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<br />" <br /> <br />002337 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />suggested by SWCA include: <br /> <br />. Restoring approximately 15,000 acres of riparian forest and woodland. This amount of <br />habitat is believed to be sufficient to increase the abundance of most target species to <br />near or above minimum viable population size. Specific restoration projects are <br />described in Chapter 4. <br /> <br />. Establish a new LCR MSCP-supported Native Aquatic Species Center in the area, <br />complete with hatchery and grow-out facilities. <br /> <br />. Establish two 15-acre razorback sucker repatriated habitats (probably off-channel in <br />reflooded bottonland habitats) free of non-native predators/competitors. <br /> <br />. Establish a major bony tail refugia in Lake Havasu, such that 50,000 fish can be <br />maintained for at least 5 years, and two IS-acre bony tail refugia. <br /> <br />. Facilitate establishment of two "wild refugia" of a minimum of 2.250 adult Colorado <br />pikeminnow in the Lower Basin. <br /> <br />The cost of the program and projects suggested for the six year period are estimated to be in <br />the order of $75 million. <br /> <br />It is important to recognize that while the SWCA report and the COAs provide a basis for <br />developing the program, they are only elements or "building blocks" to develop the overall plan, <br />1'he next step will be to use the existing information from these reports and others to develop <br />alternatives under NEP A and CEQA, hold public scoping meetings in August, and then develop a <br />preferred alternative. A presentation on the conservation alternatives report and the COA analysis <br />will be provided at the Board's retreat in July. <br /> <br />The LCR MSCP Steering Committee approved the Year-4 budget in the amount of <br />$1,681,675. As will be recalled, the Steering Committee, at its March meeting, approved a budget <br />augmentation of $2.2 million in order to complete the plan by July 2001. The Year-4 budget is <br />designed to complete the major part of the work in the coming year. Cost sharing remains at 50 % <br />federal and 50 % non-federal, with the non-federal share being divided 50 % California, 30% <br />Arizona, and 20% Nevada, The next Steering Committee meeting is schedule for June 22"' in Las <br />Vegas, Nevada. <br /> <br />With regards to the outstanding 60-day notices of intent to sue, there continues to be no <br />action on the part of the environmental organizations. Several California participants, at the request <br />of the Defenders of Wildlife, met informally in early May in Tucson, Arizona, The Defenders of <br />Wildlife indicated that it would like to meet with California's representatives if a IiIeeting could b~ <br />arranQed. <br />~ <br /> <br />Federal and State representatives met via conference call on May 22"d and agreed that <br />continued dialogue with the environmental community was important, However, there was some <br />belief expressed by the Solicitor's Office that the ESA may apply to Mexico. This is an obvious <br /> <br />5 <br />