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• Monitor population and water use activities in the South Platte Basin in Colorado, <br />the results of which will serve as the basis for Colorado's obligations with respect <br />to new water uses during the program. <br />• Elect how it will deal with new water development activities in the North Platte <br />Basin in Colorado (North Park). Options include mitigating impacts in North <br />Park, in Wyoming, in the South Platte Basin, or not participating in the program. <br />Obligations Qf the Other Parties The other states have similar responsibilities (See <br />Attachment 1). To the extent that state or federal funds are used, all contributions are <br />subject to legislative appropriation. In terms of financial contribution: <br />• Nebraska will make land and water available for habitat purposes, and will <br />contribute $700,000 in cash. This represents a total cash and property <br />contribution of about $6 million. <br />• Wyoming will contribute $600,000 in cash. <br />• The Department of Interior will contribute $7.5 million, matching the states' total <br />cash contribution. Some of this money will be used to fund the NEPA process. <br />DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM <br />The Cooperative Agreement anticipates that the states and Interior will establish the <br />program at the end of the three -year Cooperative Agreement period. The Proposed <br />Program is attached to the Cooperative Agreement. It will be analyzed as the proposed <br />alternative. in the ESA and NEPA processes against other alternatives, including a "no <br />action alternative." After ESA and NEPA review, the FWS may propose modifications <br />to the Proposed Program. These will be negotiated through the Governance Committee. <br />If the parties do not enter into an agreement establishing a program, the FWS will <br />reinitiate its original consultation on any and all permits and activities that have relied on <br />the interim protections offered under the Cooperative Agreement. <br />Term ,f the Program The Program will extend indefinitely, but will be implemented in <br />increments. The first increment will be from ten to about thirteen years. The exact <br />duration of the first increment will be determined by the Governance Committee during <br />the Cooperative Agreement period, based on the - budget and schedule to complete <br />activities, and the time needed to see a biological response at the habitat from the <br />mitigation activities. The parties will negotiate a second increment, and any activities to <br />be implemented, based on the results of the first increment. Water and power users with <br />federal permits will subject those permits to reopening at the end of the first increment, to <br />include any new terms relevant to the second increment. <br />8 <br />