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- - the State of New Mexico and thc Ute Tribes during dcvelopmcnt of thc scalement agrccment underscores the advantages of resolving Native American rights claims outside the courtroom. Thc Animas-La Plata Project is divided into two phases. The total project cost is presently cstimated to be $710,238,000 of which $24,128,000 is reimbursable interest during construction. The actual cost of Phase I construction is $526,060,000. Phase II construction will all be accomplished entirely with non-federal funding. Furthermore, Phase I is jointly funded by the states, federal government and local water users. The non-federal cost share for Phase I totals $68,226,500. Combining the Phase I cost share with Phase II construction represents a total project non-federal cost share of approximately 38%. The Colorado General Assembly has already appropriated the States cost share; $30,0 million was escrowed and now as a value of approximately $42.4 million, the Towaoc pipeline was constructed at a cost of approximately $6.8 million, $5,0 million in cash was provided to the tribal development fund, $5,6 million in cash is available for project construction. Cost share contracts between the Bureau of Reclamation and water users in New Mexico and Colorado make up the balance. These cost share contract also specify a twelve-year construction schedule, which, if not met, could undermine the Native American water rights settlement agreement. The Animas-La Plata project dam site is the only feasible dam site at which waters from the Animas River, the largest tributary of the San Juan, can be captured and distributed to both Indian lands and private lands which are interspersed in this portion of southwestern Colorado. Numerous alternatives have been evaluated since 1968 and no better alternative has been identified, Therefore, Colorado strongly urges the Committee to favorably ccnsider a total appropriation of $14.0 million for construction and to write-in this amount to the budget in order to keep this vital project on schedule, Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program The Administration's budget recommends $6.373 million in FY 1996 for actlVltles associated with the Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin. This amount is included in the Administration's FY 1996 budget for Reclamation under, "Construction-Endangered Species Recovery Implementation Program-Upper Colorado Region-Various Studies." The Administration's General Investigations budget also includes $50,000 for continuing the Grand Valley Project Water Conservation Study and $50,000 to complete the Yampa River Water Supply Study. Colorado strongly supports these budget requests. The Recovery Program is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, thc Bureau of Reclamation, the States of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, the Western Area Power Administration, water users and conservationist to recovcr thc four endangered fish species of thc Upper Colorado River Basin. This program involves cost sharing from all participants and is one of the few successful efforts among diverse entities to recover endangered species under the Endangered Species Act while allowing water resourcc developmcnt to continue. This budgct requcst is in addition to funding requests made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Service has requested funds to support the Recovery Program ($623,000), earmarkcd $200,000 of Section 6 funds for "Grants to States," and requested $284,000 for operation and maintenance of Rare and Endangered Fish facilities (Ouray). We strongly recommend that the 3