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<br />. <br /> <br />1334 <br /> <br />Page 6 - Th. Ordway New Era-January S, li89-Ordway, CO <br /> <br />Dept.' of Interior to play new role <br />in western water transactions <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />I The Depanment of !he Interior <br />will serve as a (acihtalOr for walel <br />rnarkulng propos.1ls between willing <br />buyers and sellers undcc a new <br />p:>IJcy released Dec. 16 by Assistant <br />~ for Water and Scienc(:, <br />James W. Ziglar. <br />i "Ahhough me Bureau 0( <br />R::clamation will conlinue to have a <br />role in building water projeclS with <br />SUte and local partners, walee <br />transfers are an lncrusingly impar- <br />tanr. means of meeting W~m walU <br />needs." Ziglar said in announcing <br />the policy. "Transfers h3ve the <br />p:xentiaJ for Improving lhe <br />dlic~y of already developed <br />.-a1er pt>jects. which is a ITl3jor goal <br />0( the Bureau." <br />j Ziglar noted thai lhe Western <br />Governor's Association, a rece:n1 <br />management assessment of the <br />Bun:au of Reclamation. and many <br />p-ivate p3I1ies involvtd in poletltial <br />tranSfers of waler h3ve called for the <br />d.=vclopmem of such a policy. 'The <br />:-:;=::..-..7.::~:" !..":ooJg"! L~e JJu~.au of <br />Recl.amation and Bureau of IndJan <br />Affairs.. opcl3tcs one of the largest <br />water supply systems in l.he world. <br />BecalLo;e an increasing number of <br />proposed transfers would involve <br />fedcnl faciliues under lhe CQnl10r of <br />the Ocpartmcnt. we have developed <br />a sel of guidelines lO promote consis. <br />te"'lCy in dealing .....ith such proposed <br />tr.ns[en.- <br />The Dcpanment's policy is ba."l'd <br />on seven ba..sieprinciplcs: <br />I. Primacy in .....ater allocation and <br />man3gement decisions lies wi!.h !.he <br />Si.ates. <br />2 The Depanment .....ill l'occome <br />involved only in .....:ner l1:lnsfers <br />_hich potentially affect federal <br />projects or federally O.....n.:d .....aler <br />rights.. <br />3. DcpanmClIW arrronJ is con- <br />tins:cnt upon millgallng Of avoiding <br />advene thU'd.p3rt), cflecl~. <br />4. lbc Dcp;mment wie not sug. <br />gC5l spcx::ific lransaCtions u~lcss such <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />transactions would be involved in an <br />Indian watet rights scuJemeru.. solu- <br />tion of other watet rights Controver- <br />sies, or could provide a dependable <br />supply ilial otherwise would invove <br />!.he expenditure of federal funds. <br />S, Watu transfers involving <br />federally developed water will be <br />treate.j no different.ly than any o!.her <br />proposed transfer. - <br />6. The Department will nOI burden <br />proposed lrans.aclions With costs ex- <br />ceeding those actually incurred. In. <br />terior will ensure l.h3t !.he govern. <br />ment is financially, Oper.llJonally, <br />and contraclually in !.he same or bel. <br /> <br />Lee position once a transfer is made. <br />7. The Dcp:ll1ment ....ill consilkr <br />necessary measures to mitlgale any <br />adverse en\'ironmenw impacts !.hat <br />may be created by a proposed <br />transfer. <br />'These principles provide the <br />basic policy framework we need to <br />deal with the increasing number of <br />requests for assistJ.nce in facillL.1ting <br />water lr:1ns[ers. They also allow the <br />flex.ibility we will need to comld"r <br />!.he individual circumstances of each <br />Proposed tr3nsfcr: Ziglar said, <br />The policy .....ill go into effecl 1m. <br />medl3tcly.Q.. <br />