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<br />5/7/2002 <br />Management Committee Draft <br />Briefing Paper on the Status Of the Upper Colorado River <br />And San Juan River Basin Recovery Programs <br />And The Need For Additional Authority Including <br />Language and Draft Committee Report Language to Amend <br />The Implementation And Authorization Periods Within PL 106-392 <br /> <br />Provided to the U.S. House Committee on Resources <br />And the U.S. Senote Committee on Energy ond Noturol Resources <br />By Progrom Porticiponts of the Upper Colorodo River Endongered Fish Recovery Progrom <br />And the Son Juon River Bosin Recovery Implementotion Progrom <br />Moy 2002 <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br /> <br />The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program (Upper Colorado <br />Recovery Program) and the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program (San Juan <br />Recovery Program) are cooperative initiatives to recover four endangered fish species while <br />allowing water development to proceed in compliance with the Endangered Species Act, <br />interstate compacts, state water law and Federal trust responsibilities to Native American tribes. <br />Participants in the Upper Colorado Recovery Program include federal agencies (U.S. Bureau of <br />Reclamation (Reclamation), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Western Area Power <br />Administration, and the National Park Service), the States of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, <br />water users, environmental groups and Salt Lake City Area/Integrated Projects (SLCA/IP) fum <br />power contractors. Participants in the San Juan Recovery Program include federal agencies <br />(Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Land <br />Management), Navajo Nation, Jicarilla Apache Nation, Southem Ute Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute <br />Tribe, the States of Colorado and New Mexico, and water users. <br /> <br />Public Law (PL) 106-392 provides specific authority for Reclamation to implement and <br />construct capital projects necessary to carry out the objectives of the two Recovery Programs <br />using funds provided by Congress, the states and SLCA/IP fum power contractors. This <br />authority expires in fiscal year 2005 for the Upper Colorado Recovery Program and fiscal year <br />2007 for the San Juan Recovery Program. The legislation also authorizes the Secretary of the <br />Interior (Secretary) to use power revenues for base funding through fiscal year 2011, and for <br />operation and maintenance of capital projects and monitoring. The Secretary is required to make <br />a report to Congress not later than the end of fiscal year 2008 regarding the use of power <br />revenues for base funding and including a recommendation regarding the need for continued <br />base funding after 2011. <br /> <br />SUMMARY OF REOUESTED AMENDMENTS <br /> <br />The requested amendments to PL 106-392 extend the authorization period to 2008 for the <br />Secretary, acting through Reclamation, to implement capital projects for the two recovery <br />programs. Supporting rationale and suggested amendatory language are provided below. <br />