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OfJ2h i:j . . ( INrROOUcrION The b\lelve western states, rrembers of the Western States \vater Council. . express the following .. ' observations concerni03" the 77 page Task Force report. released by the President I s water policy implementing team in June of 1979. The detailed canrrents which will follow this intrcx:1uction are intemed to be constructive and helpful and are directed specifically to the various sections of the report and the many recamlendations rrede by the.Task Force. However. it would be inappropriate to roa~e these con- structive suggestions without preliminary ccmrent regarding the setting and atr.tosphere which the western states sense as they rreke these camrents. More than t\..u years ago, the President announced his' intentions to institute significant water policy refonn. The states were concerned that there would be an encroachment upon areas of state responsibility and those fears were heightened by initial wideS\veeping options that were published by the federal government. ( The water rights area was the area in which the \'Iestern states felt the most concern. The many rronths of deliberations allo.ved for a great number of r.eetings and the exchange of many ideas. Much has been accanplished to eliminate proposals that would not be iJ) the interest of either the states or the federal government. Still, there lingers the concern over the potential encroachment into the area of states I responsibilities. On several occasions, federal officials given specific responsibility for the implanentation of the President'r; reform, have assured the states that the water right doctrines of the various states will be respected. Assurances have been given by the Assistant Secretary of Interior for Water and Land. by the Secretary of Interior, and by the Vice'-President. However, because of continuing concern expressed by officials of western states. including western governors, the president_ met with the governors and stated. "I want to ITIa.ke clear fran the very beginning that there absolutely will be no preanption of state or private prerogatives in the use of management of water. This is not the pm-pose of the policy at all." This assurance by the President addressed the total spectrum of water managEment and did not limit his pranise to the question of state-federal \-later rights. ( This pranise was welccrned by western governors and did much to facilitate further ccoperation =03" state aril federal officials working on the details of the potential refonn effort in the water right area.This built on a previous presidential statement which indicated that the federal government I>.O.lld be willing "to negotiate in the area of reserved water rights and settle such rights in an orderly and final manner, seeking a balance with conflicting and estabhshed water uses." 'rhe President went on to say that agencies are to, "Utilize a reasonable standal:d when asserting federal reseJ:Ved rights which reflect true federal needs rather than theoretical and hypothetical needs based on the full legal extension of all possible rights. In consultation with the Depart:rrent of Justice. each of you shall develop procedures and standards for the purpose of imp1anenting these d:ir.ecHves."