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4 An operating committee consisting of representatives of tne States of Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah; Indian Affairs; Reclamation; and the Service shall be established to develop and implement a program to monitor and protect the releases of water from Navajo Reservoir. The committee shall develop an appropriate procedure for notifying the parties of the status of such releases and any action needed. C. Future Section 7 Consultations Formal Section 7 consultation under 16 U.S.C. 1536 of the Endangered Species Act is required for any federal action that "may affect" listed species. A conference is required if a federal action is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any species proposed for listing as threatened or endangered. The procedures and agency responsibilities under Section 7 consultation must be followed for such federal actions in the Basin including actions under the Program. The Program must have made "sufficient progress" in order to offset potential jeopardy impacts to the listed fish from any proposed federal action which is under Section 7 consultation. The Service will determine if sufficient progress has been made under the Program based on. the best available biological data and professional judgment. The Service will assess sufficient progress in proportion to the potential jeopardy impacts of a proposed federal action. That is, the smaller the impact of a federal action, the lower the level of progress needed to offset the impacts. If progress under the Program has not been sufficient, additional conservation measures (measures) will be required from the federal agency or the project sponsor(s) to offset impacts of the federal action which are likely to jeopardize listed fish. During and after the 7 year research period (as described in the ALP biological opinion) on the San Juan River and its tributaries, significant new information will be available on the listed fish. Also, certain recovery actions will have been implemented to benefit the listed fish. Such information and actions will constitute progress under the Program and will be considered by the Service in determining whether progress has been sufficient to offset impacts of future federal actions which are likely to jeopardize listed fish. During the 7 year research period, additional federal actions resulting in water depletions will be subject to Section 7 consultations. In rendering biological opinions on federal actions resulting in minor depletions, the Service will consider good faith implementation of the Program in determining if sufficient progress has been made to offset depletion impacts, if any, on listed fish. It is understood that minor depletions may reach an aggregate of 3,000 acre- feet in anyone year (that is, the 3,000 acre-feet is not additive from year to year).