| OCR Text |
Show 14*!5 N. 10 St. Manitowoc, Wis/ 54220 February 17, 1980 Bob Golten, Senior Counsel National Wildlife Federation Natural Resource Clinic University of Colorado School of Law Boulder, Colorado 81309 Dear Bob: At the concluding meeting of the April 1979 National Dam Conference - where Colorado Ris^e Basin attendees were focusing on this Basin's Issues - we agreed to "have" or to "form" a Colorado River Basin Coalition. We hadfino time thenn, nor has any one taken time since, to formulate such an organization. ibRecently, after receiving comments on my White River Dam document, I thought I would try to start the ball rolling to organize sich a Coalition. There appears to be great concern about Issues Impending in the Basin - related to energy developments and their Impacts on fish, wildlife, recrea&$nn, ecological disruption, total loss of some resources, and so frth. But the concerns reflect the Individual purposes of the organizations, I.e., some groups have greater interest in recreation renting and kayaking over fish and wildlife resources. But the developments will impact everything. To start the ball rolling, I sent the two people who took lead positions at the Dam Conference in the Coalition idea - Pat Parenteau and Brent Blackwelder. I drew up a Draft inquiry to send to conservation organizations to sound out their Interest In supporting a Colorado River Basin Coalition. (Enclosed) This Draft approach was based on both Information and dollar support to the Coalition from these organizations, to start with. And its premise was one of two-way street cooperation between each and ail through a flow of information to and from group PIdqtrs. and the public constituency working in the Basin. Pat has replied indicating; he thought the Coalition idea is a good one but that I should contact you to wor& it out as well as coordinate Ideas with Ed. Osann. Brent is very busy on a number of issues and political concerns and probably will not be able to consider this proposal until the Dam Conference - where a Coalition could be discussed among Basin 'groups. I would suggest that we initiate some thinking and planning about a Coalition in advance of the Dam Conference so we have concrete ideas to lay before people. We need to consider the following: 1. How broad based should the Coalition purpose and activity be? Do we concentrate on stopping dam developments? Do we prppose alternatives for water use and management? Do we involve our "constituency* in Agency Land Use Planning and wildlife pro- |
