Laserfiche WebLink
<br />"u II ~ () 2 3 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />program; memorializes the funding agreements among the parties; describes how <br />changed and/or unforeseen circumstances are dealt with; describes the assurances and <br />commitments to all of the parties; and describes remedies and enforcement. The IA must <br />be completed in the near future in order to facilitate obtaining the approvals of Boards, <br />Commissions, Districts, and so forth, over the next couple of months. <br /> <br />Third, the California agencies are working with the California Department of Fish <br />and Game (CDFG) to develop the related CESA Section 2081 incidental take <br />authorization permit package for the LCR MSCP. The CESA 2081 permit terms and <br />conditions must be identified and approved by all of the participating California agencies <br />and CDFG mllst be completed prior to the exccution of the federal IA. Toward that end, <br />I am working with the California LCR MSCP agencies in the preparation of a letter to <br />CDFG Director, Ryan Broddrick, regarding the proposed process to expedite <br />development and approval of the CESA 2081 pennit package. A copy of the letter to <br />CDFG and the attachment are included in the Board folder for your information. <br /> <br />Finally, the USFWS recently released the proposed critical habitat designation for <br />Ihe federally endangered Soulhwestem willow flycatcher. Portions of the Lower <br />Colorado River Ecoregion within the planning area of the LCR MSCP have been <br />included within the proposed critical habitat designation. However, the USFWS does <br />state that once the LCR MSCP is approved and in place the designation of critical habitat <br />within this region would be withdrawn. The draft critical habitat designation was <br />published in the Federal Register on October 12,2004, and is available for public review <br />and comment. <br /> <br />Operation of Flaming Gorge Dam Draft Environmental Impact Statement <br /> <br />On September I st, Reclamation released the draft environmental impact slatement <br />(EIS) associated with operations at Flaming Gorge Dam on the Green River. The draft <br />EIS describes the effects of modifying the operation of Flaming Gorge Dam to assisl in <br />the recovery of four big river endangered fish (i.e., Bonytail, Colorado pikeminnow, <br />Razorback sucker, and Humpback chub) and their critical habitat below the dam. The <br />purpose of the proposed action is to operate the dam to protect and assist in Ihe recovery <br />of the native endangered fish populations, while continuing to maintain all authorized <br />purposes of the Flaming Gorge Unit of the Colorado River Storage Project. The draft <br />EIS describes and analyzes the potenlial effects of two alternatives, including the <br />following: <br /> <br />CJ No Action Alternative - Operations under the conditions of the 1992 Biological <br />Opinion would continue; <br />CJ Action Altemalive -Operations would be in accordance with the flow and <br />temperature regimes specified in the Upper Basin Recovery and Implementation <br />Program for the Endangered Fish. <br /> <br />7 <br />