Letter Confirming Understanding Reached in recent Discussions on Pacific Southwest Water Plan

Cover letter: From Elmer B. Staats, Deputy Director, Executive Office of the President, to Stewart Udall, Apr 25, 1964, page 1EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT BUREAU OF THE BUDGET WASHINGTON 25, D.C. APR 25 1964 Honorable Stewart L. Udall Secretary of the Interior Washington, D. C. 20240 Dear Mr. Secretary: This will confirm the understanding reached in our recent discussions on arrangements for further executive branch review of the Pacific Southwest Water Plan. The recent review of the Plan within the executive branch raised a number of questions which need further study and analysis. We believe the Department of the Interior should appropriately take the lead in establishing a task force, along the lines of the interagency board created to study the Passamaquoddy project, to expedite coordinated executive branch review of these issues and problems presented by the Plan. It is suggested that the task force be composed of representatives of the Departments of the Interior, Army, Agriculture, and Health, Education, and Welfare, and observers from the Bureau of the Budget, the Council of Economic Advisers, and the Office of Science and Technology. In addition, the Atomic Energy Commission, the Federal Power Commission, and the Departments of Justice, State, and Treasury could provide helpful assistance in solving special problems involving their program responsibilities, such as alternative power costs and water rights. We are enclosing a list of problems and issues for consideration by the task force, together with copies of the agency letters, which raise these and other questions. The list is not exhaustive, but rather identifies those issues and problems that appear to require immediate consideration. Additional questions will undoubtedly be raised in the course of current congressional hearings on the Pacific Southwest Water Plan. Some of these questions will require appropriate consideration at the national level by the task force in Washington, such as interest rates, guarantees, and agricultural policy implications. Other questions will necessarily require field studies and coordinated investigation by the various agencies with planning programs in the Pacific Southwest region. We would suggest, therefore, that the establishment of the task force should be accompanied by appropriate organizational arrangements to facilitate interagency review and study of these questions in the field, as well as in Washington.Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 2,811,759 byte