Confidential Letter to the President

Letter: From Grant Sawyer, Governor of Nevada, to The President, February 1, 1965 (carbon copy)THE STATE OF NEVADA EXECUTIVE CHAMBER CARSON CITY February 1, 1965 CONFIDENTIAL The President The white House Washington 25, D. C. My dear Mr. President: On January 26 and 27 the Committee of 14 concerned with the Colorado River salinity problem met with Mr. Robert Sayre of your staff, Orren Beaty, Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior, Joe Friedkin, Commissioner, United States Section, International Boundary and Water Commission, members of the Bureau of Reclamation and members of Mr. Friedkin's staff. At this meeting the seven Basin States, through their representation on this committee, were requested to review and if possible give endorsement to the draft of recommendations on the Colorado River salinity problem as negotiated and agreed to by the International Boundary and Water Commission, which recommendations were contained in Minute No. 218. I consider the solution to this very grave international problem as contained in Minute No. 218 to be an outstanding achievement on the part of the United States negotiators and I do endorse the recommendations contained therein. I understand the intent of that Minute to be the operation of the proposed facilities and present structures on the Colorado River to accomplish approximately the same salinities in the waters reaching Mexico as obtained during the year 1964. I also under stand that operation of the river under this Minute will have to be very exact to accomplish the intent of the Minute. I am therefore concerned over the potential increase and development of the Wellton-Mohawk area during the 5-year period of this temporary solution. I would recommend that the Secretary of the Interior place a moratorium on the development of additional lands on the Wellton-Mohawk area until he is satisfied that he can administer the intent of Minute No. 218 with those additional lands included. I wish to express my deep appreciation for the consideration given to the seven States, including my State of Nevada, to participate in the solution to our very grave international problem existing with Mexico because of the salinity problem. Very truly yours Grant Sawyer Governor of Nevada GS:dkm CC: Secretary of the Interior Secretary of StateEpson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 24 bit, 4,606,084 byte