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<br />Response: As requested, a copy of the "Report of the Committee on Probabilities and <br />Test Studies to the Task Force on Operating Criteria for the Colorado River" has been <br />made available on our website at www.us~r.gov/lc/regionlg4000/Iroc. <br /> <br />Comment No. 19 - (Letters No.6 and 17): The Secretary and her agencies are engaged <br />in modification of river operations in various parts of the basin in order to meet their <br />responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act. In order to reflect these changes, we <br />recommend that a new subsection be added to Article 11(1) that reads: "Streamflow <br />. requirements offish and wildlife, and other environmental values." <br /> <br />Response: The Department notes that Article II( I) of the Operating Criteria is applicable <br />to, and lists relevant factors for, determination of 602(a) Storage. The Operating Criteria <br />are "administered consistent with applicable Federal laws" (which include the <br />Endangered Species Act). See introductory paragraph of Operating Criteria. As with <br />other aspects of applicable federal law, the Endangered Species Act applies to proposed <br />discretionary actions undertaken by federal agencies and its consideration is implicit in <br />the existing Operating Criteria. Accordingly, the Department does not believe that it is <br />necessary for the Operating Criteria to be modified. <br /> <br />Comment No. 20 - (Letter No.6): The last sentence in Article 11(2) of the Operating <br />Criteria refers to operations in 1971 and 1972, and is no longer relevant. We recommend <br />that this sentence be deleted. <br /> <br />Response: The Department concurs with the recommendation. The references to <br />operations in 1971 and 1972 are no longer relevant and the Department has deleted those <br />sentences from the Operating Criteria. <br /> <br />Comment No. 21 - (Letters No.6 and 17): In recognition of the Secretary's . <br />responsibilities under the Grand Canyon Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, <br />we recommend that a new subsection (d) be added to Article 11(3) that reads: "to meet the <br />requirements of the Grand Canyon Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act." <br /> <br />Response: See response to Comments No. 11 and 19. <br /> <br />Comment No. 22 - (Letter No.6): Given that the Colorado River Storage Project Act <br />lists generation of hydroelectric power as an incidental purpose for Glen Canyon Dam, <br />and that the Record of Decision on the operation of Glen Canyon Dam interprets the <br />mandates of the Grand Canyon Protection Act to allow bypass of water at the Glen <br />Canyon Powerplant under limited conditions and for specified purposes, we suggest that <br />the language in Article 11(4) is not appropriate. We recommend that this section be <br />deleted. <br /> <br />Response: Article 11(4) specifies the method that water will be released from Lake <br />Powell when such releases are needed in the application of Article II(3)(b) to maintain, as <br />nearly as practicable, active storage in Lake Mead equal to the active storage in Lake <br /> <br />19 <br /> <br />