BOARD01505

• Board Meeting Date: 11/15/2005
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

FERC gives notice that Ophir Valley Land Company, LLC has filed an application for preliminary .
pennit for its Carbonero Hydroelectric Project on Carbonero Mine Adit near Ophir, San Miguel
County, Colorado, within the Uncompahgre National Forest. The mine is owned by Glenn Pauls,
Placerville, Colorado. The deadline for filing comments, protests and motions to intervene is 60 days
from the issuance date ofthis notice.

Flsb and WUdllfe Service
70 Fed. Reg. 56880, September 29, 2005
FWS announces its revised 12-month finding for a petition to list the Southern Rocky Mountain
population (SRMP) of the boreal toad (Bulo boreas boreas) as endangered under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA). The petitioners requested that the Service list the SRMP of the ''western boreal
toad" (Bulo boreas boreas) as endangered throughout its range in northern New Mexico, Colorado and
southern Wyoming, as well as designate critical habitat in all occupied areas and in the key unoccupied
areas where restoration is necessary. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial
infonnation, FWS finds that listing is not warranted at this time because the SRMP of the boreal toad
does not constitute a species, subspecies, or distinct population segment (DPS) under the ESA.
Therefore, FWS withdraws the SRMP from the candidate list. FWS will continue to seek new
infonnation on the taxonomy, biology, and ecology of these toads, as well as potential threats to their
continued existence. This finding was made on September 20, 2005. Although no further action will
result from this finding, FWS requests that the public submit new information concerning the
taxonomy, biology, ecology and status of the SRMP or other populations of the subspecies, as well as
potential threats to their continued existence, whenever it becomes available.

Seeretary Norton Announees More Than $70 MhUon In Grants to Support Land Acquisitions and .
Conservation Plllnning for Endangered Species: On Sept. 27, Interior Secretary Gale Norton today
announced more than $70.5 million in grants to 26 states to support conservation planning and acquisition
of vital habitat for threatened and endangered fish, wildlife, and plant species. The grants, awarded
through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, will benefit species throughout the
United States ranging from mussels to bull trout.

The cooperative endangered species fund this year provides $8.5 million through the Habitat
Conservation Planning Assistance Grants Program; $48.6 million through the Habitat Conservation Plan
Land Acquisition Grants Program; and $13.4 million through the Recovery Land Acquisition Grants
Program. The three programs were established to help reduce potential conflicts between the conservation
of threatened and endangered species and land development and use.

Secretary Norton Recognizes Water 2025 Awards for Utah, Idaho Conservation Projects: On Oct.
19, Interior Secretary Gale Norton, joined by Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr., awarded $2.8 million in
Water 2025 Challenge Grants for II projects in Utah and one in Idaho to help address long-term water
needs in both states. The grants will provide funding for flow sensors and meters, water pipes to replace
open canals, and expanded Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems. The funding will also be
used to create a small water bank in the Salt Lake Valley. The 12 projects will save about 68,OOO-acre-
feet of water annually.

U.S. Flsb and WUdUle Service Lists GUa Chub as Endangered: The Service has listed the Gila chub as
endangered and designated 160 miles of the Gila River Basin streama and headwaters as critical habitat
for the minnow that is native to the Southwest. The agency designated critical habitat for 24 headwaters
streama of seven rivers-the Upper Verde, Agua Fria, Middle Gila, Upper Gila, Lower Santa Cruz,
Lower San Pedro and Babocomari drainages. .

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