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I I people in Congress who have to do the' real work in getting 'additional funds. Taking all those factors into consideration, the staff submitted a recommendation to the Board under date of March 7, 1978, setting forth suggested additions that we should seek from the President's budget. We have some problems even with those additions; namely, the Animas La Plata Project, for which we do not have a repayment contract or a completed definite plan report or completed environmental impact statement. However, that is not our fault. Many projects have been deliberately delayed in order to ~eep them from being in a final con- struction status. This is a process which has been going on for some years now~ It is a process which we' cannot agree with forever. This can go on into perpetuity~ The Animas-La Plata Project~ for instance, at the' time it was authorized ten years ago, it was represented to Congress that the definite plan report could be completed in three years. Well, here we are ten years later. It' is not entirely the fault of the Bureau of Reclamation. The problem is that it is part of the Executive Department, and it has no alternative except to proceed according 'to the President's directives. We have much the same problem with the Closed Basin Project. It was represente& some years ago that the definite plan report could be com- pleted in two years. Yet that project has been authorized now for about six years. Yet, we have secured in the past all the money which was recommended as being necessary to complete the environmental impact statement and the definite'plan report. But like the other projects, another year's delay' has been tacked onto the completion of the require- ments. Every year we' are getting "the' 'same story': "One more year. One more year." I thihk'it is tillie' now to drive even harder to get additional funds for what is realistically possible. Our congressional Delegation believes that these figures set forth in the memorandum are realistic. I think there is better than a 50-50 chance of securing these additional funds. Mr. Chairman, we have people here that may want to speak for their districts. We have here Mr. Harl Noble, the Acting Regional Director of the Upper Colorado River Region, which contains most of these projects. I don't know whether we have anybody here from the Lower Missouri Region or not, which has the Narrows Project. I believe not. We might open it up for discussion by the Board and by people representing the various interests here now. , .. . MR. STAPLETON: Larry, maybe I can ask one of the first questions. By adding our recommendation for 75,000 for the Fruitland-Mesa and Savery-Pot Hook Projects, projects that we have been interested in for a long time, do we realistically harm anything else by doing that? MR. SPARKS: I think not. These an opportunity to revise both 'of able' benefit-cost ratio,. are not construction funds. This is these projects to shOw a more favor- , The President has indicated that he intends to submit recommended legislation to the Congress"to de-authorize the projects. However, he has indicated that he will not do sO this year. I think the reason is obvious. He has had his hands full defending his position that he announced last year. The second reason is that this is an election year for a lot of people, but not the President, unfortunately. (Laughter.) -3-