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RGBRT - April 8, 2008 - Minutes <br />INTERBASIN COMPACT COMMITTEE BASIN ROUNDTABLES <br />Rio Grande Inter Basin Roundtable <br />APRIL 8, 2008 <br />ALAMOSA FAMILY RECREATION CENTER <br />MINUTES <br />Attending: Fred Bauder, Mike Willett, Sam Vance, Lawrence D. Gallegos, J.B. Alexander, Charles <br />Stillings, Paul Robertson, Ruth Heide, Matt Hildner, Don Thompson, Jim Mietz, Jeremy Yoh, Charles <br />Spielman, Carishma Gokhale-Welch, Rio de la Vista, Perry Cabot, Judy Lopez, Greg Higel, John <br />Shawcroft, Ray Wright, Tony Aloia, Rodney Reinhardt, Ed Nielsen, Steve Vandiver, Mike Sullivan, <br />Charlotte Bobicki, Nicole Langley, Mike Gibson, Travis Smith <br />1. Introductions: Special welcome to Lawrence Gallegos representing Conejos County. <br />2. Approval of Minutes from March 11, 2008: Ed Nielson moved, J.B. Alexander second. <br />Unanimous approval. <br />3. Reappointment of Members - Mike G. reviewed renewals and appointments. <br />4. Report of IBCC Representatives. Nothing new to report since last meeting. <br />5. Reports from Recipients of SB 179 Funds - Mike G. stressed to members the need for <br />responsibility and fiscal accountability by the Rio Grande Basin Roundtable in providing oversight <br />of funds that have been granted through the Roundtable process and the importance of <br />transparency and oversight in all funded programs. He reminded the members that every effort <br />was being made to see that any submission from the Rio Grande Roundtable was as complete <br />and thorough as possible, and would be seen as such by CWCB staff and the CWCB. He stated <br />that while the financial oversight was not specifically a responsibility of the Roundtable, it was <br />important that there not be any issues with how the SB179 funds were spent. He felt that if this <br />did occur it would reflect adversely on the Roundtable as a whole and make future funding <br />requests more difficult. <br />• Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation <br />Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Application Preparation - $36,750 <br />March 2007 Roundtable application. July 2007 - Purchase order from the State. <br />Tim Davis & Mike Gibson reported. <br />Tim Davis -- Request was for Special Subdistrict No 1 to pursue CREP Application preparation. <br />A fed/non-fed program, focused on a very specific area: Purpose is to pursue a CREP to <br />voluntarily retire 40,000 acres over a period of 15 years in the Subdistrict # 1. He has completed <br />seven of about nine steps required by federal regulations. After the proposal gets approved by <br />the Subdistrict it will be a $117Million project. The non federal entity has to come up with 20% <br />match and half of that can be through in-kind contribution. The Federal contribution is $93- <br />$94Million. Applied to the Roundtable a little over a year ago for a one year project but it has <br />taken a little longer, primarily because the `07 farm bill has not passed, and because certain <br />crops, such as alfalfa, were not eligible. Tim described going back to Congress, asking for <br />revisions to the `07 farm bill, rolling the request into the `08 bill, and requesting an increase in the <br />CREP amount. He expressed appreciation for Congressman John Salazar and Senator Ken <br />Salazar for their help. <br />Mike G. presented a summary of expenditures to date and reimbursements. <br />Page 1 of 5