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<br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />She also discussed Utah's Watershed Initiative that was developed in cooperation with the BLM to <br />improve water yields and water quality. The initiative now covers 25 watersheds and 20 percent of the <br />state. <br /> <br />Bob Hirsch, the Associate Director for Water for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) addressed water <br />use and water supplies in the West. He described the factors influencing water use, including <br />agricultural prices, demographics, energy costs and other market forces, as welI as state water laws and <br />federal environmental laws. He said the demand for "ecosystem services" is now a major "driver" for <br />changes in water alIocation. <br /> <br />Reclamation Commissioner John Keys described Interior's Water 2025 Initiative. He said the <br />President has executed an Executive Order on "cooperative conservation." He said the federal <br />government couldn't bring much new money to the table to address problems. <br /> <br />Fred Caver, Deputy Director of Civil Works for the U.S. Anny Corps of Engineers (Corps) said that <br />the Corps is moving away from a "Projects-R-Us" approach. In the future states must lead problem- <br />solving efforts. <br /> <br />On a second federal panel, U.S. Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth and Jim Hughes, Deputy Director <br />of the BLM, discussed requirements for rights-of-way and special use permits. Mr. Bosworth said, <br />"Federal land managers are absolutely committed to protecting and preserving state water rights." Mr. <br />Hughes said states have the opportunity for constructive involvement in the environmental review <br />process. <br /> <br />I discussed our SWSI project. <br /> <br />WSWC Meeting in New Mexico: New Mexico hosted another WSWC meeting on Oct. 27-29. New <br />Mexico State Engineer John D' Antonio reported that his state is dealing with the drought and is <br />acquiring tools needed to administer water in New Mexico. <br /> <br />Estevan Lopez, the Director of the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission reviewed the status of <br />water Indian right settlements and DL Sanders, Director of New Mexico's Litigation and Adjudication <br />Program, next reported that given current resources, completing alI the Indian water rights settlement <br />adjudications would take 20-30 years. <br /> <br />Eileen Grevey Hillson, from Governor Richardson's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Water, described the <br />state's water infrastructure needs, which total about $2.8 billion. The Governor has created a Financial <br />Council to identify, prioritize and package projects. He has also set up Governor's Infrastructure <br />Finance Teams (GIFTs) to encourage colIaboration in leveraging state and federal money. <br /> <br />The WSWC also renewed a position adopted in 1995 that urges Congress to reaffirm its deference to <br />state water law and pass legislation to require federal agencies to participate in state administrative and <br />judicial water rights proceedings like others must do and to require the United States to pay filing and <br />other fees as part of general state stream adjudications. <br /> <br />The Council's cornmittees reported on their meetings and individual states summarized important <br />activities and events. A discussion of the Western Water Supply ChalIenges Workshop, discussed <br />above, led to a decision to hold a half-day workshop on Apr. 20,2005 as part of the Council's next <br />meetings. <br /> <br />The Water Resources Committee meeting included a discussion of ways to begin addressing three <br />priority topics that were identified at the Salt Lake workshop. The folIowing are the priority topics to <br />be addressed: <br /> <br />3 <br />