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// / OOC4'74 - 2 - agreement with the Secretary of the Interior prior to using appropriated funds for construction of the Animas-LaPlata Project. (e) the Administration insisted that the cost-,sharing/financing arrange- ment s for the project must be included as part of the negotiations leading to an Indian water rights settlement, and (f) because an impasse,between Federal and non-Federal parties involved in the cost-sharing/financing negotiations appeared to have been reached, the non- Federal entities, realizing the vital importance of a settle- ment of Winters water rights claims to the Nation and to the State, proceeded with developing a proposal on cost sharing to be included as a "vital organ'; in an overall Winters water rights settlement. II. Recitals The six recitals emphasize the facts that: (a) The water rights claims of the two Indian Tribes are the subj ect of existing and potential lawsuits involving many parties; (b) lawsuit's are expensive and time-consuming and could adversely affect the health and development of all economy in southwest Colorado; (c) parties to the lawsuits and others have worked diligently and have achieved a permanent settlement of the Winters water rights claims, which now needs the assistance of the United States for implementation; (d) it is in the long-term interests of all of the negotiating parties, including the United States, for Federal assistance to be forthcoming; (e) the construction of the Animas-LaPlata Project will furnish the means for honoring a commitment of the Federal government to Colorado and New Mexico and for implementing the permanent settlement of the Winters water rights claims; and (f) the Federal government may have violated its trust obligations to the Tribes by its failure to construct the Animas-LaPlata Project as authorized by diverting the Mancos River for the benefit of non-Indians, and by taking .