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- 9 . among the participating projects fOr initial authorization. This project is desperately nerded to provide a dependable water supply for lands lying in the La Plata Valley and located in both Colorado and New 1jexico. The limited and erratic water supply of the La Plata is apportioned be- tween Colorado and New kexico by the La Plata River Compact. This compact was recognized and approved by the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact. The La Plata Project is of relativ~ly small cost and does not materially or advers~ly affect other proposed developments, or materially disturb the economic feasibility of the entire basin development. At the request of the States of Colorado and New l,lexico, the Bureau of Reclamation commenced investigation of the La rlata Project many years ago. At least t,,,o reports have bcen issued by th<3 Bureau. The Colorado land O1^mers have organized a district under the Colorado Conservancy District Act. The La Plata water users have expended considerable money and put forth every effort to obtain a project only to be faced with years of delay and disappointment. Fair treatment of the La Plata farmers requires the inclusion of the La Plata Project for initial authorization as a participating project under the Colorado River Storage Project plan. Attention is directed to the fact that the Paonia Project, which "0 ,." is included in the list of participating projects recommended for initial authorization, has twice been authorized by Congress. The increase in construction costs, the addition of certain acreage, and the relocation of the proposed storage reservoir have resulted in substantially increasing the project cost. This necessitates either reauthorization or amended authorization. The report on the revised project plan has been pending before the Bureau of the Budget 'fOr some time. A bill has been introduced