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ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF <br />CRITICAL HABITAT DESIGNATION <br />IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN <br />FOR THE RAZORBACK SUCKER, HUMPBACK CHUB, <br />COLORADO SQUAWFISH, AND BONYTAIL <br />Section 1: Introduction <br />This analysis presents the economic impacts of designating critical habitat for four Colorado <br />River endangered fishes: razorback sucker, Colorado squawfish, humpback chub, and <br />bonytail. The specifics of this economic analysis — the methods, procedures, and tools used <br />to determine the economic impacts — can be found in Brookshire et al. (1993). <br />The Endangered Species Act (Act) provides a means to conserve the ecosystems upon which <br />endangered and threatened species depend and a program to provide for the conservation of <br />listed species. The Act provides for the designation of critical habitat necessary for survival <br />and recovery of endangered species. The designation of critical habitat may impact sectors <br />of the economy that depend upon resources re- allocated to these endangered species. <br />Therefore,_ the Act requires that the economic and other relevant impacts of critical habitat <br />designations be determined. <br />The process for designating critical habitat for the four endangered fishes consists of three <br />major steps. The first step was to complete a biologically based determination of potential <br />critical habitat areas. This step yielded an inventory of areas that are needed for the survival <br />and recovery of the species. The second step in this process was to determine the potential <br />economic impacts of the critical habitat designation. The final step was to decide which <br />critical habitat areas, if any, should be excluded from designation based on economic or <br />I -1 <br />