Senate Energy Committee approves land, water bills

Posted by egable on September 11th, 2008 filed in Water, Public lands

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources approved several key Colorado land and water bills today, including legislation to designate lands in Mesa, Montrose and Delta Counties as the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. The committee also passed legislation to rehabilitate the Jackson Gulch Irrigation Canal in Montezuma County, authorize construction of the Arkansas Valley Conduit in southeastern Colorado and protect open space in and around the Arapahoe-Roosevelt National Forest in northern Colorado.

The Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area Act, introduced by Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), would designate approximately 210,000 acres of federal land on the Uncompahgre Plateau as the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, of which approximately 65,000 acres would be designated as the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area.

The Arkansas Valley Conduit Act, introduced by Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.), would establish a 35 percent federal cost share for the construction of he Arkansas Valley Conduit, a proposed 130-mile water delivery system from Pueblo Dam to communities throughout the Arkansas River Valley. The conduit was originally authorized in 1962 as part of the Fryingpan-Arkansas project.

The Jackson Gulch Rehabilitation Act, introduced by Sen. Salazar, would authorize federal funding to rehabilitate the Jackson Gulch irrigation canal, which delivers water from Jackson Gulch Dam to residents, farms and businesses in Montezuma County. In addition to providing supplemental agricultural water for about 8,650 irrigated acres and a domestic water supply for the Mesa Verde National Park, the Mancos Project also delivers water to the more than 500 members of the Mancos Rural Water Company, the town of Mancos and at least 237 agricultural businesses.

The Front Range Mountain Backdrop Act, introduced by Sen. Salazar, would direct the Forest Service to work with local communities to identify ways in which they can protect open spaces and natural resources near the Arapahoe-Roosevelt National Forest.

The bills will now move to the floor for consideration by the full Senate.

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