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<br />. <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br />1670 <br /> <br />, . PIONEERING PAST AND LEAD US INTO THE MULTIPLE USE AND MANAGEMENT <br />ETHIC REQUIRED TO MEET OUR GROWING REQUIREMENTS. THE STATES MUST <br />ACCEPT A RESPONSIBLE ROLE FOR PLANNING THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRO- <br />TECTION OF THE WATER RESOURCES WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS <br />IN RESPONSE TO NATIONAL GOALS AND LOCAL NEEDS. REGIONAL VARIATIONS <br />BROUGHT ABOUT BY CLIMATE, SOILS, MINERAL DEPOSITS, NATURAL HYDRO- <br />LOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND SOCIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES MUST BE RECOGNIZED <br />THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF REGIONAL AGENCIES WITH OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES. <br /> <br />I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED AS I VIEW OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ITS <br />GROWING INVOLVEMENT IN A PROCESS OF REGULATION AND REVIEW OF WATER <br />RESOURCES DESIGNED TO SLOW OR STOP THE USE OF THE NATION'S WATER <br />RESOURCES WHILE THE CARTER ADMINISTRATION ESTABLISHES POLICIES POINTED <br />AT LIMITING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ONE NATURAL RESOURCE WHICH IS VITAL <br />TO FUTURE NATIONAL ECONOMIC STRENGTH. <br /> <br />I WAS INITIALLY ENCOURAGED BY 'THE PRESIDENT'S CALL FOR AN EX- <br />TENSIVE REVIEW OF NATIONAL WATER POLICY CONTAINED IN HIS ENVIRON- <br />MENTAL MESSAGE TO CONGRESS ON MAY 23, 1977. THE WATER POLICY STUDY <br />PROGRESSED THROUGH A SERIES OF "!SSUE AND OPTION PAPERS" PUBLISHED <br />IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER AND SUBJECTED TO A NUMBER OF PUBLIC HEARINGS <br />ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED HIS RECOMMENDATIONS <br />ON JUNE 6, 1978, FOLLOWED BY PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDA ON JULY 12, RE- <br />LATING TO WATER POLICY IMPLEMENTATION. <br /> <br />THE PRESIDENT'S WATER POLICY MESSAGE ADDRESSED A NUMBER OF BRAOD <br />POLICY ISSUES AND SET OUT THE CONCEPTUAL GUIDELINES FOR THE IMPLEMEN- <br />TATION OF HIS POLICIES. BUT A DETERMINATION OF NATIONAL GOALS IN THE <br />DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECTION OF OUR NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES WAS NOT <br />ADDRESSED. FAILURE TO ESTABLISH NATIONAL GOALS FOR WATER RESOURCE <br />DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECTION GIVES RISE TO THE CONFUSED AND BEWILDERING <br />DIRECTION COMING FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, THE CONGRESS AND THE VARIOUS <br />FEDERAL AGENCIES MUCH TO THE DISMAY OF ~HE STATES AND LOCAL AGENCIES. <br />FAILURE TO ESTABLISH NATIONAL GOALS HAS GIVEN US SO CALLED "PORK <br />BARREL" PROJECTS, "HIT LISTS", PARTIALLY BUILT PROJECTS WHICH MAY <br />NEVER BE COMPLETED AND A SUBSTANTIAL BITE ON THE CONSUMER'S POCKETBOOK. <br /> <br />".':.> <br /> <br />IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF THAT IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FEDERAL <br />GOVERNMENT TO SET OUR NATIONAL GOALS IN WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND <br />PROTECTION. A NATIONAL GOAL OF NON-USE OF OUR WATER RESOURCES WILL <br />PRECLUDE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PROSPERITY. WHAT IS NEEDED IS A NATIONAL <br />GOAL THAT ENCOURAGES THE FULL DEVELOPMENT AND WISE USE OF OUR WATER <br />RESOURCES CONSISTENT WITH ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION CONSTRAINTS. <br /> <br />REORGANIZATION AND CONSOLIDATION OF THE FEDERAL AGENCIES DEALING <br />WITH WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECTION IS NECESSARY AND THE <br />. <br />ADMINISTRATION HAS INDICATED ITS INTENT TO PROCEED WITH A REALIGNMENT <br />AND CONSOLIDATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES. IT IS ALSO IMPERATIVE THAT THE <br />CONGRESS REVIEW THE PROGRAMS AND REGULATORY LAW AFFECTING WATER WHICH <br />HAVE PROVIDED THE TOOLS NEEDED BY OBSTRUCTIONISTS TO STOP WATER RESOURCE <br />DEVELOPMENT. THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMEN'l'AL POLICY ACT WAS INTENDED TO <br />BRING ABOUT THE CAREFUL EVALUATION OF MAJOR PROJECTS TO AVOID THE UN- <br />NECESSARY LOSS OF SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES. TRAGICALLY THE <br /> <br />- 2 - <br />