Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. Ot}\)sto <br /> <br />clear and direct injury that would result from additional water <br />withdrawals. <br /> <br />It is not clear how or if the "depletion charges" will be <br />sufficient to cover the Program costs for suppiying the ,"reasonable <br />and prudent" alternatives. If indeed those charges are insufficient, <br />the participants and taxpayers would essentially have to subsidize <br />the mitigation requirements (reasonable and prudent alternatives) <br />for any new depletions on the Platte River. <br /> <br />Recommendation <br />While it may not be possible to establish a dollar figure at this time, <br />the Program should spell out to what extent the depletion charges <br />will be designed to cover the costs of supplying the reasonable and <br />prudent alternatives. <br /> <br />If as stated on page 24, "The Program is intended to offset all <br />impacts of historic projects occurring prior to the date of execution of <br />the Cooperative Agreement initiating the Program," then it would <br />seem reasonable to assume that the beneficiaries of those historic <br />projects should be willing and required to contribute resources <br />and/or financing to support the Program. <br /> <br />Recommendation <br />If a system of surcharges is retained as part of the Program, the <br />Management Alternatives Work Group should add a provision for an <br />annual per acre foot surcharge for any historic project, other than <br />Bureau of Reclamation projects. Such projects should also be <br />provided the opportunity to meet their commitments through supply <br />of water for in stream flows or other measures. Both of these <br />provisions are in keeping with current legislative and policy changes <br />on Bureau of Reclamation projects, and would not likely impose <br />unbearable costs upon the beneficiaries. <br /> <br />2.5.2 <br /> <br />Bureau of Reclamation Review of Existing Project <br />Operations <br /> <br />If the federal government IS really serious about sponsoring a <br />basin-wide species recovery effort, and Congress can be convinced to <br />fund such an effort, it is probably counterproductive to leave the <br /> <br />Page 10 July 30, 1993 <br />National Audubon Society~ Comments on: <br />l)RIHJS~l\r[A WG's Draft "Platte River Habitat Conservation Program." <br />