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<br />DAVE FREUDENTHAL <br />GOVERNOR <br /> <br /> <br />t);: <br />.~.~ <br />; --I <br />!L.R! <br />J.1i' <br />'$;,. OF WYOMING <br /> <br />STATE CAPITOL <br />CHEYENNE, WY 82002 <br /> <br />THE STATE'. <br /> <br />()ffice of the C;overnnr <br /> <br />February 25, 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 to request your support and assistance in insuring continued funding for the Upper <br />Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation <br />Program. These ongoing cooperative' programs have the dual objectives of recovering four species of <br />endangered fish while water use continues and water development proceeds in compliance with the <br />Endangered Species Act of 1973, state law, and interstate compacts. Par1ners in the two programs are the <br />States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, Indian tribes, federal agencies and water, power and <br />environmental interests. Wyoming respectfully requests support and action by the Subcommittee that will <br />provide the following: <br /> <br />1. An increase of $691,000 in the fiscal year 2006 Recovery Element budget (Resource <br />Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Endangered Species Subactivity; Recovery <br />Element) allocated to "Colorado River fish recovery project" to allow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) <br />Region 6 to meet its funding commitment to the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program. <br />This is the level of funding appropriated in fiscal years 2003, 2004 aild 2005 for this program. These funds <br />are needed for FWS direct participation in managing and implementing the Upper Colorado Program's <br />actions, monitoring achievement of recovery goals, managing data associated with fish population abundance <br />and sampling, evaluating stocking, and monitoring fish and habitat response to recovery actions. <br /> <br />2. The appropriation of$43 7 ,000 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management <br />Appropriation; Fi~heries Activity; Hatchery Operations & Maintenance Subactivity, Hatchery Operations <br />Project) to support the ongoing operation of the FWS' Ouray National Fish Hatchery in Utah during fiscal <br />year 2006. <br /> <br />3. The allocation of $211,000 in "recovery" funds for the San Juan River Basin Recovery <br />Implementation Program to the FWS for fiscal year 2006 to meet FWS Region 2 expenses associated with <br />program management and implementing the San Juan Program's actions. <br /> <br />The enactment of Public Law 106-392, as amended by P.L. 107-375, authorized the Federal <br />Government to provide up to $46 Million of cost sharing for these two ongoing recovery programs' remaining <br />capital construction projects. Raising and stocking of the endangered fish produced at program hatchery <br />facilities, restoring floodplain habitat and fish passage, regulating and supplying instream habitat flows, <br /> <br />TIY: 777-7860 <br /> <br />PHONE: (307) m-7434 <br /> <br />FAX: (307) 632-3909 <br />