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<br />.:x:./U DJ- <br /> <br />4-1tl-~~, lL;~4 ,wyo ~lare cngJne~rS ~ <br /> <br />~IU ~~~ ~~Ll;~ ~I 4 <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Robert 10lmson <br />April 16, 1999 <br />Pege 2 <br /> <br />and shortage guidcliocs. The axiBting AOP development process, which has been in pialle <br />since 1986, recogaizes and respects the need for consultation with the seven Colorado <br />River Basin States, provides a cooperIItive planning pl()CeSS ful1y allowing for public <br />involvemeot aod participation, and is worldng well. The AOP Work Group can tacilitue <br />the dcveIopment of interim guidelines eollCllIfellt with the developlllCllt of tbe Water Year <br />2000 and sub&eqUeDt years' operating plans. We rccom......,n that the draft Federal <br />&gistU llOIice of intent be Rigpm""ntIy recast to advise the public of tIH: Secretary's <br />iotem: to begin the proces& of developing interim gWdclina throush the existing AOP <br />proceaa and to IIIIpIifY the public's abiIiJ:y to participate in this cxiating fulUllL <br /> <br />The State ofW,oming RCOIIUIIO!ftlIs the Secretary COD5UIt with the seYaI Colorado <br />River Basin StBles and others as he may deem appropriale, within the fonan of the AOP <br />deve10pment prooess, to ROltAhlillh the 1Illtltied SIIlJlhm ODd shoI1Ige criteria, Our position is <br />based on our belief that criteria will JI[UYilIe the llelljbility needed fur adaptitlg to "hA~g <br />conditions. PromuIgaaing a mIe will not be C01llIucM! to adapting to ~hongi"S water <br />supply amI deollllld ..nr"lif~ especially if the rule is infIe:tible. CooverseIy, a vague rule <br />will be of Iitt1e value and may be SIl.bjed to le8a1 or other dmIleuges. Far a variety of <br />re83Oll& that were IIOled in our prior com:spoDdem:e and .ftVl''';OI\S during the most <br />recem fiw-year TllYiew, ~.Iuollgillg the Long-Rang\: Ope.aliug Criteria is neither <br />appropriate or acceptable in our view. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />The proposed draft notice solillits comlllP.nt~ for a National EnviroumPnfA1 Policy <br />Act (NEPA) pCOllCSS. We bavc consilhnblc concern that 5Uch an approach wiD both <br />complillllle and delay promulgatioll of die daircd 8'';''''1;''''$ The State of Wyomina <br />belillVe8 that lleclamaIion's proposed lIj'Pl"oach to ublizc a NEPA public process to <br />develop surplus and sbartage guideS- is inappropriate. The proposed wicle-nmgina <br />process eou1d and would likely devollIe into an iI1-defined sed generalized NEP A <br />evaluation of SecmariaI ~ and JUvc- operational ~ that transcend the <br />much 1IllDOWeI" matter of imphomfmrn.g surp1us and shortage guidelines or criteria in <br />concert with impIemellUltion ofCalifomia's 4,4 Plan. On tbe other hand, tbc preseol and <br />ongoing AOP devf:lopmeut process is a tocused planning process. <br /> <br />It hils been and continues to be the position of the State of Wyoming that the <br />SecretaryT 8 autborities to operate ColOlllllo River !}'SteIn facifrties are c:xpW:itly described <br />and bouDded by the provisiollB of the l.aw of the River, im;Ituii"g the 192& Boulder <br />CaoyoIl Project Act, the 1944 Water 1reaty with Mexico, the 1956 Co1orado River <br />Storap Project Allt and the 1968 Co~do River Basin Project Act- The 1970 Criteria <br />fOf" Coordinated Long Range Operation of the Colorado River Reservoirs promulgated <br />puf9u8llt to the 1968 Act requires a Seetetarial dctenmu.tion, on an annual basis, of the <br />availability of water to meet the Lower Basin beneficial consumptive lISCS. This body of <br />law and regl,lation establish the JIIlIIIIler in which the River is to be operated. Ce:r1ain\y <br />compli".,... with NEPA and P""'"I\81:1'Cd Species Allt (ESA) coosultation win occur, jf <br />nealSSlll}', as an outCOIDll oflbe development of the subject guidelines. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />APR-19-1999 12: 18 <br /> <br />307 777 5451 <br /> <br />P.03 <br />