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REVISED DRAFT <br />November 15, 2002 <br />PLATTE RIVER RECOVERY <br />IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM <br />In the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program Cooperative Agreement ( "Program <br />Agreement "), the Department of the Interior ( "DOI ") and the States of Colorado, Nebraska and <br />Wyoming agreed to participate in the basin -wide cooperative program described in this <br />document and its attachments relating to four target species (interior least tern, whooping crane, <br />piping plover and pallid sturgeon) listed as threatened or endangered pursuant to the Endangered <br />Species Act ( "ESA "), 16 U.S.C. 1531 et se ., and their associated habitats) The Platte River <br />Recovery Implementation Program ( "Program ") builds upon the July 1, 1997 Cooperative <br />Agreement for Platte River Research and Other Efforts Relating to Endangered Species Habitats <br />Along the Central Platte River, Nebraska ( "July 1997 Cooperative Agreement "). The Program <br />includes certain activities and contributions from the states and the federal government to be <br />conducted during incremental time periods as described below. The signatories have agreed that <br />implementation of this Program will be through a Governance Committee consisting of <br />representatives of the signatories and stakeholders as described in the Organizational Structure in <br />Attachment _ <br />' For purposes of this Program document and its attachments, the term "associated <br />habitats" means, with respect to the interior least tern, whooping crane, and piping plover, the <br />Platte River Valley beginning at the junction of U.S. Highway 283 and Interstate 80 near <br />Lexington, Nebraska, and extending eastward to Chapman, Nebraska, including designated <br />critical habitat for the whooping crane and that portion of any designated critical habitat for <br />piping plover within that Lexington to Chapman reach. With respect to the pallid sturgeon, the <br />term "associated habitat" means the Lower Platte River between its confluence with the Elkhorn <br />River and its confluence with the Missouri River. "Associated habitats" may, to the extent <br />approved by the Governance Committee, include any critical habitat in the Lexington to <br />Chapman reach of the Platte River Basin which is subsequently designated by the U.S. Fish and <br />Wildlife Service for the target species. The Governance Committee may agree to undertake, <br />fund or give credit for land activities outside the associated habitats to provide biological <br />benefits to the target species. <br />