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<br />~JJJ <br /> <br />orderly and legally required delivery of <br />water from the Upper Basin to the Lower Basin. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />But, unfortunately, H. R. 4671 transfers <br />to washington the function of 'local govern- <br />ment' which, under interstate law, has been <br />operated in the Upper Colorado River Basin <br />for 17 years by the Governors of New Mexico, <br />Utah, wyoming, and Colorado, more or less <br />directly. The basis of this local government <br />is an interstate compact, which has been <br />ratified by the legislatures of these four <br />states and the congress of the United states. <br /> <br />Under this magnificent local government <br />arrangement, the water of the Upper Basin and <br />the power revenue produced therein have been <br />divided equitably and satisfactorily among <br />the Upper states, and the burden of delivering <br />Lower Basin water has been determined for <br />each state. Interstate comity has prevailed <br />constantly. In none of these endeavors has <br />Washington participated. <br /> <br />The Colorado Association of soil Conser- <br />vation Districts representing nearly 20,000 <br />farmers and ranchers in this state, in their <br />21st Annual Meeting in January, 1966, adopted <br />this Resolution: <br /> <br />'The Colorado Association of Soil Conser- <br />vation Districts diligently oppose the <br />relinquishment of authority of the Upper <br />Colorado River Commission to the Secretary <br />of Interior as proposed in House Bill H. R. <br />4671.' <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />During the last months, I have been told <br />over and over, 'We don't dare to oppose the <br />Secretary of Interior. Weare in a position <br />where we must seek favors from him for our <br />people' . <br /> <br />The Lower Basin failed to adopt inter- <br />state government when requested to do so by <br />