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<br />issued a revised draft biological opinion for ALP. This opinion <br />incorporated the alternative proposed by the Bureau and stated <br />that if all elements of the reasonable and prudent alternative <br />were fully implemented, the likelihaad of jeopardy to the endan- <br />gered fish would be avoided. <br /> <br />VII. Current Status <br /> <br />The parties are presently negotiating a draft Memorandum of <br />Understanding ("MOU") which will be signed by the Department of <br />the Interior, the states of COlorado, New Mexico. and Utah, the <br />Navajo Nation, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, the Ute Mountain <br />Ute Indian Tribe, and the Jicarilla Apache Tribe. The MOU will <br />include agreements on measures necessary to carry aut the reason- <br />able and prudent alternative for ALP and the development and <br />implementation of the Recovery Implementation Program ("RIP") for <br />the endangered fish. <br />Among other things, the RIP is intended to provide a mecha- <br />nism which will allow the United States to meet its obligations <br />under the Final Settlement Agreement. The reasonable and pru- <br />dent alternative currently under consideration does not do this <br />because it only provides for partial construction of ALP. The <br />irrigation component of ALP, which is critical to both tribes, <br />will have to undergo another section 7 consultation in the <br /> <br />-16- <br />