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.. . editorial Wednesday, May 9, 1990 The Daily Times ,,' ~",F~rmington, New Mexico I: Nonsensical decision,. ... . -.-, , ., '.' ~ >.. A recommendation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct a seven-year study on an en- . virorunental impact statement of the San Juan River must be overruled_ . The recommendation, which one Colorado con- gressman says would kill the Animas-La Plata Project, is fine in the ideal but makes no sense in the real world. Protecting the envirorunent is a just and noble caUse - but is one that must be tempered with the idea of , what we are protecting for whom. The lives and welfare of the citizenry must be plugged into the equation some- ,place. . ' It is ironic that iri the early 1960s, the state Depart- ment of Game and Fish killed thousands of squawfish - considering them trash fish - in the San Juan River below Navajo Dam. _, These are the fish the federal agency now says need , ,protection. . :- The agency also claims the Animas-La Plata Project would have adverse effects on the Navajo, Lemon, :.',Vallecito, and. Dolores projects, and the, San Juan- \ Chama diversion project.- " , ,(, But what are these adverse effects?" .., Because of the squawfish-razorback sucker issue, , groundbreaking for the Animas-La Plata Project earlier 'was moved back to June. Now, no one can even attempt , to guess when it will be - if ever. _ .,.. The project, to irrigate 68,000 acres of farmland, to settle a lengthy government water rights dispute with two Indian tribes and to provide drinking water for residents in New Mexico and Colorado, has strong sup- ,port in San Juan County - the recent election is proof of th~. . The federal goverrunent, through the Fish and . Wildlife Service, should not place the welfare of a few fish above that of thousands of people. . , Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan Jr. is quoted as saying he agrees with the decision of the Fish and " Wildlife Service. . ,c. .. . . .. . ' , We can only hope that he changes his mind or that Congress can change it for him.