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<br />. . nQ <br />\) \) Vt ';'IJ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />- 4 - <br /> <br />that Watt was right in that we need to adjust our understanding of <br />realities, and the purpose of the meeting today is to understand how <br />we can accelerate a process of coming to grips with the new <br />realities. He emphasized the need to devise a "quiet process" to <br />get the principal people in Congress, in Interior and in the states <br />together to discuss the Colorado River and all the water project <br />issues. He said that we know who to include, but we are not sure <br />how to do it or how to devise the process. The Secretary then <br />turned to the larger subjects of building the coalition, and <br />explained how he had recently (apparently within the last ten days) <br />met with IS Senators and that as a result "the Senate is ready to go <br />with us" and that "everything is copacetic with Dennis DeConcin" <br />meaning, I gather, that he had explained his tough talk on the need <br />for a coalition to the Senate, or to the 15 Senators, and that they <br />were ready and in agreement. Governor Babbitt said he agreed with <br />the analysis in general, but he noted that "no one can afford to be <br />the leader" of this march into the new reality, and that we need <br />"designated hitters" for each of the major players, such as <br />Congress, Interior, and the states. <br /> <br />At this point I explained that I thought the recent <br />speeches by many different persons at the Colorado Water Congress, <br />and recent meetinj I attended in Salt Lake City, indicated there was <br />perhaps some ability of some people to appreciate the new reality of <br />project financinj. The Secretary's response to this was that he is <br />being beaten daily in the press from environmentalists, Democratic <br />partisans, et cetera, and "quiet little meetings" were fine but that <br />most of this must be done publicly, apparently in order that he not <br />be beaten daily in the press. Governor Babbitt then offered that he <br />and Governor Olson will begin an off-the-record meeting for selected <br />Governors, Senators, and Interior personnel to talk about the entire <br />problem of water project financing and dollars. Apparently Watt was <br />in agreement with this, although there were no specific responses at <br />this point to that proposal. <br /> <br />Apparently something in the foregoing conversation <br />triggered the Secretary on the subject of "new starts" and politics, <br />and he launched into another long dialogue about a lengthy <br />conversation with Senator Armstrong in which Senator Armstrong said <br />"there is no 10njer any political gain in water projects, only the <br />potential for a loss." Armstrong is supposed to have told Watt that <br />even if he announced new starts, he will get nothing, and will be <br />blasted by everyone. The Secretary then related how that was <br />precisely true, then everyone in Colorado, naminj Ken Kramer and <br />Hank Brown in particular, blasted his announcement last October of <br />the "new starts." The Secretary reiterated the need for a coalition <br />of western water interests to work on the BOR budget and on the <br />cost-sharing issues. <br />