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<br />
<br />was predicated on the basis that the appropriation should be made
<br />to the Bureau of Reclamation so that the total costs of the Upper
<br />Colorado River storage project can be accurately accounted for.
<br />The Committee has included language in the bill to provide for the
<br />use of $2,200,000 of available funds for recreational and fish and
<br />wildlife facilities during fiscal year 1962, This is a reduction of
<br />$500,000 in the budget request. The total program is estimated to
<br />cost in the vicinity of $41,000,000 but has not been planned in detail.
<br />The Committee feels that a more modest start is appropriate until all
<br />planning is completed and the details of the program can be con-
<br />sidered by the Congress."
<br />
<br />The Senate Appropriations Committee on July 21, 1961 ad-
<br />journed its hearings on reclamation projects subject to the call of
<br />the Chairman. It was not until September 14th that it resumed
<br />its hearings on appropriations for transmission lines for the Colorado
<br />River Storage Project.
<br />
<br />On September 20, 1961 the Senate Committee reported favor-
<br />ably a bill containing the same total funds as the House passed bill,
<br />$55,468,000, for the Storage Project, However, the Senate Com-
<br />mittee recommended reprograming part of the funds by stating in
<br />its Report No. 1097, 87th Congress, First Session, the following:
<br />
<br />"Glen Canyon unit, Arizona-Utah.-The committee concurs
<br />with the action of the House disallowing the $10 million requested to
<br />initiate construction of protective works for the Rainbow Bridge
<br />National Monument. This recommendation is consistent with the
<br />one made last year and approved by the Congress. Again information
<br />was given to the committee indicating that no structural damage
<br />would occur to the bridge as a result of the waters of Lake Powell
<br />entering the monument. The estimate for the protective works is $25
<br />million, to which would have to be added annual appropriations
<br />estimated at $14,000 for operation and maintenance of the works.
<br />
<br />"Recreational and fish and wildlife facilities, $3,433,500.-The
<br />committee recommends that of available funds, $2,500,000 be trans-
<br />ferred to the National Park Service for development of recreational
<br />facilities in the Upper Colorado River Basin Reservoir area sites as
<br />proposed by the Department; and $240,500 for the construction of
<br />the following boat and landing facilities for access to the Rainbow
<br />Bridge National Monument: three floating units, to include a ranger
<br />office, comfort station, and housing, $90,000; one floating dock,
<br />$10,000; a trail from the dock to the bridge, $55,000; picnic facilities,
<br />$10,500; and sewer, water, and power systems, $75,000. The com-
<br />mittee believes that if facilities of this kind are made available, the
<br />monument, even though isolated in rugged terrain, can be enjoyed
<br />by a larger number of people. Information furnished to the committee
<br />is that since the monument was first designated in 1909, only slightly
<br />more than 13,000 people have visited it.
<br />
<br />"$693,000 is to be transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service
<br />to be used as follows: $72,000 for eradication of rough fish in the
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<br />reservoir behind Navajo Dam; $100,000 for acquisition and initial
<br />devel.opment of .land in the Navajo Dam area to provide winter range
<br />for bIg game ammals; $28,000 to provide an alternate source of water
<br />for the Stewart Lake Waterfowl Refuge, to compensate for diversion
<br />of the ~ow of Ashl~y Creek from which the water supply for the
<br />refuge IS now obtamed; $320,000 to relocate a deer herd in the
<br />Flaming Gorge Reservoir area; and $173,000 for eradication of rough
<br />fish from t~e G:r~en River and its tributaries above the Flaming Gorge
<br />Dam. AvaIlabIlIty of funds for the last two purposes is a matter of
<br />urgency, in view of the scheduled closing of this dam in the fall of
<br />1962. It would probably be too late for the necessary work to be
<br />accomplished after the money became available, if the appropriation
<br />is delayed until fiscal year 1963.
<br />
<br />"The committee recommends that the following work be accom-
<br />plished by reprograming of available funds:
<br />
<br />"Emery County project, Utah, $500,OOO.-The committee rec-
<br />ommends that the Bureau of Reclamation reprogram within the
<br />Upper Colorado River Basin fund $500,000 to initiate construction in
<br />fiscal year 1962 on the Emery County project, Utah, The Bureau
<br />testified that during fiscal year 1962, construction contracts can be
<br />awarded.
<br />
<br />"Central Utah project, $100,OOO.-The committee recommends
<br />that $100,000 be reprogramed within the Upper Colorado River Basin
<br />fund as an additional amount to the $995,000 budgeted for advance
<br />planning <;m the Central Utah project, initial phase, in fiscal year
<br />1962. It IS expected that this additional amount will permit com-
<br />pletion of the definite plan report by the end of fiscal year 1964, 1
<br />year earlier than contemplated under the program presented to the
<br />Congress.
<br />
<br />"Colorado River storage project, transmission division.-The
<br />committee has approved the full request for funds for the transmission
<br />division, Upper Colorado River Basin fund with the definite under-
<br />standing that funds are to be used only for t.he following transmission
<br />lines: (a) Flaming Gorge-Oak Creek transmission lines and substa-
<br />tions; (b) Glen Canyon-Curecanti-Poncha transmission lines and
<br />substations; (c) Gunnison-Blue Mesa-Curecanti-Montrose transmis-
<br />sion lines and substations. With respect to any other lines it is the
<br />desire of the committee that the Bureau of -Reclamation' and the
<br />utility companies in the area concerned enter into wheeling agree-
<br />ments to the advantage of the Federal Government and the preferred
<br />customers for the transmission of power from the upper Colorado
<br />River project.
<br />
<br />"The committee, therefore, directs the Secretary of the Interior
<br />and the Bureau of Reclamation to exhaust every possible effort to
<br />obtain proper wheeling agreements to accomplish the purposes of
<br />these lines, and to report back to the Senate and House Appropria-
<br />tions Committees no later than February 15, 1962, on the progress
<br />made in negotiating such contracts. In view of the schedule for
<br />completion of power facilities in the Colorado project, the period
<br />specified for negotiation of wheeling contracts will not in any way
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