Document xjEGMNq4LO6jqDKx5xkBvbpNQ

To: Peter Carlson[pcarlson@willandcarlson.com] Cc: michelle_brown@ios.doi.gov[michelle_brown@ios.doi.gov] From: Scott Cameron Sent: 2017-03-16T14:43:28-04:00 Importance: Normal Subject: Re: Meeting Request for OWRC Received: 2017-03-16T14:43:43-04:00 Peter, I am copying Michelle who runs my calendar to get a meeting scheduled. Thanks, Scott Scott J. Cameron Special Assistant Water and Science Department of the Interior Phone: 202 208 0969 Cell service 202 706 9031 Sent from my iPhone On Mar 16, 2017, at 2:25 PM, Peter Carlson <pcarlson@willandcarlson.com> wrote: Scott Sorry I missed connecting up with you at the recent ACWA luncheon but I was serving jury duty here in the District. I appreciate the wisdom of the powers that be that brought you in for the Transition, and maybe longer. April Snell, the Executive Director for the Oregon Water Resources Congress (OWRC), a client of mine for some 25 years, and her Board President Blair Nash, Vice President Mike Britton and Federal Affairs Char Marc Thalacker are going to be in town April 26 28th and would like to meet with you to discuss ESA and to talk about FRIMA implementation (see attachment and the yellow highlight starting on page 5) and appropriation/budget issues for FY18 for the Bureau of Reclamation, USGS and the USFWS. Dave Reynolds said you are the best person to see. OWRC was instrumental in creating FRIMA back in the late 90's and I did the work with a staff person from Senator Wyden's office to make it happen and then get it reauthorized. So I can provide additional background if you need it before the meeting. Below is a quick summary of the Wyden Bill that got reduced down to $15M in the WINN legislation that is attached. Their membership has some of the most experience with fish screens in the Northwest. And Marc has been working with other groups ngo's here and out there on other programs like this. He is also heavily involved in the FFA. They know the climate back here is challenging for time but would like a half an hour or so to cover all those topics. Thanks for considering the request. Peter Carlson 202 966 2190 (o) 202 251 6585 (c) Summary The Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act (Public Law 106 502) establishes a voluntary federal cost share program to fund fish screens and fish passage devices in areas that drain into the Pacific Ocean in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and western Montana. The central goal of the program is to screen water withdrawals and build upstream fish passage devices while maintaining a reliable supply of water for various human uses. The program is administered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with state agencies that manage fish and wildlife. FRIMA was signed into law in 2000, and was last reauthorized through 2015 back in 2008. This proposed reauthorization would extend the program from 2017 to 2024 at an authorized funding level of $25,000,000, shared equally among the four states. The program is centered on multisectoral collaboration and is supported by a number of different interests, including farmers, fisheries managers, water users and conservation organizations. History of Success FRIMA has a history of demonstrated success throughout the Pacific Northwest. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to date, 127 projects have been funded through FRIMA. These projects have re opened more than 1,130 miles of habitat to fish passage. In total, 56 barriers to fish passage have been removed, 130 water diversion sites have been screened, and 18 fish passage evaluations have been completed, all while maintaining and improving agriculture irrigation systems <P.L. 114-322 (S. 622) Sectin 4010 of WINN Act of 2016 - FRIMA Reauthorization 031517.docx>