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<br />projects during the winter months, very rarely. So it really is not <br />much of a delay. We actually have been meeting in November on this <br />subject, and we don't really have all the information together until <br />that time. We're sometimes pretty well strapped to get these feasi- <br />bility reports completed. The Legislature has been acting on them in <br />the following season, and we. really haven't been losing any time to <br />amount to anything. We normally can't get started until about April <br />or May at the earliest on construction. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />MR. FETCHER: Is this pretty much the way other states operate? <br /> <br />MR. SPARKS: Yes, and it's also the way Congress operates. <br /> <br />MR. STAPLETON: Are there any further questions? (NO response.) <br /> <br />All in favor of the motion signify by saying "Aye." (Ayes.) Those <br />opposed? (NO response.) <br /> <br />The motion is carried. <br /> <br />Felix, I think what you ought to do is keep the Board informed of what <br />you want us to do as to attendance at hearings, and SO forth, and give <br />us as much notice as you can, which may be 15 minutes.' (Laughter. ) <br />Will you do the best you can in that regard? <br /> <br />MR. SPARKS: The procedure :in the Legislature has improved dramatically <br />this year. So I hope this year we are going to get a little more <br />notice than we have 'in the past. The meetings of the various committees <br />have been scheduled in advance throughout the session, and the Legis- <br />lature this year is conducting, floor action on bills only on Monday and <br />Friday. The other three days of the week are devoted to committee <br />hearings, and the time is specified for the entire session for these. <br />committees to meet. So far, they have been adhering to it. So we <br />generally can get two or three days notice at least. <br /> <br />What we don't know is what particular bill they are going to discuss <br />at a particular time. That is subject to change. But I have been <br />impressed at the procedure that the Legislature has worked out. I have <br />been wondering why they hadn't done this in the, many years past. But <br />this year, I think they have really developed a very effective procedure. <br /> <br />On the subject of, authorization that John Fetcher brought up, you will <br />notice that the Closed Basin Project was added in committee. This was <br />added on a motion of Senator Hatcher, who represents the biggest part <br />of the San Luis Valley. This came about at the last minute.. When we I <br />got the President's budget, we were looking, for funds for. the Closed <br />Basin Project, and the President did recommend a substantial amount of <br />funding for the construction on the Closed Basin Project this coming <br />+iscal year. At the same time, we received the President's budget in <br />our office, the same day, we received a letter from the Bureau of <br />Reclamation stating that under the law now in existence on the recrea- <br />tional facilities in the Closed Basin--and there are some, not a major <br />amount, but quite a few reclamation facilities, in the San Luis area-- <br />that they had computed the. State's portion, the cost-sharing portion of <br /> <br />-6- <br />