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<br />Western States Water Council <br />Full Council Minutes <br /> <br />Sioux Falls, South Dakota <br />May 4, 2007 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Jeanine Jones commend Bob as the former Regional Director for the Lower Colorado River Region <br />and Reclamation for their Colorado River work - and for looking at paleoclimate and the changing impacts <br />on a snowpack dependent system. <br /> <br />Bob said that the Scripps Institute had helped Reclamation addressed questions about climate change. <br />The difficulty is translating that into decision making. <br /> <br />Duane said, "We're going to poke you and prod you and disagree, but at the end of the day we're <br />going to be your biggest supporter." <br /> <br />REPORTS OF COMMITTEES <br /> <br />A. Water Resources Committee - Phil Ward asked for unanimous consent to consider sending a <br />letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to express our concern over the Administration's <br />decision to zero out funding for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Technical Assistance to States (TATS) <br />Program in its FY 2008 budget request. The letter was discussed and an addition was made similarly <br />expressing disappointment with the Administration's $11 million request for Reclamation's Water 2025 <br />Program, which is a $3.5 million reduction from the Administration's FY 2007 request of$14.5 million. Phil <br />moved adoption of the letter, which was seconded by Rod Kuharich, and unanimously approved by the <br />Council. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Separately, the Committee recommended and the Council approved a proposed position in support <br />of legislation to specifically authorize the Water 2025 Program and recognize Reclamation's commitment <br />to a proactive, but non-regulatory approach to encouraging water conservation. The position also referred <br />to the Governors' Water Report, prepared by the Council, which addresses the relative merits of water <br />conservation and water use efficiency opportunities. The position statement was moved, seconded and <br />approved. <br /> <br />Phil also asked for consideration, under unanimous consent, of a request that the Council add its name <br />to a letter circulated by a coalition of interests expressing support for the Administration's proposed Rural <br />Water Enhancement Program (RWEP) under the Conservation Title of the proposed 2007 Farm Bill. With <br />the Council's consent, the letter was discussed. Pat Tyrrell asked, having not had a chance to vet the proposal <br />with his state colleagues, "Is there any downside to this issue?" Phil explained the intent was to create a <br />program within the Environmental Quality Improvement Program (EQIP) with a true "watershed look," with <br />basinwide participants, as opposed to individual producer conservation contracts. The Administration <br />proposed consolidating other EQIP and watershed programs, and how that reallocation of resources will fall <br />out is unknown. Any action taken by the Council by unanimous consent, having not been noticed prior to <br />the meeting, will be subject to a 10-day review by the Governors prior to circulation. Therefore, there will <br />be an opportunity to vet the issue with your state. A motion to approve the action was made, seconded and <br />carried. <br /> <br />Phil further reported that Jeanine Jones had expressed the need for the Council to stay engaged on <br />Farm Bill issues. <br /> <br />Next, a proposed policy position in support of funding for the Regional Integrated Sciences and . <br />Assessments (RISA) Program, under the National Oceanic an Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), was <br />moved, seconded and carried. It describes the importance of the RISAs applied research work that addresses <br /> <br />10 <br />