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<br />. <br /> <br />DRAFT -- August 11, 1999 <br /> <br />OBJECTIVE #4: <br /> <br />Federal funding should be part of an overall program to <br />assist and encourage Indian tribes to address the <br />environmental impacts of Indian water resource development <br />and to enhance riparian ecosystems. <br /> <br />Recommendation 4.A.: Funding should be requested to enable <br />Indian tribes to study the impacts of Indian water resource <br />development on riparian ecosystems and listed species which <br />reside therein. <br /> <br />EXPLANATION: Implementation of this Recommendation would be in <br />keeping with the federal trust responsibilities for Indian trust <br />resources. In addition, tribes have objected to reasonable and <br />prudent alternatives which include imposition of "mitigation <br />fees" upon a tribe seeking to exercise its water rights. <br /> <br />Recommendation 4.B.: Technical and financial assistance <br />should be made available to affected Indian tribes for the <br />development of management and conservation plans, and meaningful <br />participation in recovery implementation programs relating to the <br />administration and implementation of the ESA. <br /> <br />EXPLANATION: This recommendation recognizes that funding will be <br />often necessary to carry out the directive of Section 3(E) of the <br />Appendix to S.O. 3206. In addition, putting tribal <br />representatives on biology committees associated with recovery <br />implementation programs would allow tribes to participate <br />actively in the development of technical recommendations with the <br />FWS and other participants. This is already occurring in the San <br />Juan River Basin where four tribes play an active role. <br /> <br />Recommendation 4.C.: Authorization of financial incentives <br />for tribes should be considered for riparian ecosystem <br />protection, including recovery of listed species. <br /> <br />EXPLANATION: In the context of ESA reauthorization legislation, <br />both the 105th Congress and the Department considered certain <br />economic incentives for private owners of land within threatened <br />ecosystems. Implementation of this recommendation would allow <br />similar incentives to be considered for Indian tribes. Tribes <br />have suggested that they be allowed to market their unused water <br />entitlements in circumstances where ESA implementation may <br />interfere with consumptive use of such water rights. <br /> <br />47 <br /> <br />.-0..',.. <br />