BIG BEND STATION EATON CATTLE COMPANY June 29, 2007 Dear Honorable Governor Bill Ritter and Task Force Members: (Our family has famed in the South Plate River basin For avera hundred years. We appreciate that you have formed a team, in response to the well shut-down criss. However, your characterization of the crisis, ‘describing tas anargument between senior and junior water right holders, isinaceurate. Its not senior and junior water right holders that have created the problem. I mismanaged water resoures. And itis the use ‘of water law, by attomeyssupperted by development of the front range to usurp water fom farmers, so that ‘agricultural land to will become available for development. ‘You state thatthe Task Foreehas ben formed to seek solutions. Since the senior water right holders are not Alissatisied, we assume that those sought ae solutions are for farmers. We want to know, as taxpayers: Ise Task Force only for “seeking” of tis actually tasked with “resolution? itis the former, why then are you wasting Colorado Taxpayers’ ime and resources? My family has heart frm more than one Task Feree member that resolutions are unlikely. Can you promise that you will ‘overcome that? Ifnot, iis hart see the Task Force as other than political posturing r, as we hope, has the Task Force gathered to alleviate the unnecessary crisis that mismanaged water resources have pu, not juston farmers, but onal those who will suffer environmentally, economically and from les safe, less Secure fod supplies? That would be true leadership and wonderful. Ifthe Task Fore’ actual goal is produtvity-something that farmers can relate to-we want to know what kindof Task Force ‘outcome would be considered “solutions”. And we would like to know this today. Sincerely, “The Eaton Cathe Company Dorothy Thomas Phelps iam Faton Phelps, J ‘Ann Eaton Phelps ‘Tersbia Elgin