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<br />1063 <br /> <br />-2- <br /> <br />(4) In paragraph 5 of the Supplemental Memorandum it is stated <br />that the water may be utilized for industrial uses and "purposes incidental <br />thereto". Appropriate incidental purposes should be spelled out specifically <br />in the memorandum. <br /> <br />(5) No assurance is provided to the states that water marketed <br />for industrial and incidental purposes will be utilized in accordance with <br />applicable state laws and water rights. This assurance must be provided <br />before the memorandum can be deemed acceptable. <br /> <br />(6) Perhaps most important to the State of Nebraska is the absence <br />throughout the Supplemental Memorandum of any procedure for the basin-wide <br />coordination of the marketing scheme. In paragraph 5b, it is proposed that <br />the contracting state have some role in determining that the proposed use of <br />water for industrial purposes is a beneficial use which should take precedence <br />over hydro-electric power generation. This does represent an improvement <br />over the February 24, 1975 memorandum which provided that this decision would <br />be made unilaterally by the Secretaries of Interior and Army. Paragraph 5b <br />does not, however, recognize the vested interest of the other states in the <br />hydro-electric power which is generated by the reservoir system. In fact, <br />there is not even any assurance to the states that the marketing price will <br />be sufficient to reimburse the basin account for revenues lost because of the <br />reduction in power generation. In addition, no consideration is given to <br />states currently receiving other benefits from the operation of the Missouri <br />River system, including those accruing to navigation and fish and wildlife. <br /> <br />It is not sufficient to respond that downstream states have no interest <br />because the water would have been lost anyway in future irrigation projects. <br />The fact remains that the depletions will nOw occur at an earlier date and <br />under a cloud of legal uncertainty. Even assuming the accuracy of the <br />projections and the actual development of all projected irrigation, downstream <br />states will have lost at least 50 years worth of the benefits to be derived <br />from the allegedly marketable water. In our opinion, it is also naive to <br />assume that industrial consumption will be discontinued when such water is <br />necessary for irrigation development. A much more realistic assessment <br />would acknowledge that the water to be marketed is in addition to that which <br />will be otherwise consumed. <br /> <br />For the above stated reasons, the State of Nebraska does not believe <br />that any marketing scheme can be properly implemented in the absence of an <br />opportunity for all affected states to address the issues presented. Therefore, <br />we strongly oppose efforts to eliminate any reference in the Supplemental <br />Memorandum of Understanding to the states of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota <br />or Missouri or any other Missouri River Basin states. We also advise that <br />the Supplemental Memorandum of Understanding provide that all contracts entered <br />into in accordance with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding be <br />conditional upon the presentation to and approval of such contracts by the <br />Missouri River Basin Commission. At the December 3 meeting in Denver, there <br />was obvious reluctance to consent to such a suggestion on the supposition <br />that MRBC did not have authority for such responsibilities. In response to <br />that we submit (1) that if the Departments of the Army and Interior have <br />authority to determine whether water shall be marketed and to establish other <br />conditions precedent to such marketing, they also have the authority to <br />establish approval by the MRBC as a condition precedent, and (2) that if the <br />