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plays a key role in the functioning of the Committee. He assists and coordinates the management <br />of the Committee's work, facilitates communications, and coordinates the wide range of activities <br />involved in developing a consensus -based recovery program. <br />Much of the detailed work and analysis has been carried out by subcommittees of the <br />Governance Committee utilizing staff from the participating organization and outside <br />contractors. In addition, local landowners in Nebraska have actively participated in the work of <br />the Land Subcommittee. <br />Funding for the implementation of the Cooperative Agreement comes from the three states and <br />the Federal government, as set forth in the agreement. <br />Where Are We Now? <br />The Governance Committee has been working on the development of the proposed <br />program for over three years, meeting monthly and sometimes more often. Key elements <br />of the program have already been agreed to, but there are a few remaining issues to be <br />worked out. <br />Once the Governance Committee comes to an agreement on the major elements of a <br />proposed program, the Department will analyze the elements of that program in a draft <br />Programmatic EIS (DEIS) which will likely be available for public comment about six <br />months later. <br />Concurrent to preparation of the DEIS, a Biological Assessment will be completed. <br />Subsequent to the release of the DEIS, the Service will then prepare a draft Biological <br />Opinion on the Proposed Program which will be available for public review. <br />There will be a number of additional items and actions to continue to be worked out over <br />the coming months. <br />While some have expressed concerns about the relative pace of the process, it is important to <br />understand that the Platte River effort has, from the beginning, been based on the premise that all <br />n <br />