Mr.
Karl
Wirkus
Deputy
Regional
Director
Great
Plains
Region
U.S.
Bureau
of
Reclamation
P.O.
Box
36900
Billings,
MT 59107-6900
RE: Red
River
Valley
Water
Supply
Project,
Preliminary
Comments
on
Draft
Documents
Provided
at
the
August
20,
2002
Open
Forum
in
Fargo,
North
Dakota
Dear
Mr.
Wirkus:
I
am
participating
in
the
Study
Review
Team
on
behalf
of
the
state
of
Missouri. Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
review
and
comment
on
the
three
draft
documents
(hereinafter
referenced
as
MOU,
et
al)
provided
at
the
August
20,
2002
meeting
in
Fargo. Unfortunately,
a
thorough
review
of
the
documents
and
necessary
coordination
was
not
possible
in
the
short
time
allotted,
and
therefore,
at
the
outset
I
respectfully
request
an
extension
of
the
deadline
for
comments. I
do
however,
offer
the
following
preliminary
comments:
-
It
is
critical
to
resolve
the
matter
of
how
the
inconsistencies
in
the
Dakota
Water
Resources
Act
will
be
handled
before
proceeding
with
finalizing
the
three
documents. Some
examples
of
the
inconsistencies
to
which
I
am
referring
relate
to
the
scope
of
the
needs
and
options:
-
Section
8(b)
refers
to
a
study
of
needs
and
options
for
the
Red
River
Valley in
North
Dakota,
and
8(c)
refers
to
an
EIS
to
be
completed
for
options
to
meet
the
needs
of
the
Red
River
Valley.
-
Section
8(a)
defines "water
supply
requirements" that
are
different
from
the
needs
identified
in
8(b).
I
am
aware
that
Dennis
Breitzman
has
requested
legal
review
of
the
first
arrow
point
above. I
have
asked
our
Attorney
General's
Office
to
review
the
Act
for
inconsistencies
as
well,
and
comment
on
how
they
affect
the
MOU,
et
al.
-
It
is
unclear
who
will
be
invited
to
participate
on
the
Cooperating
Agency
Team. At
a
minimum,
it
is
appropriate
to
invite
affected
states,
including
Missouri,
to
be
part
of
this
team.
I
look
forward
to
working
with
you
on
the
policy
issues
related
to
the
Dakota
Water
Resources
Act
and
the
Red
River
Valley
Water
Supply
Study/Project. I
would
also
like
to
express
my
appreciation
to
Dr.
Bach
for
recognizing
the
need
to
have
an
avenue
for
such
discussions. If
you
have
any
questions,
please
contact
me
at
(573)
751-3195.
Sincerely,
DEPARTMENT
OF
NATURAL
RESOURCES
Leanne
J.
Tippett
Assistant
to
the
Director
cc: Dr.
Maryanne
Bach,
Regional
Director,
Bureau
of
Reclamation,
Great
Plains
Region |
