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<br />.. <br /> <br />el <br /> <br />el <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Attachment C - Agenda Item 7 <br />CWCB Mtg, - March 2004 <br /> <br />Maynes, Bradford, Shipps & Sheftel, LLP <br />Attorneys at Law <br /> <br />Fl\ANl( E. (SAM) MAYNES <br />THOMAS H. SHIPPS <br />JANICE C. SHEFI'El <br />P ATRIOA A. HALLt <br />SAMW, MAYNES <br />JOliN BA1\LOW SPHAR <br />STEVEN c.lJeosW'f <br /> <br />ASSOCIATES: <br /> <br />LARANNE A. BREAGY <br />ClmISTOPH'BR Z. CANTRELL <br />MONTE T, MILLS <br /> <br />BYRONV, BRApFORD (1907-1985) <br />t ALSO KOMr>'l:ED IN ARlzONA AND NAVAjO NATION <br />If ALSO AD~ IN: CA.LIFO~ NEW Mmco AND UTAH <br /> <br />(970)247-1755 <br />(970)247-8827 - FACSJMIl.E <br />j$hefteJ@mbssllp,com <br /> <br />February 3,2004 <br /> <br />Rick Cables, Regional Forester <br />U.S, Forest Service <br />Rocky Mountain Region <br />P,O. Box 25127 <br />Lakewood CO 80225-0127 <br /> <br />Transmitted via facsimile <br />(303)275-5754 <br />and e-mail <br />rcables@fs,fed,us <br /> <br />re:, Issuance of Ditch Bill Easements in Colorado and the Ditch Bill Easement Format <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Cables: <br /> <br />I am writing to ask your immediate attention to the issue of the D.S, Forest Service's execution of <br />Ditch Bill easements in Colorado, For a number of years, the Colorado Attorney General's <br />office, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, the Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />("CWCB") and an ad hoc committee of the Colorado Water Congress ("CWC") have sought to <br />resolve this issue. With the support of those parties, I hereby request that the Ditch Easement <br />issue be put on the U,S, Forest Service's front burner and that we receive a response to this <br />written communication as soon as possible. <br /> <br />Background on attempt to reach agreement with the USFS <br /> <br />As you know, an easement under the Ditch Bill is a permanent easement promised to owners of <br />pre-1976 irrigation 'ditches as a non-discretionary action of the U.S. Forest Service ,and an <br />exception to Special Use Permits under the Federal Land Policy Management Act. See, 43 USC <br />sI761(b) and (c); see, also,PL545, 100Stat.3047. <br /> <br />In 1999, the USFS sent a draft Ditch Bill easement format to water users in the San Juan <br />National Forest in Southwestern C.olorado. That easement format, in effect, changed what is <br />intended under the Ditch Bill legislation to be a permanent easement'into a,renewable easement <br />with opportunities for the USFS to demand bypass flows, There were many, many other issues <br />in the easement format sent to Ditch Bill applicants in the San JuanNational Forest that did not <br />cCorpport with the language and intent of the Ditch Bill. An ad hoc group of water lawyers from <br />ilif:il~ghoutthe state conferred under the auspices' of the cwe, prepared letters describing <br />e'K!,iensive specific easement changes needed for the easement to comply with the intent of the <br /> <br />WEST 13UlLDIN'G - 835 EAST SECOND A. VENUE,. SUITE 123 <br />POST OFFICE Box 2717 <br />.,.........,',.~.~ ("'-~~,... '..- -~'''., ~-~- <br />