Substantial progress has been made towards implementing all of the prescribed studies and satisfying the stated objectives since the Oil Shale Rehabilitation Project was actively initiated in June 1976. Concurrent with implementation, research objectives were substantively defined and supplemented without distracting or departing from the original purpose. Current studies are designed to fill voids in the present status of knowledge regarding lands disturbed by an impending oil shale industry in Colorado. The efforts of all contributing investigators have therefore been integrated and directed toward the goal of developing methodologies requisite for restoring diverse and complex ecosystems which will require only a minimal amount of maintenance or input of scarce resources. An intensive study site southeast of the Oil Shale Tract C-a has been obtained through a Cooperative Agreement with the Bureau of Land Management. Following this agreement, most subprojects were initiated at the intensive site. Additional programs will be implemented as spent shale becomes available this summer. Studies conducted principally in the laboratory and greenhouse, such as the microbiological and plant genetic studies, have achieved significant results.

From 1995 sites in the San Juan Mountains area, 1706 water and 1982 sediment samples were collected during June-July 1976 and analyzed for uranium. The area includes the southern third of the Colorado mineral belt which has yielded rich ores of gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, and molybdenum. The broadly domed mountains are capped by 2500 m of Tertiary volcanics, deeply eroded to expose a Precambrian crystalline core. Adjacent plateaus underlain by Mesozoic sedimentary rocks were included in the reconnaissance. Average value of uranium in water samples from mountains was less than 0.5 parts per billion, from plateaus was 1-2 parts per billion, from Mancos shale areas exceeded 2 parts per billion. Anomalous sediment samples, 40 ppm uranium, came from near Storm King Mountain and upper Vallecito Creek. Other anomalous areas, including the Lake City mining district, were well defined by 4-30 parts per million uranium in sediment and 3-30 parts per billion uranium in water. Anomalous areas not previously reported indicate favorable areas for future exploration.

Memorandum from Roberto Ornelas, Chairman of the LULAC Foundation, dated February 8, 1977, and directed to Supreme Council members and all Council Presidents of League of United Latin American Citizens. The memo is regarding a $50,00 grant for the establishment of a LULAC office in Denver, Colorado and the search for a new Executive Director and Executive Secretary of that office.