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<br />., <br /> <br />tA~ <br />,,:if:,J <br />'.-;~<-" <br /> <br />this proposal, sheep allotments to the extent of 2,450 animal units <br />per month would be revoked, and in the words of the report, "could be <br />lost." However, the report does state that "the program would <br />probably allow limited cattle grazing" in these game management areas. <br />The economic impact of the revocation of the sheep permits has not <br />been computed in the report. <br /> <br />About 4,400 acres of public land would be converted to farm <br />irrigation under the Fruitland Mesa Project. This is an insignificant <br />acreage of public land when compared to the 2,978,000 acres of national <br />forest land in three adjacent national forests and the additional <br />1,201,000 acres of other federal lands located in Delta, Gunnison and <br />Montrose Counties. Even if it were significant, the proposed .dedication <br />of approximately 14,000 acres of public lands in and adjacent to the <br />project area for the primary purpose of improving deer habitat would <br />seem to more than offset the dedication of 4,400 acres of public land <br />to farm irrigation. While this Board has serious misgivings about the <br />necessity for the proposed mitigation measures, we do not object to <br />them in the interest of getting this vitally needed project under way. <br /> <br />. As a part of the review process on the draft environmental <br />impact statement, it is our understandi~ that the Division of Wildlife <br />has or will make a demand that 13,000 acres of private land in the <br />project area be purchased by the federal government for conversion to <br />a wildlife management area. This would be in addition to the 14,000 <br />acres of federal lands which are already proposed to be withdrawn for <br />the primary purpose of improving the deer habitat. <br /> <br />About 7,500 acres of privately owned land now used for dry <br />land pasture would be placed under irrigation by the project. About <br />4,400 acres of public domain would be placed under irrigation and <br />were long ago withdrawn for this purpose. The purchase of 13,000 <br />acres of private land in the project area would completely subvert the <br />purposes of the Fruitland Mesa Project and substantially cripple the <br />economy of that area. The demand is therefore so preposterous as to <br />be beyond belief. It will be resisted with every resource available <br />to this Board. <br /> <br />The continuing implication in recent water resource planning <br />to the effect that both public and private lands in this state should <br />become the exclusive preserve of big game hunters is becoming of <br />increasing concern to this Board. Of further concern is the fact <br />that the conversion of both public and private land from agricultural <br />and livestock operations to big game habitat is not subject to the <br />normal benefit-cost analysis, whereby the economic value of such a <br />conversion can be determined. While big game hunting is of some <br />importance to the people of Colorado, it is not the basis for the <br />economy of this state. We quote with approval a portion of Governor <br />Lamm's Executive Order of September 10, 1976, entitled, '~oa1s and <br />Objectives for Colorado's Long-Range Growth and Development", as <br />follows: "Agriculture is a renewable resource and vital to the State's <br />economy. We must preserve and enhance the agricultural component of <br /> <br />Memorandum <br /> <br />-3- <br /> <br />September 30, 1976 <br />