8038

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8038
• Author: Upper Colorado River Commission.
• Title: Fourteenth Annual Report of the Upper Colorado River Commission.
• USFW Year: 1962.
• USFW - Doc Type: Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Copyright Material: NO

"REDUCTIONS RECOMMENDED

reduction includes deletion of $358,400 programed for a visitor
center at the Wahweap site on the Glen Canyon reservoir and a
genernl reduction of 15 % on the balance of t'he budget estimate.
The \Vahweap site is a recreation center planned on the reservoir
some 15 miles from the dam site proper, Its principal purpose is
for camping and water recreation on the reservoir, It is the Com-
mittee's understanding that a visitor center in the form of an over-
look at the spectacular Glen Canyon Dam site is contemplated,
This obviously would be the prime attraction for visitations to the
project area and will provide an unique opportunity for a view of
the projeet, There appears to be no reason for the expenditure of
over a quarter of a million doIJars for another visitor center at an
area w,hich is pr~marily adapted to camping, boating and fishing
recreatIOn. At thIS particular location the Committee would con-
sider a scaled down version for a center to provide the essentials
necessary for the proper administration of the area and distribu-
tion of information concerning the camping and recreational oppor-
tunities.

"With respect to the 15% reduction, it must be pointed out
that the total program for recreation with respect to this project is
nonreimbursable and amounts to $32,569,000. The Committee is
cO,n,:,inced that this is an excessively high figure for providing the
mmImum basic facilities needed for recreation. It is also convinced
that the funds programmed for some of the smaller, less spectacular
features of the project will attract users from only the local com-
munities. In anticipation of some willingness on the part of the
states to participate to a larger extent in the development and man-
agement of such areas, the Committee intends to cut back the total
expenditures wherever possible. It is convinced that a hard scrutiny
of the plan as presented to date and more realistic appraisals of
actual needs would permit the National Park Service to present
a much more modest program, This will be expected in connection
with the 1964 budget presentation.

"Fish and Wildlife Facilities.-The Committee received testi-
mony to the effect that in the acquisition of wildlife refuge areas
on this project there has been contemplated the purchase and lease
of certain State lands, in some cases to be turned back to the
State for management as portions of wildlife areas, The Committee
sees no justification whatever for the purchase or lease of State
owned land, and directs that none of the funds appropriated for
the Colorado River Storage Project be used for this purpose. The
total cost of fish and wildlife facilities is estimated at approximately
$11,000,000. The Committee will also expect a more modest pre-
sentation in this program next year,

B. APPROPRIATIONS OF FUNDS BY THE
UNITED STATES CONGRESS

The appropriations of funds for reclamation and other public
works projects remained in a state of confusion until the closing
days of the 87th Congress. The delay and confusion seemed to
stem from the fact that 1962 was an election year, and there were
many other important problems in the administration's program that
needed resolution ahead of appropriations bills or concurrently
with them.
The House Committee on Appropriations did not submit its
Report No, 2223 containing recommendations of funds to be ap-
propriated for the Colorado River Storage Project to the Congress
until August 14, 1962, As the following Table "A" will show, the
House Committee modified the President's budget requests in sev-
eral respects. The Committee disallowed the $550,000 for advance
planning of the San Juan-Chama Participating Project because
it said that it was impossible to hold hearings and go into the merits
of the project after the budget estimate was received, and it did
n()tdeem it appropriate to recommend beginning advance planning
on a project of the magnitude of San Juan-Chama without a care-
ful examination of its economics and its merits during regular hear-
ings. The House Committee also recommended a reduction in the
amount of money in the budget request to be appropriated for rec-
reational facilities at the Glen Canyon Dam, The Committee ex-
plained its actions regarding the changes from the President's budget
req uest as follows:

"San Juan-Chama Project, Colomdo and New Mexico. - An
estimate of $550,000 for advanced planning on the San Juan-Chama
feature of the Colorado River Storage Project came to the Congress
in the form of a budget amendment some time after the Committee
had completed its hearings. The funds requested have been dis-
allowed without prejudice to the project. It was impossible to hold
hearings and to go into the merits of the project since the estimate
was received so late. It seems inappropriate to recommend begin-
ning advanced planning on a project with a total cost of $84,500,000
without a careful examination of its economics and its merits in
the regular hearing process.
"Recreation Facilities.-An appropriation of $2,322,000 is rec-
ommended for the recreation facilities on this project. This is a
reduction of $768,000 in the budget estimate of $3,090,000, The