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<br />5 <br /> <br /> <br />o <br />,':) <br />""'" <br />~ <br />w <br />~ <br /> <br />Assistant Secretary Horton emphasizeq, that these q,ocuments are not <br />q,ecision q,ocuments, but rather are an attempt to look at whole systems, <br />to obtain an overview anq, to bring the States on boarq, by presenting the <br />raw information at this time, Also, by miq,-June the Interior Department <br />hopeq, to have its Field Task Force on Energy sufficiently well established <br />in Denver to provide a contact person who could respond to the States. <br /> <br />Mr. Reynolds of New Mexico pointed out that there were different <br />interpretations of existing compact entitlements, and that some were <br />contrary to long-existing understandings. Mr. Noble responded that <br />the Secretary of the Interior was required to provide an estimate for <br />upper basin consumptive use; the figures were not to be consiq,ered an <br />interpretation of any compact. <br /> <br />Mr. Hollenstein of Minnesota asked if other geographic areas were also <br />being studied. Mr. Horton and Mr. Fairchild answered affirmatively <br />and indicated that the Water Resources Council was responsible for the <br />national overview, and that data for the overview would be obtained <br />from specific studies, for example, on coal or geothermal sources of <br />energy. Studies such as Westwide and the National Assessment would <br />also provide information. The overview itself, however, would not <br />be detailed. <br /> <br />The question was raised whether the two studies had taken into <br />consideration the fact that some of the available water supply was <br />already earmarked for a specific use. The response was that the <br />figures were totals of water available without any assignment of use. <br />There is physically water available in the Upper Colorado to meet energy <br />needs but to put it to such use, all legal and institutional arrangements <br />would have to be dropped, which would be rather difficult. <br /> <br />Mr. Horton said the Department of the Interior would be sending the' <br />two rough draft reports to the Governors for comment by the States. <br /> <br />In Atlanta, following the introductory remarks, Paul Suplizio, Federal <br />Energy Administration, gave a presentation on the organization and <br />purpose of the Federal Energy Office's Project Independence. Besides <br />task forces studying the specific resources such as oil, coal, gas, <br />geothermal, etc., there are so-called "cross-cut" studies - that is, <br />studies on matters such as transportation, water, etc., which cut <br />across or involve each of the resources. The FEA is relying on the <br />Water Resources Council to provide some input to the cross-cut water <br />study. (See Attachment III a for the full text of his remarks) <br />