Thomas Daschle: “In the past, there has not been any real concern about revising the master manual. The master manual was written by the…”

“In the past, there has not been any real concern about revising the master manual. The master manual was written by the Corps of Engineers in 1960. It has been the law of the land with regard to the operation of the river since that time, now 40 years. There has been an effort underway in earnest over the course of this last year to look for ways that more accurately reflect how the Missouri River ought to be managed, taking into account, now, the extraordinary relevance of fish and wildlife issues. Economically, the fish, wildlife and recreational benefits of the river now constitute over $80 million. Navigation constitutes $7 million. In economic wherewithal, that is what the reality is today: $7 million for navigation, over $80 million for fish, wildlife and recreation. Yet the master manual is written in a way that only recognizes the navigational issues because that is all there was in 1960 when this was written. The Corps is now looking for a way to provide better balance.”