Laserfiche WebLink
<br />1996 ANNUAL REPORT <br /> <br />(,::) <br />-..J <br />-..J <br />en <br /> <br />The Council met in Palm Desert, California, on October 22, 1996. At that meeting, the Council <br />received reports from and made inquiries of the federal agencies involved in salinity control, and <br />approved the budget recommendations contained in this report. The Council also made time <br />available for public comment and one member of the public responded. The record was left <br />open to allow written comment by the public but no comments were received. <br /> <br />COUNCIL COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS <br /> <br />The 1996 Review. Water Ouality Standards for Salinity - Colorado River System Final Report. <br />(1996 Review) June 1996, and Supplemental Report, October, 1996 prepared by the Forum <br />describe the numeric criteria for salinity, the implementation plan, the individual salinity control <br />projects and their status. The Council appreciates the assistance each of the federal agencies <br />provided to the Forum during the preparation of the 1996 Review. <br /> <br />These are uncertain times for the Salinity Control Program. Reclamation is implementing its <br />new basin-wide program, the Department of Agriculture's on-farm program has been <br />incorporated into the new and much larger Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and the <br />Bureau of Land Management continues to develop methods for quantifying salinity reduction <br />benefits within its existing land management programs. The Council urges the federal agencies <br />to continue to consult with the Forum and Work Group with regard to program changes, <br />program evaluations, and program implementation schedules. The Council also requests that <br />as organizational changes occur within the agencies, each agency identify where the <br />responsibility for salinity control lies, and that this information be made available to the Forum's <br />Executive Director at the earliest possible date, <br /> <br />The Council subscribes to the implementation plan described in the 1996 Review. However, <br />because of the uncertainties created by the changes occurring in the federal programs, the <br />Council is concerned that insufficient funding will cause delays in the implementation of salinity <br />control reduction measures as described in the 1996 Review with the resulting impact of <br /> <br />COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL ADVISORY COUNCIL <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />-~ ~-'"- <br />