Laserfiche WebLink
<br />STATE OF COLORADO <br /> <br /> <br />EXECUTIVE CHAMBERS <br /> <br />136 State Capitol <br />Denver, Colorado 80203-1792 <br />Phone (303) 866-2471 <br /> <br />Bill Owens <br />Governor <br /> <br />March 4, 2005 <br /> <br />The Honorable Conrad Burns, Chairman <br />The Honorable Byron Dorgan, Ranking Member <br />Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies <br />Committee on Appropriations <br />United States Senate <br />132 Dirksen Senate Office Building <br />Washington, D.C. 20510 <br /> <br />Dear Chairman Burns and Ranking Member Dorgan: <br /> <br />I am writing again this year to ask your support for continuing funding for the Upper <br />Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin Recovery <br />Implementation Program. As you recall, these two programs promote the recovery of four <br />endangered fish in the Upper Colorado River Basin while providing the Endangered Species <br />Act compliance for continued water diversion and development for over 800 water projects <br />on the two rivers, all without a single lawsuit since the two Programs were instituted in 1988 <br />and 1992 respectively. The State of Colorado has partnered with its sister states of Utah, <br />Wyoming and New Mexico, as well as Indian tribes, federal agencies, water and power <br />suppliers and environmental interests to make this program work. <br /> <br />Specifically, I request that the Subcommittee consider the following allocations: <br /> <br />1. An increase of $691,000 for the fiscal year 2006 Recovery Element budget <br />(specifically designated as "Resource Management Appropriation: Ecological <br />Services Activity: Endangered Species Subactivity; Recovery Element") allocated <br />to "Colorado River fish recovery project" to allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Service to continue funding the Service's participation in managing the Upper <br />Colorado Program. This participation includes monitoring fish and habitat <br />response to recovery actions as gauged by recovery goals, managing fish <br />population abundance and sampling data, and evaluating stocking. <br /> <br />2. Appropriation of $437,000 in operation and maintenance funds (designated as <br />"Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries Activity; Hatchery Operations <br />& Maintenance Subactivity, Hatchery Operations Project") to support the ongoing <br />work at the Ouray National Hatchery in Utah, which is operated by the U.S. Fish <br />and Wildlife Service. <br />