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Western Governors' Association -Annual Meeting <br />Fourteen governors and six Canadian premiers participated in the annual conference of the <br />Western Governors' Association (WGA) held August 8 -12th in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. At the <br />meeting, the governors and Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and Secretary of Agriculture Ann <br />M. Veneman committed formally to a collaborative 10 -year strategy for addressing the threat and <br />consequences of wildland fires. The strategy seeks to reduce wildfire risks to communities and the <br />environment by emphasizing proactive fire management in addition to traditional reactive <br />suppression actions. The document and a letter of endorsement were forwarded to Congress. <br />The governors also took steps toward ensuring adequate and cost - effective electric power <br />transmission, including the signing of a memorandum of understanding with key federal agencies. <br />Further, a Western States' Energy Policy Roadmap was adopted by the governors emphasizing that <br />states must continue to play a pivotal role in electric power decisions, and Congress should allow <br />states to create regional mechanisms to decide their common power issues. <br />A number of resolutions were adopted including positions supporting: (1) negotiated Indian <br />water rights settlements; (2) state conservation agreements under the Endangered Species Act; (3) <br />watershed restoration through partnerships; (4) payment of federal non - tribal fees in general water <br />right adjudications; (5) an amendment to the Clean Water Act regarding cleaning up abandoned <br />mines; and (6) reauthorization of the Clean Water Act, pertaining to issues of particular western <br />concern. The position on settlements updated a longstanding WGA policy by specifically endorsing <br />the recently introduced Fiscal Integrity of Indian Settlements Protection Act. 13 <br />Governor Jane Dee Hull of Arizona was elected as WGA's new chair to succeed Governor <br />Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho. <br />House Resources Committee Hearing <br />At the request of the House Resources Committee's Water and Power Subcommittee, WSWC <br />Chairman Michael Brophy appeared and testified in Washington, D.C. on March 27th, 2001. <br />His testimony follows verbatim: <br />I am Chairman of the Western States Water Council. The Council is comprised of <br />representatives appointed by the governors of eighteen western states. The Council has been charged <br />with fostering interstate cooperation in water resources and protecting vital state prerogatives with <br />regard to the management of water resources in the West. While necessarily expressing personal <br />views in my testimony, I will rely heavily on positions of the Western States Water Council <br />consistent with the request by the Subcommittee. To my written testimony, I will also append for <br />the record positions of the Council for your reference. <br />13 Western States Water, Issue #1420, August 3, 2001. For further information, refer to the <br />WGA web site at www.westgov.org. <br />17 <br />