Omnibus bill includes produced water, South Platte provisions

Posted by egable on April 29th, 2008 filed in Water, Energy development

The House of Representatives will vote tonight on the Consolidated Natural Resources Act, which combines some 60 bills, including Rep. Mark Udall’s (D-Colo.) legislation aimed at making ‘produced water’ brought to the surface in connection with energy development available for use.

“Some of that water is relatively clean, but often it’s contaminated – and too often it is all treated as waste. If we can find ways to make it useable for agriculture or other purposes, it could help supplement water supplies in Colorado and other parts of teh arid west,” Udall said in a statement.

The omnibus bill also includes legislation introduced by Udall that would authorize the Interior Department to fulfill its part in a plan for the South Platte River aimed at protecting endangered species, while allowing farmers and others in Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming to continue using its water.