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Appendix A Statement of Task The committee will review the government's biological opinions re- garcTing the effects of I(lamath Project operations on species in the I(lamath River Basin listecT uncler the EnciangerecT Species Act, inclucTing coho salmon ancT shortnose ancT Lost River suckers. The committee will assess whether the biological opinions are consistent with the available scientific informa- tion. It will consider hycTrologic ancT other environmental parameters (in- clucTing water quality ancT habitat availability) affecting those species at critical times in their life cycles, the probable consequences to them of not realizing those environmental parameters, ancT the inter-relationship of these environmental conditions necessary to recover ancT sustain the listecT species. To complete its charge, the committee will: 1. Review ancT evaluate the science unclerlying the Biological Assess- ments (USER 2001a,b) ancT Biological Opinions (USFWS 2001; NMFS 2001 ). 2. Review ancT evaluate environmental parameters critical to the sur- vival ancT recovery of listecT species. 3. Identify scientific information relevant to evaluating the effects of project operations that has become available since USFWS ancT NMFS prepared the biological opinions. 4. Identify gaps in the knowlecige ancT scientific information that are neeclecT to clevelop comprehensive strategies for recovering listecT species ancT provide an estimate of the time ancT funding it wouicT require. 379
380 APPENDIX A A brief interim report will be proviclecI by lanuary 31, 2002. The interim report will focus on the February 2001 biological assessments of the Bureau of Reclamation ancI the April 2001 biological opinions of the U.S. Fish ancI WilcIlife Service ancI National Marine Fisheries Service regarding the effects of operations of the Bureau of Reclamation's I(lamath Project on listecI species. The committee will provide a preliminary assessment of the scientific information used by the Bureau of Reclamation, the Fish ancI WilcIlife Service, ancI the National Marine Fisheries Service, as cited in those documents, ancI will consider to what clegree the analysis of effects in the biological opinions of the Fish ancI WilcIlife Service ancI National Marine Fisheries Service is consistent with that scientific information. The commit- tee will identify any relevant scientific information it is aware of that has become available since the Fish ancI WilcIlife Service ancI National Marine Fisheries Service prepared the biological opinions. The committee will also consider any other relevant scientific information of which it is aware. The final report will thoroughly aciciress the scientific aspects relatecI to the continued survival of coho salmon ancI shortnose ancI Lost River suck- ers in the I(lamath River Basin. The committee will identify gaps in the knowlecige ancI scientific information that are neeclecI ancI provide approxi- mate estimates of the time ancI funding neeclecI to fill those gaps, if such estimates are possible. The committee will also provide an assessment of scientific considerations relevant to strategies for promoting the recovery of listecI species in the I(lamath Basin.