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<br />000275 <br /> <br />1998 ANNUAL REPORT <br /> <br />some of the most cost effective opportunities for salinity control found to be available during the <br /> <br /> <br />many years that the salinity control program has been ongoing, Further, the Congress has mandated <br /> <br />that federal agencies implement the most cost effective options, <br /> <br />The Council believes that the designation of the special interest area can lead to additional and very <br />important coordination and analysis that will improve the program, The Council requests that <br />USDA designate an individual to coordinate the implementation of USDA's salinity control efforts <br />in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. The Council recognizes that these three states are administered <br />from two NRCS regions, but the Basin states have been assured in the past that coordination can be <br />effectuated without regard to regional boundaries, The Council made this recommendation in its <br />1997 report, Oral commitments have been made by high-ranking USDA officials but to date no <br />action implementing this commitment has occurred, The Council observes that the USDA program <br />is not as effective as it might be and asks that prompt action be taken to improve needed <br />coordination, <br /> <br />The Council believes that the Forum's Work Group should actively become involved in identifying <br />how the funds provided for the special interest area can be most effectively spent. The key to <br />geographic implementation of non-point source water quality control and the President's Clean <br />Water Action Plan are hydrologic basins and watersheds, When the water quality problem is basin- <br />wide, then the local level is the full basin and in the case of the Colorado River salinity issue, local <br />representation must come from all seven states, To do otherwise violates NRCS/EQIP announced <br />principles and will undoubtedly lead to a less than fully effective program, <br /> <br />The Council reminds USDA that there is a Congressional mandate that the salinity control effort <br /> <br />should proceed with cost effectiveness as a primary criteria (P.L. 93-320 as amended), The Council <br /> <br />COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL ADVISOR Y COUNCIL <br /> <br />12 <br />