BOARD00054 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 11/13/2006
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

This bill is similar to legislation passed by Rep. Bob Schaffer in 2000, which transferred four single-
purpose water conveyance facilities of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project located downstream of the
Horsetooth Reservoir. This legislation now completes the transfer all of the single-purpose water ._
conveyance facilities within the project.

Sen. Salazar Requests Drought Relief: On September 27, United States Senator Ken Salazar requested
that USDA issue a waiver to increase the cap on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres from 25
percent to the maximum 30 percent in Colorado's Weld, Morgan, and Adams counties in order to allow
fanners in those counties to utilize the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). By
allowing producers in these areas to access CREP funds, USDA would be giving these hard hit producers
a much needed lifeline. In addition, local and State funds are currently available to provide a match
requirement for CREP.

In his letter to USDA Secretary Mike Johanns, Senator Salazar stated that the development of CREP for
this three county region is a vital step in ensuring the future agricultural viability for the area, and that
while CREPs have been extremely successful in the Republican River Basins of Colorado and Nebraska,
they are desperately needed to provide the same opportunities to the farmers and ranchers along the South
Platte River.

The full text of Senator Salazar's letter can be found at
http://salazar . senate .20v/imageslpdf/060927ag.pdf

Gov. Owens Signs Recovery Implementation Program Agreement: On October 26 Governor Owens
signed the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program Agreement. Governor Heineman signed the
Agreement on October 30, 2006. The Agreement has been forwarded to Governor Freudenthal who is
expected to sign the Agreement in early November. Once Governor Freudenthal signs the Agreement, he
will then forward the Agreement to Secretary Kempthorne for the final signature. The Program would
begin on January 1, 2007 or as soon thereafter as the Agreement is signed. With a Program in place, the .
Governance Committee will be engaged in a number of activities. First and foremost, the Governance
Committee has initiated its search for an Executive Director. In addition, the Governance Committee will
be making decisions on a Land Interest Holding Entity, a Financial Holding Entity, and on pursuing
Adaptive Management goals. The States will continue to pursue Congressional authorizing legislation
and federal appropriations for the Program. The State of Colorado will be initiating its efforts to meet its
initial water obligations and its plans to account for future depletions. We will also be seeking State
funding in order to satisfy the State's financial commitment to the Program. This will be an item for
discussion before the Board at the November Board meeting.

Secretary Signs ROD for the Recovery Program to Aid Endangered and Threatened Species: On
September 27, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthome signed off on a proposed Platte River Recovery
Implementation Program, approving Interior's participation in a $300 million, basin-wide effort to
improve habitat for four threatened and endangered species that use the Platte River in Nebraska.

Kempthorne signed the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)
on the Program. The ROD approves the following Federal actions: 1). Authorizing the Interior
Secretary's signature on the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program Cooperative Agreement; 2)
Funding and implementing the Program by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service in cooperation with the States of Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska and other participants,
subject to required congressional authorization and appropriations; and 3) Appointing the Platte River
Recovery Program Governance Committee to act as the recovery implementation team.

The preferred alternative described in the FEIS and approved in the ROD would improve habitat for the .-._
target species in the Central Platte Habitat Area (along the Platte River from Lexington to Chapman, _
Nebraska) by the following methods:

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