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Show -3- and to National Organizations. Information could be provided as a bibliography of information on a subject. Note: there is an enormous amount of scientific research and information on a State's natural resources which is not integrated or listed through Range and Forest Experiment Stations, a regional Agency or University level. There Is professional information which is not yet documented or researched and some which would only be "passed on" through word of mouth. 5. Keeping in closer touch with developments locally through contacts with Agencies, Universities, and government entities-their planning and legislative actions at State and local levels. This leads into function number 6. 6. Publicizing timing of needed lobbying, hearings, EIS preparations for National Organization Newsletters and for publications such as High Country News. This is important. No environmental concerns were represented at 1977 hearings in Vernal, Utah, (a) because of distance, (BT because it was a daytime hearing. Two of the written responses from national organizations were sent as a consequence of information I supplied and at my request for a response. In view of the paucity of environmental spokesmen alerted to a situation, particularly at the hearing itself, the environmental message does not get heard amidst the overwhelming pro-development pursuasions. The "voice" representing a national organization concern provides some balance to local justifications for jobs, and economic benefits, and controlled pro-development dominance of the hearings. Benefits of Membership in the Colorado River Basin Coalition 1. The individual member organization could have opportunity to make its particular stance known on a specific area of conflict - the Colorado River Basin. Conversely, local interest or problems could be funnelled back to sources of expertise, as defined in participating member organizations. 2. The Coalition could provide a broader base of resource information to national organizations whose primary objectives are concentrated on specific issues. 3. The "consensus" concern represented by a Coalition on this specific issue - that of development of the Colorado River Basin - could provide opportunity to "reach" some of the public who do not understand, appreciate or even want some environmental groups "interfering" in conflict issues on public lands in their States. The Coalition could "symbolize" broad concern on this one issue. 4. There Is a real need to have an umbrella group representing national concerns about public lands and their resources. - Staffs on Federal Agencies need to be aware of public support Individual staff members need this. They will themselves provide important information if they have confidence how it will be used. - Staffs of Universities will be helpful, depending on who |
