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submitted to the CWCB. The NOI was published for last two weeks of February in papers in <br />the following two counties. <br />• The Montrose Daily Press <br />• Delta County Independent <br />33. Public Hearing Testimony: Slade Connell is the new President of the WEA and Chief of Field <br />Operations. He stated his goals for the program are to work with WEA Board and CWCB to: <br />get the permit established, have one of the better programs, update the operational plan, update <br />the bylaws of the WEA from 1991. He wanted to work with the generator operators to let them <br />know how critical they are for reporting to the State. Slade stated that the WEA will try to pay <br />the generator operator $100 /year each if they provide the information. Linda Bledsoe, of the <br />United State Forest Service, is willing to give the WEA permits to site equipment on USFS <br />lands. Twenty people used to donate to the program but now only six people donate. Slade <br />indicated that better reporting will help increase participation. There are three generators not <br />being used and Slade will work to get them deployed. <br />34. Public Hearing Testimony: John Thompson would like two -way communications with the <br />generator operators because there is a lack of real -time data for the Grand Mesa. John stated <br />the he wants the generator operators to let him know what is happening in the target area <br />because the radar doesn't indicate what is falling on the ground. <br />35. Public Hearing Testimony: Michael Thomas, of the Orchard City Irrigation Company supports <br />the application and is instrumental to supply users with water. <br />36. Public Hearing Testimony: Ron Shaver, of the Grand Mesa Water Users Association, believes <br />additional snow making helps with the dust on snow and early snow melt issues. <br />37. Public Hearing Testimony: Bruce Hovde, of the Delta County Commissioners indicated that <br />the Delta County Commissioners are in favor of the cloud seeding. <br />38. Public Hearing Testimony: Wes Hawkins, of the Collbran Water Conservancy District, stated <br />that cloud seeding is a great benefit to their water storage. <br />39. Public Hearing Testimony: John Thompson read aloud part of a Weather Modification <br />Association journal abstract about the Gunnison River Basin cloud seeding program. <br />40. Public Hearing Testimony: Bob Brewer stated that it had been 32 years since the State has <br />been cloud seeding, which began in 1978 after a severe drought in 1977. <br />41. Public Hearing Testimony: Joe Busto closed the hearing at 2:OOPM, and indicated that the <br />public record would be held open as the CWCB and AGO worked on a record of decision. <br />FINDINGS <br />1. New daily mapping of snowpack suspension criteria by the NRCS Snow Survey Program in <br />Colorado has been around since 2007 and was discussed at the public hearing. The CWCB, the <br />Permit Holder, and the Project Sponsors will use this mapping to aid in making decisions <br />5 <br />