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• Public acceptance <br />Nebraskans also need to believe that the actions being imposed are based on good <br />science, that the proposed recovery actions are reasonable and justified and that the <br />program is in the best interest of the citizenry. <br />• Program costs <br />Like most other states, Nebraska is currently experiencing substantial revenue <br />shortfalls. Budgets have been trimmed, but more will be needed. All of this comes at a <br />time when the state and its citizens will be asked to do more and more. To aid with that <br />concern, more federal assistance will be needed as additional burdens are imposed. <br />How Congress Could Help <br />• Provide an increased level of funding <br />The original program budget of $75 million, which was developed using 1997 dollars, <br />was based on some .assumptions that since have proven to be incorrect. Those costs, <br />which were to be shared 50% by the federal government and 50% by the states <br />collectively, have risen to an estimated $150 million based on 2001 dollars. They may go <br />higher as cost estimates are improved and there will be many costs to the states not <br />included in the estimates, e.g. the cost of implementing the new depletion plans. More <br />federal dollars will be required and there are numerous reasons why additional federal <br />financial support would be warranted. First, there is a very substantial federal presence in <br />the Platte River Basin. The government has many flood control and water supply <br />projects in the basin and owns millions of acres of land in the national forests and in other <br />federal holdings. The activities performed or not performed by the government on those <br />lands has significant impact on the water yield from those lands and consequently on the <br />flows in the Central Platte. Also, the Platte is without question a national resource. <br />There is substantial federal interest in the endangered species that would be benefited by <br />the Program and in the migratory waterfowl for which the Central flyway is so critical. <br />The federal government will also benefit greatly from the research that will be conducted <br />as part of the program. <br />• Insure that the states have adequate time to implement changes to state laws and <br />to appropriate any state funds needed <br />The current timeline for reaching a decision on the implementation of the program is <br />sometime in the latter part of 2003. For Nebraska and perhaps for all states, that initial <br />decision will need to be followed by many other affirmative decisions if the program is to <br />be successful. The Nebraska Legislature will need to adopt new laws and provide what <br />may prove to be substantial amounts of funding for the costs of the program and the costs <br />of the projects needed to offset new depletions caused by new and expanded water users. <br />In our state, seven natural resources will need to implement groundwater management <br />plans that will, for the first time, require the regulation of groundwater to protect <br />streamflows. Some of those decisions cannot be expected immediately after the decision <br />to initiate the program. We anticipate that the program will allow sufficient time for <br />those decisions to be made, but if that proves to be a problem, congressional assistance <br />could be sought. <br />-7- <br />