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<br />MR.' SPARKS: Also, Mr. Chairman as a sad note, I learned yesterday that <br />Mrs. Burr" .the wife' of our good: friend and former' member, Clarence Burr, <br />also passed away sometime recently. We don't know where or when, but <br />we understand it was within the last few weeks. We heard about it <br />indirectly. <br /> <br />I MR. STAPLETON: Does that conclude your report, Mr. Sparks? <br />MR. SPARKS: : Yes. <br />MR. STAPLETON: The next item--the Attorney's Report. <br /> <br />MR. ROBBINS: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to apprise the Board <br />that the North Dakota case that Larry mentioned will be argued before <br />the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday of next week in Omaha. <br />I have been talking about the case with counsel for the state of North <br />Dakota recently, and they informed me that the Department'of Justice <br />has been highly agitated and obtained an argument date a little quicker <br />than normally. <br /> <br />Concerning the salinity case that was filed by the Environmental Defense <br />Fund against the EPA, I think I reported last time that the state of <br />ColoradO and the other six Colorado Basin states have been permitted to <br />intervene in that proceeding and are now parties. The judge, as of <br />today, I don't believe has ruled on the request of various quasi-public <br />entities, including the city of Denver, the ColoradO River Water Con- <br />servancy'District, and various others. We have filed a pleading in <br />support of their participation in the lawsuit. The judge has not ruled <br />on that at the present time. The next proceeding that will occur will <br />be a status call on April 21. <br /> <br />The seven states and the united States intend to file various motions <br />to dismiss and other pleadings prior to that time to, hopefully, <br />simplify and clarify the issues somewhat and get rid of some of the <br />issues that we believe to be spurious. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I have not at this time filed the original proceeding that we discussed <br />at the last meeting in the united States Supreme Court concerning the <br />waters of the Vermijo River but am close to doing so. It should be <br />filed by the next meeting. <br /> <br />Mr. Sparks mentioned the Bureau of Reclamation report and the Colorado <br />Water Board report on the Narrows Dam. They are both mOst helpful to <br />the state of Colorado's defense of the Narrows project in participation <br />with the Bureau of Reclamation's attorneys, as well 'as the attorneys <br />for the involved districts. I would anticipate that our strategy will <br />now change somewhat and we will attempt to get the matter disposed of <br />as quickly as possible, because I think the two reports have greatly <br />strengthened our position. A number of meetings ago, I reported that <br />I thought the thing would be held in abeyance for some time; but it now <br />appears that,it may be funded, and we have reports that deal with prob- <br />lems that have been raised in the lawsuit. I would guess that we will <br />proceed forward. <br /> <br />-37- <br />