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Western States Water Council Executive Committee Minutes Sioux Falls, South Dakota May 3, 2007 '- One reason Duane hesitates to meet with other groups or organizations such as ICWP and ASIWPCA, while we hold meetings in Washington, DC, is that some of our priorities are not the same. Recommendations can become very watered-down because of the diversity amongst the states. Shaun suggested we may wish to take the opportunity to meet together with many of the stakeholders who help craft the initial recommendations in the water report in March 2006, and reach out to them once again. The upcoming conference to be held in October in Salt Lake City also affords another opportunity for such outreach. Duane said he liked the idea of meeting together with the stakeholders from 2006 again at the 2008 Washington, DC meeting. B. WGA Work Plan Items - Shaun McGrath Shaun reported that first, the water report is helping him in his work. WGA received seven days' notice to prepare testimony on climate change. Most of the testimony was taken from the water report and it refers specifically to the water report. As a result, WGA was able to easily gain approval on the testimony because the governors had already approved the water report. The governors will be supporting a bill on climate change and they are in a much better position to ask for some things. The report has been very well received not only by the governors, but also by others. "~ The WGA Annual Meeting will be held June 10-12 in Deadwood, South Dakota. They are anticipating a very good turnout. There is a plenary on agriculture, climate change and adaptation, and on energy. A few WGA water resolutions are up for renewal. One is on Indian water rights, another is on the McCarren Act, and also Good Samaritan clean ups. Another resolution being considered for renewal is on watersheds - - this is really the "Park City Principles" that the WSWC adopted in the early 1990s. The position on arid areas will also be revisited. Priority projects WGA is working on include wildlife corridors. In February, the Governors adopted a resolution to protect wildlife corridors. WGA testified two weeks ago on oil and gas categorical exclusions as a result ofthat policy. They are launching into a project to try to identify where the sensitive wildlife corridors or crucial habitat are and ways to protect them. There is a lot going on with respect to energy. The Senate Energy Committee passed a big energy bill through mark-up, but its looking like, because of amendments, it will not go through. It originally focused on biofuels, carbon sequestration, and efficiency. At the WGA Staff Council meeting last week in Denver, Michael Bogert from Interior came and explained what happened with Interior's announcement on their regulations regarding the Endangered Species Act. He assured the WGA Staff Council that Interior wants to work with the states, and he held up the WGA policy. However, the politics are such that likely nothing will happen. There has been a lot of activity on the Good Samaritan clean up of abandoned mines. They are close to getting a bi-partisan bill negotiated. If successful, the bill will be introduced. Commenting on an earlier remark about building the federal team that is engaged with the Council, Shaun noted that the effort on Good Sam is a great example of how that has paid off. Roger Gorke of EP A has been coming to -- WSWC meetings for the past couple of years. As a result, the relationship has been built, and he has 7