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~ . . page 3 WRW washn x x x asked ARIZONANS ASK LUJAN FOR ADMINISTRATIVE INTERIM CRITERIA Rhodes and Rep. John Kyl, R-Ariz., and staffers representing the other Members in the Arizona House delegation--Chairman Morris K. Udall, D-Ariz., of the House Interior Committee, Reps. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., and Bob stump, R-Ariz.--met with Lujan on April 23 to try to work out an administrative solution to problems currently plaguing Grand Canyon National Park. Mainly because Glen Canyon Dam is being used to produce peaking power, water releases in the Colorado River are widely fluctuating--up to 13 feet, according to many of the environmentalists backing the Miller bill. Lujan on July 27, 1989, announced Interior is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate the impacts of its operations of Glen Canyon Dam on downstream resources. The EIS is expected to take three years to prepare. The Miller bill would re- quire the Interior Secretary to "develop and implement emergency interim operating criteria for Glen Canyon Dam" operations within 90 days after enactment into law. It provides the criteria "shall not interfere with the primary water storage and delivery functions of Glen Canyon Dam," but must minimize adverse impacts on Grand Canyon National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation area by cutting back on fluctuating water releases and the production of peaking power. It makes protection of both park areas a major purpose of CRSP. Power continues to be incidental to other project purposes. It also provides for flood control and minimum stream flows to protect the river's and the park's fishery resources. Rhodes, Kyl and the others representing Arizona Members asked Lujan to consider imposing administratively the inter im criteria called for in Miller's bill, "and the Secretary said he would look favorably on the idea," a source at the meeting with Lujan told WRW on May 1. If Underwood had been permitted to testify by Miller, he would have so informed the Miller/Vento panels. Both Underwood's and Clagett's testimony was sent to the Subcommittees on April 25, but the press was told their testimony was "not received in time for inclusion in the press packet." Nevertheless, Underwood's testimony became available to the press during the hearing. Underwood said data from flows on the Colorado River marked for research are being incor- porated into the EIS, and this phase of the research work will not be completed until the end of July 1991. "Once these additional data are in hand...we believe we will be in a position to develop interim cri- teria for operation of Glen Canyon Dam," Underwood's prepared testi- mony said. "Secretary Lujan has directed us to do so within 90 days of the completion of the research flows. At the same time the Secre- tary has directed that any interim operating criteria will not inter- fere with the Department's obligations relating to the storage and delivery of water. These interim flows will remain in effect until the EIS is complete and a final decision made regarding the long-term actions that will be taken." Among the factors to be considered in developing interim operating criteria would be the impacts on river regulation, reservoir uses, existing power contracts, CRSP system repayment, and operating revenues, the testimony said. This was, in effect, what the Arizona delegation had asked Lujan for. (more)