Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Improvement Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

Mr. SALAZAR. Madam Speaker, I'd like to share with you and my esteemed colleagues the importance of the Upper Colorado River and San Juan River Basin Endangered Fish Recovery Program.

This program is a premier example of how to recover endangered fish species while also providing more than 3 million acre-feet of water per year to Federal, tribal and non-Federal water projects.

It has been cited as the most successful fish recovery program in the United States and is used as a model for other recovery programs developed across the country.

Today I am introducing the ``Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Improvement Act of 2009'' to ensure this program can finish the restoration projects identified for complete success.

This bill extends the authorization of programs until 2023. At that time the fish species of concern will be fully recovered and the infrastructure in place to ensure continued success.

The projects completed to date on the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins are examples of outstanding cooperation among a diverse group of local, state and federal governmental agencies, environmental groups, water users and utility consumers.

People ask why they've never heard of this recovery program and that's because it has been so successful. The fish identified as being under threat have been substantially maintained.

This bill is critical for the continued and final success of the projects necessary for recovery of the endangered fish.

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