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<br />OOUI:J7 <br /> <br />Sixth, the status quo has plainly exacerbated tension between the <br />states and the Federal Government. A systematic and comprehensIve <br />approach could reduce antagonism and promote closer cooperation. <br />For all these reasons, the Task Force believes that the best way <br />to carry out the President's directive that the agencies Increase the <br />level and quality of their attention to water rights Issues Is to <br />InstItute a comprehensive, systematic effort to Identify and quantify <br />federal water rights as promptly as reasonably possible. With Increased <br />attention on budget-balancing and ever-Increasing demands for funds, <br />the Task Force Is not optimIstic that It wll I be easy to allocate <br />sufficient attention, money and manpower to enable this job to be done <br />sooner rather than later. Increased funding for this effort might <br />mean temporarily diverting funds from other purposes and programs, but <br />we cannot state too strongly our belief that It should be done sys- <br />tematically and comprehensively If federal lands are to be managed <br />successfully to carry out congressionally-mandated purposes, with a <br />minimum of Interference with state and private water rights, and If <br />It Is to be done relatively cheaply. In this connection, It Is worth <br />noting that the General Accounting Office has recently strongly endorsed <br />the President's directive on this point, and has called on Congress. <br />to ensure that the agencies receIve adequate resources and funding to <br />enable them to do the job.25/ <br /> <br />25/ GAO Report, supra note 23, p. 58. <br /> <br />-27- <br />