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Platte River Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement <br />opinions" for virtually all water - depletive projects in the Basin, citing either new or continued water <br />depletions as contributing factors in jeopardizing the continued existence of the target species and <br />adversely affecting designated critical habitat. Jeopardy opinions have been issued for proposed projects <br />and for existing projects which were in operation prior to passage of the ESA; however, the individual <br />actions undertaken by these projects have not been adequate to sufficiently improve habitat conditions. <br />Significant changes in the operation of water projects throughout the Basin may be required by the <br />Federal action agencies to offset negative effects on the species and their habitats.' There is <br />uncertainty and disagreement over the specific measures needed to adequately improve conditions for <br />the species' habitats, and some of the measures need Basinwide, cooperative efforts in order for them to <br />be implemented. <br />In summary, the needs for a Program are to: <br />Provide significant improvements in the habitat for the target species in the Central and Lower <br />Platte, which has been reduced through Basinwide water development and other actions, in <br />order to assist in the conservation and recovery of these species. <br />In doing so, provide ESA regulatory certainty for historic water uses in the Basin. <br />Provide a means to ensure that future water uses in the Basin do not undermine these habitat <br />and species benefits and thereby are in compliance with the ESA. <br />PURPOSE OF ACTION <br />The signatories to the Cooperative Agreement believe that the best approach for addressing the ESA <br />issues in the Central and Lower Platte region is a Basinwide, cooperative effort to improve and maintain <br />these habitats for the target species (the proposed Program). A Basinwide, cooperative approach is <br />essential so that the responsibility for providing offsetting measures is shared among the concerned <br />entities and to effectively accomplish many of the offsetting measures, such as ensuring delivery of water <br />to the habitat and coordinated management of water projects. The coordinated approach will be more <br />effective than the current project -by- project approach. It also is conducive to an incremental, adaptive <br />management approach whereby remedial measures are undertaken, monitored, and evaluated so that the <br />'A summary of ESA consultation history in the Basin for the target species is found in the attachment, History of ESA <br />Consultations on Platte River Target Species. <br />December 2003 <br />