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<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />get that conformity established. The Rocky Mountain Power Company pro~ <br />poses to import water from the white River into the Colorado River. It <br />is my understanding that the company is looking for buyers of water that <br />they might import from the South Fork into the Colorado. Based upon the <br />best use of water in this state. we think it would be a serious error to <br />permit the importation of water from the l~ite River into the Colorado. <br />We don't believe that is the best use of Colorado's water resources in <br />view of the great potential energy development in the White River basin - <br />not only in terms of oil shale. but also in terms of very substantial <br />coal deposits. That was our primary reason for recommending to the board <br />that the Meadows area of the South Fork be included within the proposed <br />wilderness area. as was the original desire of the Forest Service. <br /> <br />Secondly. looking at the area from a purely wilderness viewpoint. we <br />think it is self-defeating to take the heart of the South Fork River out <br />of the wilderness area. If we take out the central part. this would <br />greatly change the characteristics of the remaining portion of the South <br />Fork of the White River. which is now a beautiful, natural river. <br /> <br />For those two reasons, the staff recommends that we approve the boundaries <br />established by Senator Dominick and Senator Haskell in the Senate Bill. <br />with a further recommendation for the inclusion of the Meadows area in <br />the proposed wilderness. We do not agree with the proposals of COSC to <br />further extend the boundaries. Those are areas which in many cases are <br />already fairly well developed and we see no reason why they should be <br />included within the boundaries. <br /> <br />Mr. Stapleton: Si. would you have any further comments on this? <br /> <br />Mr. Berthelson: I wrote a staterr.ent that I have had to change three or <br />four different times. This thing pertains to water. We talk about a <br />lot of other things. but basically I think as far as this board is con- <br />cerned this proposal pertains to water. Does the designation of this <br />area in any way change the White River to where we can't use the water <br />in the White River basin? That is the way I look at it. I have made <br />the statement many times and I have never been contested yet. We have <br />more energy resources in the White River basin in Rio Blanco County per <br />square mile. per square foot, than any place in the West. coal, oil <br />shale. gas. and so forth. Certainly this board is obligated to do any- <br />thing it can to keep all of the water in the White River. but also to <br />provide that there may be storage in the future. We find after studying <br />the Yellow Jacket project for many years. that these high dams at this <br />stage of the game are not absolutely required. We may need the Meadows <br />Reservoir sometime. but if the energy crisis and the food crisis get so <br /> <br />-39- <br />