Memorandum for the President on Decision on the Pacific Southwest Water Plan

Memorandum: From Stewart Udall, to the President, "Decision on the Pacific Southwest Water Plan," April 7, 1964 (carbon copy), page 2-2- We believe the President should approve the Pacific Southwest Water Plan. This decision would avoid the political pitfalls--would make the President the advocate of water statesmanship and regional compromise. As we see it, the other alternatives are: 1) Endorse the Hayden Bill and defer action on the Regional Plan until next year. This course would be very bad politics in California. Would break faith with Governor Brown. 2) Withhold all reports and announce that further study of regional plan is needed, This would cause a furor on the Hill. Would produce a stalemate on new water projects in the West--and leave us open to the "no new starts" charge in the campaign this fall. Stewart L. Udall Secretary of the InteriorEpson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 3,184,570 byte