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<br />'. ; .~. <br /> <br />-7- <br /> <br />general economic and social well-being of the people). Better ways must be <br /> <br />found to evaluate these benef'lts to aid in the decision-making pr-ocess when new <br /> <br />pr-oject proposals ar-e bel'ore the Congress. <br /> <br />Another- ar-ea of gr-eat concern to the western states is that indirect <br /> <br />- <br />detriments, such as those involving minor infringements on wilderness areas <br /> <br />and national parks, are being given great weight in the dee.ision-making pre>- <br /> <br />cess, but intangible benefits on the same projects Bre almost totally'ignored. <br /> <br />Most of' the new government pr-ograms involve social objectives whose <br /> <br />values are consid~red almost totally intangible. Such pr-ograms do not readily <br /> <br />lend themselves to a beneftt-cost analysis. Conversely, experience has de-,' <br /> <br />monstr-ated that the beneftt-cost ratio has become almost the sole measure <br /> <br />of the -economic worth 01' water reso...rce projects. II' this measure is to be <br /> <br />meaningfIJl J some objective way must be found to reflect the important indlT'ect <br /> <br />beneRts of these projects. <br /> <br />'.~ . <br /> <br />SCHEDULE FGlR APPLYING STANDARDS <br /> <br />The Wester-n States Water Council is concerned over the schedule for- <br /> <br />applying these proposed standards. It is strongly recommended that these <br /> <br />,standards not be applied to plans, programs or- projects which have already <br /> <br />been authorized by Congress until 5 years after- their adoption. This will <br /> <br />permit a more reasonable transition in the evaluation procedure of projects <br /> <br />and minimize the cbst and confusion 01' changing the criter-ia applicable to <br /> <br />pl"Ojects already under- consider-ation. <br />