Laserfiche WebLink
<br />.. <br />tlO\.O!!1bo . <br />~ . Sl <br />~ ~~/ <br />04' OF 'l' ~ <br />For Wildlife- <br />For People <br /> <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />Bill Owens, Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OP NATURAL RESOURCES <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br />AN E~UAl QPPUJ~rUNIlY EMPt.OYEI< <br /> <br />Russell George, OJreotor <br />6060 Broadway <br />Denver, Colorado 80216 <br />Telephone: (303) 297-1192 <br /> <br />December 27. 2000 <br /> <br />Members of the Colorado Wildlife Commission: <br /> <br />I am pleased to submit for your consideration and recommendation the attached Species <br />Conservation Eligibility Li st. This constitutes the third annual request for approval of <br />expenditures from the Native Species Conservation Trust Fund, which the General Assembly <br />created in 1998 through House Bill 98-1006, and which is now codified in statute, 24-33-111 <br />C,R.S. This program compilation is subject to revision by the stakeholder meeting hosted by the <br />Department of Natural Resources on January $, 2001. Should the stakeholder group suggest <br />recommendations that the Department and the Division accept, a new copy will be provided to <br />you at the Commission meeting with the. changes hi~hlighted. <br /> <br />By creating this conservation trust fund, Colorado lOok a first critical step to get ahead of the <br />federal government on endangered species issues, especially in regards to retaining control of <br />recovery efforts at the state and local levels. Of even greater importance iilthe long tenn, the <br />trust fund allows us to take prudent actions to preserve critical habitat and species before they <br />ever are considered for listing at the federal level. That was the whole purpose behind HB 98- <br />1006, <br /> <br />HE 98-1006 directs the Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to <br />annually prepare a Species Conservation Eligibility List describing programs eligible to receive <br />funding from the Fund. This list is prepared after consulting with the Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board and its director (scheduled for January 26-27) and the Colorado Wildlife <br />Commission and the director of the Division of Wildlife. The proposed expenditures presented <br />here for the Wildlife Commission's consideration t<:Jtal $2 million, a level consistent with the <br />depattment's goal of treating the $15 million fund a~ an annuity, with a IS-year payout of <br />principal and interest, as contemplated in HE 98-10~6. <br /> <br />Our rationale for the proposal is the same as last yel\r--specifically, the prioritization of species' <br />needs, opportunities to have positive impacts Oll theispecies, and leveraging potentials. Thus, the <br />projects are generally continuations of last year's prt.jects, although the fund allocations have <br />changed somewhat, with the total increasing substal)tially from last year's $1.1 million. These <br />include projects to aid in the recovery of native fish in the Upper Colorado and San Juan river <br />basins; projects to aid in the recovery of the Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse; and projects to <br />protect and recover native aquatic species of the Sotlth Platte and Colorado rivers at specific risk <br />of becoming endangered. : <br /> <br />The increasing number of at-risk, threatened or endangered species in Colorado will present a <br />great challenge to the state in the coming years. The Species Conservation Trust Fund is a good <br />response and a valuable tool to address this challenge. Our goal should be to retain Colorado's <br />ability to control its own destiny with regard to native species. <br /> <br />34 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br />