Laserfiche WebLink
<br />" <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Mr. David L. Wegner <br />October 10, 1988 <br />Page 3 <br /> <br />consultant and other consultants. His relationship to the <br />Executive Review Committee should be defined. Articulating the <br />relationships more closely would also allow affected interests <br />better opportunity to participate effectively in the process. <br /> <br />Seventh, we are concerned about the missions and composition of <br />the three teams. We believe that the economic study should start <br />from the data base that has been developed by the Western Area <br />Power Administration. You acknowledged at the meeting that the <br />paragraph at the bottom of page 2 of the draft about development <br />of the economic plan had been improperly written. You also <br />acknowledged your intent to bring constituent groups into the <br />process of planning the economic study at the beginning of that <br />process. We are ready and willing to assist at any time we are <br />invited. <br /> <br />The "detailed economic analysis of operational options" called <br />for by the Assistant Secretaries' letter of 3une 16, 1988, should <br />include consideration of higher capacity releases using the full <br />potential of the Glen Canyon rewinds, as well as the use of a re- <br />regulating reservoir downstream of the dam. These options are <br />clearly within the scope of reasonable alternative options. <br /> <br />Concerning the environmental study plan, we do not see the <br />justification for development of that/p1an totally by agency <br />people when constituent groups are contemplated to have a role in <br />developing the economic plan. We have the resources to assist <br />you in this effort as well as in the economic effort and would be <br />happy to make them available. <br /> <br />This offer holds true for the integration team as well. However, <br />we are concerned about the new language provided in this most <br />recent draft to describe the mission of the integration team." If <br />this is truly a technical group, it probably should have its <br />mission confined to integrating proposals from the two study' <br />teams until the Executive Review Committee, including the states <br />and constituent groups, have an opportunity to review and approve <br />the integrated plan. We do not believe that the integration team <br />should determine the future activities of bureaus and agencies <br />responsible for resources of the Colorado River. That is hardly <br />a mission to be delegated to a group technically integrating <br />study proposals and results. <br /> <br />To summarize our views concerning the development of these <br />studies and plans, I think it is fair to say that we feel the <br />need to be included in the process early and to be part of the <br />process throughout. We find it difficult, even imp~ssible, to <br />separate policy issues from study directives or policy decisions <br />from data analyses. <br />