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<br />- 23 - <br /> <br />participating storage projects throughout the Upper Colorado River as well as help to <br />support recovery effOlis for Colorado River endangered fishes and the Colorado <br />River Salinity Control Program. The Bureau of Reclamation has some hard decisions <br />to make given these concerns but nevertheless is holding to its schedule for the <br />publication of the FEIS by the end of September and to issue a Record of Decision by <br />the end of the year. <br />. Discussions with Mexico - Informal discussions are being initiated by the State <br />Department with Mexico concerning not only how shortages would be shared <br />between the United States and Mexico during times of drought on the Colorado <br />River, but also on a process that will identify projects that will lessen the severity of <br />those shortages. These efforts by the Department of State will be handled through the <br />International Boundary and Water Commission in consultation with the Department <br />of Interior and the seven Colorado River Basin. On September 4th, the seven basin <br />states met with representatives of the US. agencies to discuss how to assist them in <br />this process. <br />. Long-term Augmentation Plan for the Colorado River - Work is continuing on the <br />development of the Long-term Augmentation Plan and a meeting furthering this <br />effort will be held on September 14th. <br /> <br />COLORADO RIVER ANNUAL OPERATING PLAN (AOP): On August 16th, Reclamation <br />held its second consultation meeting for development of the 2008 AOP. The 2008 AOP at this <br />time provides for the minimum objective release of 8.23 MAP from Lake Powell and for normal <br />releases from Lake Mead of approximately 9.3 MAP of which 1.5 MAP would go to Mexico. <br />The 2008 AOP will also provide for a mid-year review in order to implement the anticipated <br />Record of Decision on Guidelines for the Determination of Lower Basin Shortages and the <br />Coordinated Operations of Lakes Powell and Mead under Low Reservoir Conditions. <br /> <br />SECRETARY KEMPTHORNE ANNOUNCES JOINT U.S.-MEXICO STATEMENT ON <br />LOWER COLORADO RIVER ISSUES: Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne <br />announced that the Government of Mexico and the Government of the United States have <br />renewed their commitment to cooperate and collaborate on issues related to the Colorado River. <br />The announcement follows a recent meeting between Secretary Kempthorne and Ambassador <br />Arturo Sarukhan of Mexico. <br /> <br />The US.-Mexico Joint Statement is below: <br /> <br />U.S. AND MEXICO AGREE TO DISCUSS JOINT COOPERATIVE ACTIONS <br />RELA TED TO THE COLORADO RIVER: As a result of high-level bilateral <br />consultations, US. and Mexican federal authorities have agreed to discuss a number of <br />issues of mutual concern to both nations related to the Colorado River. <br /> <br />The Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, is responsible for the <br />domestic management of the Colorado River, the waters of which are shared by seven <br />US. basin states and Mexico. Mexico's Colorado River allocation is governed by the <br />1944 Treaty Relating to the Utilization of the Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers <br />and of the Rio Grande, which is administered by the International Boundary and Water <br />Commission (IBWC). <br /> <br />Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Finance. Sn-eam and Lake Protection <br />Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning <br />