20b - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

- 8 - the President, letter from late 2005. This letter asked Hutchison not to pursue this bill due to international treaty issues, local and state liability concerns, etc. The Udall bill might call for the OSTP to report on these issues and the NAIWMC is developing a response to this letter. From the NAIWMC perspective none of the issues identified in the letter have been an issue with western states weather modification programs. Federal weather modification research programs like this have existed without these issues in the past. The NOAA Atmospheric Modification Program ran from 1979-1993 and the USBR Weather Damage Modification Program ran from 2001-2003. The NAIWMC goal is to develop a 50/50 cost share applied research program where state and local funding from operations leverages federal funding to evaluate, refine, and modernize operations. Hurricane research is likely one of the maj or issues here and in the Hutchison bill the NAIWMC has identified the types of research that can be funded and limits hurricane research to modeling. The Hutchison Bill clearly puts the states in the driver seat to set state priorities and limiting research to the U.S. should address international treaty issues. Another key but largely unspoken issue is that NOAA will not likely want this to just be a pass through grant program but will also want a portion of this funding for NOAA priorities so a balance may need to be struck. Staff requests that the CWCB Members consider this initiative backed by CO, NV, ND, CA, KS, TX, OK, ID, UT, WY. "-' STATEWIDE "-' CONSUMPTIVE AND NON-CONSUMPTIVE WORKING GROUPS UPDATE: Staff held the first meeting of the Consumptive Work Group and has continued working with the Basin Roundtables and technical staff on developing a process to continue addressing non- consumptive needs assessments. During the Consumptive Work Group meeting staff received a variety on input. Given the diversity of interest no single path forward was identified. A key need that was the expressed by some was to continue to develop and refine water supply alternatives; others were reluctant to begin to look at "solutions". In addition, the group would like to find a way to participate more actively in the meetings and assisting future work. Staff is developing a follow up questionnaire to identify which areas/topics the group wants to focus on and possible approaches. The non-consumptive work group is making progress but there have also been several concerns by different interest groups ranging from: the process is not going fast enough, the process must be directed by the basin roundtables, the process must ensure protection of water rights and provide regulatory certainty for water users. Staff is working with the interests to tIY to address these important concerns. WATER CONSERVATION PLANS APPROVED: To date, the Office of Water Conservation & Drought Planning (OWCDP) has approved three additional Water Conservation Plans from water providers. They include: . Alamosa Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Finance. Sn-eam and Lake Protection Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning