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<br />MR. SPARKS: More money was appropriated for expenditures in,the lower <br />basin. That's almost exclusively for the plant the United States is <br />building 'for Mexico on the lower Colorado River. That's a Mexican <br />plant, but the United States is paying for it. The lower basin receives <br />no direct benefit from it. The projects they will get any benefit from <br />are the ones in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. <br /> <br />MR. FETCHER: Larry, there <br />authorized, aren't there? <br />and one other? <br /> <br />are just' the four projects that have been <br />Paradox, Grand Valley, La Verkin Springs, <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />MR. .SPARKS: Las Vegas Wash. <br /> <br />MR., FETCHER: Can I advance the theory that perhaps the balance of the <br />$150,000 for Grand Valley and $50,000 for.Paradox will complete the <br />advanced ~lanning, 'or is this a process that goes on forever, like <br />Parkinson slaw? - ' <br /> <br />MR. SPARKS: Mr~Wiscombe, the project:manager from Grand Junction, is <br />here. He probably can respond to that. ' <br /> <br />MR. WISCOMBE: I think I can answer your question. Yes. What we need <br />to do is complete the advanced planning and environmental assessment. <br />Anything in addition to this would be toward construction. The bulk <br />of the funds in the lower basin was Title I, which is the desalting <br />plant for the works connected with one project down there, the Nevada <br />Wash. ' <br /> <br />MR. JACKSON: Larry, 'pursuing just a little bit, I agree with you on, <br />getting the projects going, but are we faced with any eminent change in <br />water rights to get more water in the Colorado River to dilute the <br />salinity i~ theimmediate.future? Do we have a problem facing us this <br />year, or the next year in that regard? ' <br /> <br />MR. SPARKS: We're facing a considerable problem'on the salinity <br />standards already established for the Colorado River. The United States <br />agreed with Mexico that salinity would not exceed certain prescribed. <br />bounds. So far, we're fairly well meeting those requirements and a de- <br />salting plant is being designed to improve the quality of the lower end <br />of the river. If the EPA standards now being promulgated are put into <br />effect, we will have a problem all over the West with the return flow <br />from irrigation. " <br /> <br />That's something we discussed briefly at the board meeting last week. <br />The Water Congress has been very, very active: in this field protesting I <br />the EPAregulations which require every farmer get a discharge permit. <br />The regulation.has been publ,.ished and the connnents are being submitted. <br />I attended a Water Congress meeting yesterday afternoon, in which they <br />discussed, at some length, taking active-steps to protest that regula- <br />tion. We joined with them at the last board meeting in the prepared <br />commehts. The regulations only apply to the West, which we 'think is. <br />singularly unfair. In other words, you can pollute the river all you <br />want to if you don't irrigate. This means that the farmers in Iowa, or <br /> <br />-20- <br />