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<br />''::> <br />o <br />r..o <br />C") <br /> <br />10(j(j A.YM'.4.L REPORT <br /> <br />U. S. Depal1melll of Agriculture (USDA) <br /> <br />The Council appreciates the fact that USDA has identified the Colorado River Basin as a National <br />Priority Area. The Council has. for the last several years. indicated that it feels !.hat this <br />designation was needed if the salinity control program is to rcreive adequate funding through <br />EQIP. While the designation is a step in lhe right direction. me Council is still concerned that the <br />Current funding level is inadequate to fully fund USDA's portion of the plan of implememation. <br />The Council is extremely concerned that at the current funding level USDA's panicipalion with <br />the USBR in the joint-agency integrated projects will continue to lag behind. It is important thai <br />USDA fund those projects so mat their full cost effectiveness can be realized. The Basin stares <br />have used their parallel program to help this situation in the short-term. bUI withom adequate <br />funding from USDA this problem will just gel worse. The Council is again reconunending a $12 <br />million funding level (see Table I). This funding recommendation is necessary [Q move forward <br />with the agreed to plan of implememalion contained in the /999 Review, Water Quality Standards <br />for Salinit)', Colorado River System, June 1999. The Council. in order 10 assisl in USDA getting <br />this additional funding. recommends that Congress not only restore the EQJP program funding <br />nationwide [0 the original $200 million amoum, but that the Congress support rhe Presidem's <br />requesl if it is greater than $200 million per year. <br /> <br />The Council remains concerned wirh the ranking process used to allocate EQIP funds. The <br />Council believes mat more weight should be given to salinity control as measured by cost <br />effectiveness. If !he benefit for salinity control were adequalely recognized. then !here might be <br />opportunity to make additional funds available mrough me general EQIP process. The Council <br />is also concerned mat when funds are made available !hey are not spent because the contracting <br />process is lagging behind. It is the Council's understanding that the Basin states provide funding <br />in me form of technical assistance dollars to help wi!h this situarian. The USDA now allows for <br />19 percem of funds to be spem for technical assistance. The Basin states have temporarily allowed <br />for 40 percent of its funds to be spent for technical assistance. This higher level of technical <br />assistance is, in part. to COYer the shortfall of USDA designated technical assistance funds <br />necessary [Q implement the on-farm salinity program. The Council hope:s mat me USDA <br />recognizes these extra technical assistance funds are made available, in part. to ensure that <br />contracts with producers for salinity control are processed in a timely manner. <br /> <br />The Council appreciates the: USDA employing a western Salinity Coordinator. The Council has <br />already seen results from this action as better coordination is occurring within USDA. with o!her <br /> <br />COLORADO RIVER BASlSSALJ.\Jrr CO.\TROL .-4DJ JSOR)" COU.VC/L <br /> <br />7 <br />