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<br />".:', ':,!:in,:jf,. '~l'. <br /> <br /> <br />,e., <br /> <br />'.:':"1..' ;:\:r <br /> <br /> <br />"\' '\If 'It:';.' <br /> <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />"J <br /> <br />b":'li.... <br />:." :~..-'.J '~!", : . ,; <br /> <br />"a'l' <br /> <br />Volume 102 :Number 258 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />.-.-.. ' <br />'_-_.. ______,._____~~_ m"-'__ <br /> <br />D1ZZ1;>"-"S <br /> <br />co <br /> <br />May 9. 1990 <br /> <br />Farmington, New Mexico <br /> <br />F <br /> <br />....,... " -,-~..."_.~-~ <br /> <br />Il.,,,,,j~nbacks squawfish ... study <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Staff reports <br /> <br />Construction of the Animas-la Plata <br />Project will remain In limbo unless <br />something can be done to ensure the <br />safely of the squawfish, according to <br />Secretary of the Interior Manuel LuJim ' <br />Jr:s office In Washington, <br /> <br />Mark Stephensen, director of public <br />relations for the secretary's office, today <br />said Lujan concurred with a draft en- <br />vlronmenlal Impact report completed <br />by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service <br />and has saId construction of the project <br />will not begin until a solution 10, the <br />squawflsh problem Is found. <br /> <br />The Fish and Wildlife service said In <br /> <br />Its report that the project would deplete <br />downstream water levels that <br />. squawfish rely on and the only effective <br />way of ensuring the fish's survival Is to <br />halt the project, he said, ' <br />Meanwhile, the draft opinion was <br />denounced by Sen. Jeff Bingaman. <br />D-N.M.' , <br />In a letter distributed 10 the news <br />media, Bingaman said the decision by <br />" the Fish and Wildllfe Service Is "a little <br />late ill the process to come up with thIs <br />discovery." <br />, Blngaman said "It strikes me as <br />...' strange" that the agency's decision re- <br />futes an oplnton by the agency In 1979 <br />that construction of the water project <br />wouldn9.t. threaten squawfish. ' <br /> <br />Stephensen said that although Lu- <br />jan was a supporter of the project <br />throughout his tenure as' a con- <br />gressman from New Mexico, as interior <br />secretary he Is requtred to enforce the <br />law. " <br /> <br />"Secretary Lujan Is concerned be- <br />cause tt Is an Important project not <br />only to the two states. but also to In- <br />dian communities In the area and to <br />future water marketing. He has sup- ' <br />ported the project. but now has to en- <br />force the law, which In this case Is the <br />Endangered Species Act," Stephensen <br />said. . <br /> <br />The Bureau of Reckimatlon Is con- <br /> <br />tlnuing to work with Fish and Wildlife <br />to find a solution that would allow con- <br />struction of the project while not affect- <br />Ing the fish's habitat. Stephensen said. <br />. Rep. Ben Nlghthorse Campbell, <br />D-Colo., said Tuesday the Fish and <br />Wildlife report proposes that a <br />. seven-year study be conducted to coI- <br />, , lect more Information about what the <br />water depletion would do 10 the <br />squawfish. <br />.; <br />Campbell said the seven-year delay <br />would effectively kllJ the project be- <br />, cause contracts WIth the Southern Ute <br />and Ute Mountain Ute tribes require <br />that the project be completed In 10 <br />years. <br />