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<br />~', ' <br />\t~l;:' <br /> <br />(:~ <br /> <br />- 3 - <br /> <br />~-. I <br />\ <br /> <br />Between 1984 and 1988, the Federal government represented <br />principally by the Departments of Interior and Justice, the States <br />of Colorado and New Mexico, the two Indian Tribes, and approximately <br />15 water districts in southwest Colorado, and numerous other water <br />entities, after having spent an incalculable amount of time and energy <br />and millions of dollars, succeeded in negotiating the Colorado Ute <br />Indian Water Rights Settlement Agreement which was approved by the <br />U.S. Congress in 1988. Included in the Agreement is the paramount <br />concept that the Animas-LaPlata Project would be constructed in order <br />to supply water to the two Indian Tribes and to some non-Indians in <br />order to avoid long and costly litigation that might result in dis- <br />placing hundreds of non-Indians because they could not make a living <br />in the area. <br /> <br />" <br />-",:! <br /> <br />"~ <br /> <br />Ci! <br /> <br />.~ <br />~~1 <br />~ <br /> <br />:"-.'; <br /> <br />,"-,: <br />" <br /> <br />The U.S. Congress appropriated $5.9 million to initiate construc- <br />tion of the Animas-LaPlata Project in 1990. Presently, it appears <br />that the Congress will appropriate $13.4 million for such use in 1991. <br />Under present conditions none of the money can be used due to recent <br />and current events regarding the protection of the endangered Colorado <br />River squawfish in the San Juan River downstream from Navajo Dam which <br />is in New Mexico. Hearings are also scheduled to be held which may <br />result in declaring the razorback sucker an endangered species in the <br />San Juan River. <br /> <br />k-:,' <br />L'- <br />~~ <br />~:~, <br />f~ <br /> <br />,.'( <br /> <br />/;~& <br />:"',,-}',-- <br />lit <br />.~- <br />;,'<' <br /> <br />On the basis of the discovery during fish surveys in 1987, 1988, <br />and 1989, of 27 Colorado squawfish in the San Juan River, the Fish and <br />Wildlife Service prevailed upon the Bureau of Reclamation to request <br />reinitiatIon of Section 7 consultation with respect to the Animas-LaPlata <br />in February, 1990. <br /> <br />. '~ <br /> <br />.-~ . <br />