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<br />cost-sharing policies. <br />Under the proposed "Schedule for Applying Standards" <br />(Federal Register, page 24150), plans which have been authorized <br />by the Congress on which actual construction has not commenced <br />within five years after authorization would be reviewed in accord- <br />ance with the proposed principles and standards. It is not clear <br />what would be the result of an unfavorable finding upon review. <br />Major federal projects generally require more than 5 years for <br />preconstruction planning, creation of iocal government institutions <br />as contracting entities and other prepatory work. A review of <br />authorized projects under the new principles and standards with <br />the objective of substantially altering or eliminating the plan <br />authorized would be disruptive and unreasonable and a source of <br />bitter disappointment to those who had invested time and personal <br />resources in project authorization. Application of the proposed <br />principles and standards to feasibility reports already completed <br />and projects already authorized would cause unacceptable dis- <br />location and delay in ongoing water resources programs and would <br />deprive society of opportunities for national and regional economic <br />development and recreational advantages and in many cases would <br />prolong hazard to the security of life, health and property. The <br />statement in the proposed principles and standards providing <br />for requests for exceptions from the application of the standards <br />for ongoing planning studies appears to recognize that it may be <br />undesirable to apply the standards to ongoing and completed plans. <br />Application of the schedule for applying standards could <br />delay or delete five major water resources projects in New Mexico <br />which have been authorized or upon which feasibility investigations <br />-8- <br />