Laserfiche WebLink
<br />00031~ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />River Aqueduct than currently exists. The Six State Representatives conditioned their willingness <br /> <br />to work on mutually agreeable interim operating criteria on California's commitment to enter into <br /> <br /> <br />a defined, enforceable program to reduce its dependence on Colorado River water over its basic <br /> <br />entitlement in a way that avoids undue risk of shonage to other Basin States. While California <br /> <br />has not yet completed the 4.4 Plan that will create the framework for the defined. enforceable <br /> <br /> <br />program that the Six States require. it has made meaningful progress. In recognition of that <br /> <br />progress and in order to move the discussions forward. last October the Six States set forth their <br /> <br />principles for defining the interim operating criteria. They have now added additional explanation <br /> <br />and detail to those principles. <br /> <br />The Six State proposal is based on a number of legal and policy considerations. Critical to <br /> <br />these considerations is that the interim operating criteria must be accomplished within the existing <br /> <br />"Law of the River." Also. any risk of future shonages resulting from the interim operating criteria <br /> <br /> <br />be must be borne by those who benefitted. The proposal for surplus determination is similar in <br /> <br />approach to that proposed in the December 1997 Draft California 4.4 Plan. but contains <br /> <br /> <br />differences in several of the specific provisions. The Six States also believe that issues of shortage <br /> <br />criteria. overrun accounting. and control of illegal diversions and uses must be addressed and have <br /> <br />suggested how those issues should be resolved. <br /> <br />The representatives of the Six States believe that this proposal should be viewed as a <br /> <br />positive step toward the successful completion and implementation of the California 4.4 Plan. <br /> <br />They believe the time has come to expedite discussions with California's representatives on these <br /> <br />critical Colorado River issues. <br /> <br />14 <br />