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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />(USDA). I can report that the USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) <br />has been well funded by the Congress, and that some of these funds have been earmarked <br />for the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program. In FY-2004, just under $20 <br />million was directed from EQIP to the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program. <br /> <br />The Forum's Work Group Chairman, Mr. Tim Henley, reported on the activities <br />of the Work Group and the proposed work in the Mancos Valley salinity area. The <br />geologic fonnation known as the Mancos Shale, which is a late-Cretaceous marine <br />sedimentary fonnation, is very widespread in the Four Comers region of the American <br />Southwest, and is one of the primary sources of both salt and selenium in the Colorado <br />River and its major tributaries. In a related note, the Forum's Selenium Committee, <br />chaired by Mr. Tom Carr, prepared a report with several recommendations regarding <br />potential selenium control: <br /> <br />I. Selenium control, with salinity control, will be encouraged, but the cost- <br />effectiveness of salinity control is not to be compromised by this <br />cooperation; <br />2. It is asked that future salinity control projects reevaluate the selenium <br />control being accomplished; <br />3. The Forum is accepting the written report of the Selenium Committee, but <br />will not release the report as a report of the Forum; <br />4. The Forum has determined not to address any changes to its formal <br />policies, numeric criteria, or water quality standards to accommodate the <br />resolution of selenium issues; and <br />5. The current action of the Forum is only a recommendation to provide <br />guidance in the future, and is not an action that is intended to be <br />interpreted as formal Forum policy by any state or federal agency. <br /> <br />I would also like to report that the Forum has elected new officers for the next <br />two-year period. Mr. Rod Kuharich of the Colorado Water Conservation Board was <br />elected as the Chair. Mr. Dennis Underwood of MWD was elected to serve as the Vice- <br />Chair. Finally, the State of California will host the nod meeting of the Salinity Control <br />Forum in April 2005. This meeting will be held in conjunction with the International <br />Salinity Forum scheduled for April 25-28, 2005 in Riverside, California. I will be <br />working with the Board members and others to make the Colorado River Basin Salinity <br />Control Forum meeting successful and interesting. <br /> <br /> <br />~ean <br /> <br /> <br />. ctor <br /> <br /> <br />12 <br />