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<br />... <br />I <br /> <br />Agenda Item 2] e <br />July 24-25, 2000 Board Meeting <br />Page 3 of3 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Options <br /> <br />A. Support a limited surplus declaration by the Secretary of Interior of 700,000 af. <br />This is enough to satisfy existing demands in the Lower Basin. No surplus to <br />Mexico would be included. The downside is that absent interim surplus criteria, <br />there is no basis. I am very concerned about allowing a surplus declaration <br />without meeting any agreed upon criteria and believe this would establish poor <br />precedent. <br /> <br />B. Support a limited surplus declaration by the Secretary ofInterior of 450,000 af. <br />This is enough to satisfy existing municipal (MWD) demand. No surplus to <br />Mexico or others would be included. The downside again is that absent interim <br />surplus criteria, there is no basis. I remain very concerned about making a surplus <br />declaration without meeting any agreed upon criteria and establishing poor <br />precedent. <br /> <br />C. Oppose any surplus declaration by the Secretary ofInterior. This is the preferred <br />action absent interim criteria and based on existing criteria. However, it clearly <br />sends a bad message to California at a critical time. Is this what we want to do? <br /> <br />D. Neither support nor oppose a surplus declaration by the Secretary ofInterior. I <br />simply do not believe we can afford to be silent on this issue. <br /> <br />. The Colorado River Policy Advisory Council met on July 7th and agreed that absent <br />interim surplus criteria that Colorado oppose ,my declaration of surplus by the Secretary <br />ofInterior that does not meet presently agreed upon criteria (Option C). <br /> <br />Staff Recommendation <br /> <br />Staff fully concurs with the Colorado River Policy Advisory Council and recommends <br />that absent the adoption of interim surplus criteria that Colorado oppose any declaration <br />of surplus by the Secretary of Interior that does not meet presently agreed upon criteria. <br />While this is an awkward position, I believe it is Colorado's best position in the long run. <br />If this recommendation is accepted, staff would like some discussion on how hard we <br />should oppose a surplus declaration by the Secretary if one is made outside of agreed <br />upon criteria. Do we strongly state our position and then acquiesce or do we strongly <br />oppose it? <br /> <br />Attachments <br /> <br />e <br />