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<br />'. <br /> <br />, .. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br /> <br />EXECUTIVE CHAMBERS <br />136 State Capitol <br />Denver, Colorado 80203.1792 <br />Phone (303) 866-2471 <br /> <br />April 6, ] 999 <br /> <br />The Honorable Wayne Allard <br />716 Hart <br />Washington, DC 20510 <br /> <br />Dear Sen, Allard: <br /> <br />During the 10Sth Congress you sponsored the Upper Colorado and San Juan River <br />Endangered Fish Recovery Act of 1988. This legislation provides the statutory <br />authorization the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation needs to be able to construct capital <br />projects designed to recover native fish. <br /> <br />Because Colorado has such a huge stake in these programs, and because of <br />, Colorado's historic leadership on water issues, it is important that you reintroduce similar <br />legislatipn, reflecting clarifying amendments supported by states, federal agencies, water <br />users, power customers, and conservation groups, <br /> <br />Many parties had conditioned their support for the legislation you introduced in <br />the 10Sth Congress upon a U,S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) programmatic review <br />of the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program. <br /> <br />The USFWS released its review as a preliminary draft Biological Opinion on <br />March 5, 1999. The Biological Opinion indicates that endangered fish will not be <br />jeopardized by water depletions from Rifle to Lake Powell as long as the endangered fish <br />Upper Colorado River Recovery Implementation Plan and Recovery Action Plan <br />(RIPRAP) continues to be implemented. <br /> <br />Nevertheless, and despite initial favorable reviews of Biological Opinion by water <br />users; I am told that Colorado water users had already unconditionally endorsed the <br />reintroduction and swift passage of the revised legislation. <br /> <br />In addition, the San Juan River Endangered Fish Recovery Program cannot be <br />fully implemented unless the legislation I an1 asking you to sponsor is passed. This is <br />critical because this program is the mechanism that ensures the construction of the <br />Animas-La Plata water project does not violate the Endangered Species Act. <br /> <br /> <br />Bill Qwens <br />Governor <br />