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<br />ooose~ <br /> <br />Ez:tmuU errvironmenud and ~ concems <br /> <br />An irrigation district's success in implementing voluntary change will depend on its <br /> <br /> <br />ability to address the impacts of district activity on the local environment and economy, To the <br /> <br /> <br />extent we speak of reallocations outside the district, internal governance issues may not be as <br /> <br /> <br />significant as these external environmental and economic issues. County and state compliance <br /> <br />requirements may resolve most of these local concerns. The lnyo County settlement in <br /> <br /> <br />California is one example of a district's ability to adequately address local environmental <br /> <br /> <br />concerns. There seems to be less certainty that a board has the ability to address local <br /> <br /> <br />economic concerns, Should we be empowering 'irrigation district boards to deal with these types <br /> <br /> <br />of issues? Some district boards believe they are more qualified to address many concerns of the <br /> <br /> <br />area than are the local county and city governing bodies, these districts remain bound to the <br /> <br /> <br />conventional water supply role, . <br /> <br />Ability to deJU with atemaI pressuris <br /> <br />A fourth issue has to do with a board's ability to adapt to increasing external pressures, <br /> <br /> <br />particularly when it has no policy to address these pressures. For example, there is some <br /> <br /> <br />concern there may be an evolution towards putting too much pressure on irrigation <br /> <br /> <br />organizations to trade, creating a "trade it or iose it" atmosphere. The Imperial Irrigation <br /> <br /> <br />District transfer is such a case, The concept of pressuring mgation districts to trade presents <br /> <br /> <br />somewhat of a dilemma, since 'organizations may need an incentive to encourage water <br /> <br />movement from one use to another. However, creating a trade it or lose it atmosphere may <br /> <br />affect the market price B potential buyer is willing to offer. .There is not unanimousagri:ement <br /> <br />10 <br />