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<br />o <br />-..J <br />CD <br />o <br /> <br />1997 ANNUAL REPORT <br /> <br />These are uncertain times for the Salinity Control Program. Reclamation is implementing its new <br />basin-wide program, the Department of Agriculture's on-farm program has been incorporated into <br />the new and much larger Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and the Bureau of Land <br />Management continues to develop methods for quantifYing salinity reduction benefits within its <br />existing land management programs. The Council urges the federal agencies to continue to consult <br />with the Forum and Work Group with regard to program changes, program evaluations, and program <br />implementation schedules. The Council also requests that as organizational changes occur within <br />the agencies, each agency identify where the responsibility for salinity control lies, and that this <br />information be made available to the Forum's Executive Director at the earliest possible date. <br /> <br />The Council subscribes to the implementation plan described in the 1996 Review. However, <br /> <br /> <br />because of the uncertainties created by the changes occurring in the federal programs, the Council <br /> <br />is concerned that insufficient funding will cause delays in the implementation of salinity control <br /> <br /> <br />reduction measures as described in the 1996 Review thereby increasing the risk of exceeding the <br /> <br /> <br />nwneric criteria in the future. It is imperative that the federal agencies vigorously pursue adequate <br /> <br /> <br />funding for salinity control projects, including appropriate funding for the operation and maintenance <br /> <br /> <br />of completed projects, in the Administration's budget request each year and encourage Congress to <br /> <br /> <br />appropriate the funds necessary to cany out the salinity control activities set forth in the 1996 <br /> <br /> <br />Review in a timely manner. <br /> <br />Bureau of Reclamation <br /> <br />On July 28,1995, Reclamation's Salinity Control Program was amended by the signing of Public <br />Law 104-20. Under this new authority, Reclamation no longer develops and implements its own <br />salinity control projects but requests proposals from other entities for salinity control projects. <br />Reclamation then evaluates proposals, selects appropriate projects and provides a portion of the <br />funds for implementation. The Council appreciates Reclamation's willingness to include members <br />of the Forum's Work Group on the committee that evaluates and selects the projects to be funded <br /> <br />COLORADO RIVER BASIN SAUNITY CONTROL ADVISORY COUNCIL <br /> <br />3 <br />