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<br />~ rrom: tleMelllWey 10: uoug KODOUla/ll <br />.~ JUN-07-B8 14,33 FROM.TROUT & RALEY PC <br />tr'? <br /> <br />U3le: li/{fdU lime: ~:t.l::Jll1'M <br /> <br />flage40fl <br /> <br />lP.303B324486 <br /> <br />PACE 3/8 <br /> <br />..... <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />WIldlli'e Service continues to BSSert that attainment of the UIget flows Is reqnired for <br />recoveIY of the species, and that exisriT1g and future uses of water in Colorado and Wyoming <br />may cause j~pardy to the listed species in the Centnl Platte region. Accordingly, Secretary <br />Glickman, the Department of Agriculture, and the United States Fotest Service have a <br />maridatory duty to (1) Implement a. vegetation and snow JI1lm~ff.m.ent program for water flow <br />augmenlaliOD d~ to produce such flows as the Fish & Wildlife Service determines to be <br />neN'ssary for the recovery of listed $pCcies in the Central Platte region, and (2) mftnftge the <br />National Forests in the Platte River Basin ill a. uwmer whicll does not cause or result in an <br />increase in forest density over historic or pre-Forest levels.. <br /> <br />GENERAL AlLEGATIONS: <br /> <br />1. CSR and its members have a direct and substantial interest in the recovery of the <br />whooping crane, pipiDg plover, Interior least tern, and pallid sturgeon, which have been <br />listed as a tflworeDtJI or endangettd species punuant to the Endangered Species kt, <br />16 U.S.C. ~ 1531 et. seq., (the "Jisled species") and In the protoctlOil of critical habitat <br />c:J~&,,~red ptl1""ftnt to the ESA In the Cent..r:al Platte RegIon of Nebraska. In the absence of <br />re<<Nery and dellsting of these species, under the current intezpretation 8Dd application of the <br />ESA by your respective Departments, not only will the goals and purposes of the ESA be <br />unfulfilled, but members of the Coalition a.tC likely to suffer seriocs adverse bnpacts to <br />legally. prote<:tod interests. <br /> <br />2. FmaI Biological Opinions Issued -by the United SbItcs FISh &. Wildlli"e Service in the <br />cOurse of recent oollSllltatiODS on the renewal of federal land use 8llthorlza1ions in the Platte <br />River drainage in Colotado ooncluded that water deplelions of asliaJe as 0.1 acre--feet per <br />year8S$OC:iated with the faclIitiesin question wo~d jeopatdiie the oontin.'led existence of the <br />whooping c:raneand other listed spec:les in the Cei1tIa1 'Platte region in Nebraska. and further <br />downstream, and would adversely .affectthe species' crldeal'lIabitat. See .Attar},lI'lent No. 1. <br />The United Slates Fish & W"lIdlife Service has also dcterm.!ned lhat the ICOOVery of the listed <br />$peCiesand the proteCtion of the designated critical habitat in lhe Central Platte region of <br />Nebraska will require that a minimum of 238,000 acre-feet of waler be delivered to the <br />Central. Platte annually, in addition to presently "rf$ting flows, in order to meet target flows <br />established for lhe IIsted species. Sa It ff1...hmcnt No. 2. AI::coIding to the Platte River <br />Whooping Ctane Mainten.an<:e Trust, the habitat for the ~li.sted in the CeJitraI PI&tte <br />"continuts to suffer serious, irrevemole, degradation" in the absence of the provision of <br />additional flows for these species. See AM1l"hment No.3. <br /> <br />3. Seaetary Glidanan is charged with the responsibility for ClJSUI'ing that the Department of <br />Agriculture an<1 the United States Forest Service comply widt aD. federal laws, including the <br />requiremcut$ of the ESA. In particular, Section 1(aXl) of the ESA imposes on Secretary <br />Glickman, the Dcpartnient. and the Forest Service an :!lffinn:mve obligation to utilize their <br />lUIthorlties in furtherance of the pnrposes of the ESA I?y cmying out programs for the <br />conservation of endangered species and threatened species. The ESA defines the term <br />"COnservatioll" to mean "to use and the use of all methods and tlmcedures which are <br /> <br />3 <br />