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. . .;~ These concerns have little basis in fact. When Senator Dominick proposed the Dolores for wild and scenic river study back in 1973, he did so in the belief that the Dolores Project/McPhee Dam would not and should not be threatened. He' included a special provision to this end in his bill. .~.~\ As enacted in January 1975, the Dolores River study bill specifically excluded all the Dolores Project area from any wild and scenic river consideration. At no point in 1975 has or will the Team study the project area of the river. Throughout its efforts, the Team has viewed the McPhee Dam as already "in place" - already built. In fact, the Team has now concluded that this dam will help the wild and scenic qualities of the river downstream by: 1) assuring a minimum stream flow so the Dolores will not run dry, and 2) controlling spring runoff so that recreational boating days can be grouped together and predicted. The Dolores Project will pass or fail on its own merits, not because of any wild and scenic river designation. Though originally authorized back in 1968, the project is only now nearing the end of its planning phase. Sometime after this work io ~onplete, Congress will consider appropriation of money for land acquisition and construction; this will be when the project receives most intense scrutiny. 4, CONDEMNATION AND EASEMENTS. Many property owners along the Dolores expressed fears that their lands would be condemned. "The house I live in and the land I live on will become public property," wrote one person; "I'll be left with nothing." In this case, it's true that some private lands along the river will be affected, but fears that all lands will be taken and existing uses ended are much exaggerated. First of all, there will be absolutely no government action on those portions of the Dolores River excluded from the study. Secondly, only those segments which Congress finally includes in the National System (if any) will be affected. This will most likely involve all or parts of the following river segments the Study Team found eligible or potentially eligible for inclusion: 1) The West Dolores, 2) the lOS-mile segment between McPhee Damsite and Bedrock, and 3) the 8-mile stretch from Gateway to the Colorado- Utah line. j, On any segment finally included in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, government action is still sharply restricted. Section 6(b) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act states that if more than 50 percent of the land along a river is publicly owned (either by the U. S. or the State), then there shall be no fee title condemnation. Since well over half of the Dolores runs through National Forest and National Resource (BLM) land, any fee title condemnation here is out. ,t 3 . Q,~i