states representatives and others, Because we have
<br />encountered some problems with the model to accurately account for all components of the Plan, these
<br />modeling simulations studies are continuing to be run,
<br />
<br />Related to the 60-day Notices concerning Reclamations' operations of the Colorado River
<br />reservoirs and the V irgin River delta, attempts are being made to coordinate efforts among the
<br />California agencies and the Attorney General's Office and with the other states in order to be able to
<br />respond in an expeditious manner if litigation is filed, The potential litigation will be discussed in
<br />Executive Session during the Board meeting,
<br />
<br />A Colorado River Basin Statesffribes meeting was held on January 19,2000, Included in the
<br />Board folder is a copy of the agenda for the meeting, Three representatives from the Tribes attended
<br />the meeting, California's representation at the meeting, eight people, was the subject of a lot of
<br />discussion, It was the sense of several of the states' representatives that California had agreed to limit
<br />its participation at the meetings to five representatives, During the meeting Mr, Tom Hannigan and I
<br />provided a status report on progress being achieved in drafting California's Colorado River Water Use
<br />Plan, There were also status reports on Reclamation's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process
<br />related to the interim surplus criteria, the Salton Sea EIS, and the implementation of the Interstate Water
<br />Banking Regulations, Other items discussed were the 60-day Notices filed by various environmental
<br />groups and the process and schedule for negotiations regarding the interim surplus criteria, During the
<br />meeting, it was agreed that the process of negotiation must be concluded by June 301h, Three meetings
<br />among the states and Tribes representatives have been scheduled, with the next meeting being set for
<br />February 22"d,
<br />
<br />Colorado River Endangered Suecies
<br />
<br />The Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program Steering Committee (Steering
<br />Committee) met on January 13,2000, at which time it re-elected me as Chainnan and Mr, Caan as Vice-
<br />Chainnan of the Steering Committee for an additional year, The Steering Committee agreed, by
<br />consensus, to increase the funding needed for completion of the conservation plan by an additional $2,2
<br />million and to extend the plan completion date to April 2002, The $2.2 million increase will be shared
<br />50% federal and 50% non-federal. California will incur 50% of the non-federal share or $550,000,
<br />Arizona and Nevada will be responsible for the remaining non-federal share or, $330,000 and $220,000
<br />respectively,
<br />
<br />Because the Interstate Cost Sharing Agreement executed by the three Lower Division States has
<br />a not-to-exceed clause limiting expenditures to $4,5 million, the Agreement needs to be amended before
<br />additional funds can be expended, Included in the Board folder is a copy of Amendment No, I to the
<br />Interstate Cost Sharing Agreement. The Six Agency Committee, the funding entity in California, will
<br />consider the Amendment at its February 9th meeting,
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