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001Q27 . . STATUS OF YAMPA-GREEN WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY April 14, 1976 Portions of both the Yampa River and Green River are being studied to determine their potential for inclusion in the National wild and Scenic River System. The Green River study area covers the entire segment of the river within Dinosaur National Monument and Brown's Park National wildlife Refuge in the state of Colorado. The Yampa River study area covers the segment of the river within Dinosaur National Monument in the state of Colorado. Both river sections under study are in Moffat County. The study will be carried out by a joint federal-state study team, including the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, Bureau of Recla- mation, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and other federal and state agencies. Local and regional organizations, citizens groups and individuals have also been invited to participate in the study process. Study team co-leaders will be the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. The end product of this study will be a report and accompanying environmental impact statement that will make recommendations to Congress on whether or not specific segments of the rivers qualify for and should be included as part of the National System. The work plan calls for completion of the draft environmental impact statement by August of 1977 and completion of the draft report by June of 1977. To date, an interagency study team and organiza- tion~5'tructure has been established, a work plan has been prepared and public information meetings have been held. The study team is currently in the process of researching and gathering information to write the draft report. Field inspection trips have been scheduled for ~Iay 24-26 and June 14-17 for the Yampa and Green Rivers. The Colorado Water Conservation Board has agreed to write the regional setting for both the report and environmental impact state- ment. The regional setting will include information on the geology, climate, soils, vegetation, water, fish and wildlife, population, land ownership, history, etc. Several state agencies have been asked to participate in the writing of this report includingfue Division of Wildlife, Geological Survey, Parks and Outdoor Recreation, State Historical Society, and the Colorado River Water Conservation Dist. In addition to writing the regional report, the state agencies will also take part in the final evaluation of the two rivers and in making recommendations to Congress. Public reactions to the Yampa-Green wild and Scenic River Study were solicited at the public information meetings held in Denver, Craig, and Vernal, Utah. At these meetings, support for Wild and Scenic River designation came mainly from environmental groups and