MoU Between U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Yampa River Basin Partnership

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AGO NAT. RES. SECTION Fax :3038663558 Oct 28 '97 1149 P.09 Natural Resources as a member of the Project Management Team, comes through its statutory authority to preserve, protect, and enhance wildlife resources of the State (Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 33). The Division is also a participating agency in the technical implemcritarioa of the Federal Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin, which included fish in the Yampa and other rivers in western Colorado. CDOW will develop an Aquatic Wildlife Management Play (Plan) for the Yampa River Basin in 1997, which may include voluntary incentive based water resources management actions to conserve declining native species associated with the Yampa River that are not listed under the ESA The goals of the Plan are to identify actions that will (a) promote the conservation of declining native fishes that are not listed under the E3A, (b) recover Federal sad Stale -listed aquatic species, and (c) maintain desirable sportfishing opportunities in the Yampa River valley within aquatic habitat resource potcatial M=agcm=Lt actions necessary to meet these goals will include minimizi118 chronic escapement of nonnative fish from perennial ponds and reservoirs, and reducing the proliferation of nonnative fish species in main+s*err Yampa River habitats. The Plan is expected to b completed by January 1998, Activities identified in the Plan which are consistent with the scope and objectives of the Yampa Plan and which require Federal approval or funding will be considered in the formulation of alternatives that will be evaluated pursuant to NEPA. The Plan will be developed using wensive public involvcment that will be coordinated with the Partnership. The Plan will be finalized following review and approval by the Colorado Wildlife Commission. 111 V ;X k, a = r.; For the life of the project, the Service and the Partnership agree to do the following: A.. The Partnership will: 1. Bring a Yampa Valley community perspective to the development of the Yampa Place. 2. Actively and fully participate in the development of the Yampa Plan and the IAA process. 3. Pursue the development of a consensus position =0 a�ecAbers ofti«�'Yatapa River Basin Partnership and the.Yampa Valley community in order to be able to responsibly represent the Yampa Valley in the development of the Yampa Plan 4. Provide a public forum and host meetings where issues related to the Yampa Play can be discussed (see attachment 1). _.. . _ . _ . 5. Hdp disseminate information. about the Recovery Program and the Yampa Plan to affected interest groups and stakeholders in the Yampa Basin, including both members and nonmembers of the Partnership. ' 6. Help educate local residents about rho Yampa Plan 4 r .