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<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />thing, particularly on item 4, floodplain studies. All right, with <br />that in mind, Larry, will you review the various projects that are <br />scheduled under agenda item number 2. <br /> <br />Mr. ~arks: Mr. Chairman, we are in a rather critical period as every- <br />one ows concerning the construction of authorized reclamation proj- <br />ects. Virtually everything has come to a halt in the United States <br />in the reclamation field. We are getting nothing done at the present <br />time. We have seven authorized reclamation projects under the author- <br />ity of the Colorado River Storage Froject Act. Most of those projects <br />have been authorized for many years and as yet construction has not <br />started on any of them. We have been subjected to repeated impound- <br />ment of funds by the Office of Management and Budget. Since some of <br />these projects were authorized, conditions have changed drastically, <br />particularly with regard to potential energy development in Western <br />Colorado. As far as the other states of the Colorado River Basin are <br />concerned, we have reached the limit of our available water supply with <br />the authorization of the existing projects. This means that this board <br />will have to take a critical look at these authorized projects to <br />determine whether or not the state of Colorado intends to support the <br />projects in the future. Next spring, we will again be considering the <br />matter of priorities for all projects. It is a very discouraging <br />picture at this time in regard to construction on any of them. <br /> <br />Congress this year enacted a new law which requires congressional action <br />in the event that the President impounds funds. In other words, the <br />President can no longer impound funds at his discretion without notifying <br />Congress and giving Congress an opportunity to veto that impoundment. <br />The President has submitted in recent months various recommendations to <br />the Congress concerning the impoundment of funds for reclamation proj- <br />ects here in Colorado. These have been fragmentary messages delivered <br />by the President. They are almost impossible to decipher because he <br />does not break them down into specific projects. We had to scratch to <br />try to determine what the President means with reference to these <br />messages that he has been sending to Congress. I have been in touch <br />with members of our congressional delegation and they tell me that they <br />can't tell either. I have been informed by most members of the congres- <br />sional delegation that they intend to resist the intent to impound the <br />funds. <br /> <br />In any event, our problem has been in trying to determine what funds <br />are available from time to time for these various projects after Congress <br />appropriates the funds. We have had no trouble with the appropriations. <br />The problem has been in the release of the appropriated funds. In any <br />event, we have asked Mr. Crandall, the regional director of the Upper <br />Colorado River Basin, to give us a critical review of the seven autho- <br />rized projects, the status of them and the amount of funds available. <br />In about March or April of 1975 the board again will be faced with <br />determining priorities. <br /> <br />Mr. Crandall: Mr. Chairman, members of the board, and guests, I have <br />prepared for you a rather comprehensive report on the status of recla- <br />mation affairs as related to the Colorado River Basin and Colorado <br />water supplies and projects. I am joined here today by three colleagues, <br /> <br />-2- <br />