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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />provide $330,000, California is to provide $550,000, and Nevada the remaining $220,000. It is the <br />Board's understanding that the agreement is being forwarded to Nevada for signature by Mr. George <br />Caan Executive Director of the Colorado River Commission of Nevada. Until the interstate cost- <br />, <br />sharing agreement has been executed by all three states, Mr. Zimmerman cannot execute the <br />amended federal/non-federal cost-sharing agreement for the full $2.2 million MSCP budget <br />augmentation. It is anticipated that Mr. Zimmerman will be able to execute the federal/non-federal <br />agreement toward the end of the week. <br /> <br />~. <br /> <br />MSCP Pilot Project Legislation Manager <br /> <br />The Steering Committee is in the process of finalizing a contract for consultant services with <br />Mr. N. Gregory Taylor, retired General Counsel for MWD, to assist the Steering Committee with <br />the development of potential federal legislation authorizing implementation of certain habitat <br />restoration pilot projects along the Lower Colorado River within the MSCP planning area. These <br />pilot projects are intended to provide Congress with an overview of anticipated activities which will <br />be implemented through the 50-year period of the MSCP, and take advantage of existing habitat <br />restoration planning efforts of the Colorado River Indian Tribes and potential land acquisition <br />opportunities. <br /> <br />Mr. Taylor's scope-of-work will include meeting with landowners, including Native <br />American tribes, and developing agreements for land acquisition or leasing, identification and <br />development of restoration implementation activities, and working with non-federal agencies' <br />lobbying representatives in developing the actual legislative package. The Steering Committee has <br />authorized an expenditure of up to $100,000 for these services. <br /> <br />Biological Opinion for Interim Surplus Criteria. Secretarial Implementation Agreements and <br />Conservation Measures on the Lower Colorado River - Lake Mead to Southerly International <br />Boundary <br /> <br />On January 12,2001, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) released the final <br />biological opinion (SO) associated with Reclamation's Interim SUI1Jlus Criteria. The BO found that <br />there was no effect for desert pupfish, brown pelican, and desert tortoise; may affect, but not likely <br />to adversely affect, for bald eagle; and for razorback sucker, bonytail chub, Yuma clapper rail, and <br />southwestern willow flycatcher, the USFWS determined that these species were not jeopardized or <br />resulted in adverse modification of critical habitat. However, Reclamation has agreed to implement <br />a series of specific conservation measures which should provide additional benefits to the listed <br />species and the habitats they depend upon. Specifically, Reclamation will stock native endangered <br />fish in the Colorado River, collect wild bonytail chub to be incoI1Jorated into ihe brood stock, <br />conduct additional native fish research, and protect and restore native riparian habitats and <br />backwaters. Finally, this BO states, in several places, that should the MSCP not be completed, <br />Reclamation must reinitiate consultation, not only on current river operations and maintenance <br />activities, but also on the Interim SUI1Jlus Criteria and Secretarial Implementation Agreements. <br /> <br />California Fully-Protected Species <br /> <br />With the current electrical energy crisis, the' California Legislature has not been engaged in <br />the fully protected species issue to date. The Board has participated in several conference calls and <br /> <br />6 <br />