BOARD02463

• Board Meeting Date: 3/22/2005
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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The four existing National Priorities are:
1. Reduction of non-point source pollution in impaired watersheds consistent with Total Daily
Maximum Loads (TMDL's) and the reduction of groundwater contamination and the conservation of
ground and surface water resources.
2. Reduction of emissions that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient
Air Quality Standards.
3. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation
4. Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation.

At a minimum, comments should address the following questions:
I. What emerging natural resource issues are not addressed by the current EQIP Priorities?
2. What modifications are necded to the four existing National Priorities?
3. Do these existing Priorities continue to reflect the critical resource needs and concerns?

Comments can be submitted to: Dennis Alexander, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
USDA, NRCS, 655 Parfet Street, Room E200C, Lakewood, CO, 80215. If you have questions, you can
also contact Dennis 1. Alexander, Assistant State Conservationist at 720-544-2805.

W AP A Proposing Rate Changes: On Jan. 18 the Western Area Power Administration announced that it
is proposing adjustments to the Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects (SLCNIP) firm power rates. The
SLCNIP consists of the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP), Collbran, and Rio Grande projects and
two participating projects of the CRSP that have power facilities, the Dolores and Seedskadee projects.

The current rates under Rate Schedule SLIP-F7 expire on September 30, 2007 but are not sufficient to
meet the SLCNIP revenue requirements. The proposed rates will provide sufficient revenue to pay all
annual costs including operation and maintenance and replacements (OM&R), interest expenses and the
required repayment of investment within the allowable period.

Western will prepare a brochure that provides detailed information on the rateS to all interested parties.
The proposed rates under Rate Schedule SLIP-F8 are scheduled to go into effect on October 1,2005.

Western will post information about the rate process on its Web site under the "FY 2006 SLCNIP Rate
Adjustment" section located at http://www.wapa.gov/crsp/rateanal.htm.

Reclamation To Revise Conservation and Efficiency Criteria: Reclamation will revise the 2002 Water
Conservation and Efficiency Criteria (Criteria) for the development of Water Management Plans (plans).
The Criteria were developed to meet the requirements of the Central Valley Project hnprovement Act of
1992 (CVPIA) and the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982.

The CVPIA requires Reclamation to review the Criteria periodically, but no less than every 3 years, with
the purpose of promoting the highest level of water use efficiency reasonably achievable by project
contractors using best available cost-effective technology and best management practices. In preparation
for the 2005 Criteria, Reclamation is asking all interested parties for their comments, suggestions, and
recommendations. The Criteria is available online at: www.usbr.gov/mp/watershare/ .

Reclamation will develop Draft Criteria and schedule workshops to give the public an opportunity for
comments and questions. After the public workshops, the Draft Criteria will be entered in the Federal
Register, the public will be given 30 days in which to comment, and then the Draft Criteria will be
finalized. All Plans received will be reviewed based on the 2005 Criteria.

USFWS Announces $62 Million in Grants: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has
announced that it has more than $62 million in wildlife grants to give to state wildlife agencies. The State
Wildlife Grants are designed to assist state-specific programs that benefit declining wildlife and their

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