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<br />r~ <br />, ,...f <br />~ <br />~ Mohammad El-Ashry, staff scientist for ZDF's Denver office, criticized <br />the Lamm administration decision for recognizing the problems surrounding <br />the cumulative impacts of the projects but doing little to deal with <br />them. <br /> <br />liThe whole review has been terribly inadequate since they assumed <br />from the beginning that itls been the state's policy to support these <br />projects,1I he said Tuesday. <br /> <br />The statels position--that the projects should be built to keep water <br />away from energy developmentsullforecloses other options available to <br />the state for the efficient development of its water resources," El-Ashry <br />said. <br /> <br />He said there were other ways to develop water for agriculture, such <br />as improving existing irrigation systems. <br /> <br />Moreover, El-Ashry questioned the administration's position that <br />all available water should be developed for western Colorado agriculture, <br />which is marginal in many areas because of high altitudes. <br /> <br />He aaid ZDF is still awaiting a reply to its request to the Depart- <br />ment of the Interior for a delay in the reclamation projects while a <br />programmatic environmental impact statement is prepared. <br /> <br />Copied: ~ICB/ mm - 1/12/77 -3- <br />