U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release February 17, 2005		CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Press Secretary 202-228-3630 Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary 303-455-7600
SEN. SALAZAR OFFERS PSOP PROPOSAL Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ken Salazar will support any plan to enhance water availability in the Arkansas River Basin. But his support of the Preferred Storage Option Plan (PSOP) is conditioned upon the ability of all interested parties to reach an agreement that addresses the environmental and economic impacts of water transfers on downstream communities. “For too long the lower Arkansas River communities have been withering on the vine because their agricultural land is drying up – an answer is needed now,” said Salazar. “I want all the interested parties to come together and develop a solution that provides additional water and helps the lower Arkansas River communities thrive again.” Senator Salazar offered the following suggestions for resolving the PSOP impasse: • An Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) could establish a water allocation formula that is satisfactory to all of the parties. • The IGA could establish an economic development fund to be used to mitigate impacts of water transfers out of the Arkansas River Basin. • The fund could be used to create a water bank for the Lower Arkansas River area and help finance the construction of the Arkansas valley conduit, which would provide good clean and affordable water supply to Southeastern Colorado communities. • The fund could be funded by additional assessments on municipal water supplies and managed jointly by the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District and the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District. “This possible solution brings everyone to the table and addresses the needs and concerns of everyone involved,” said Salazar. “At the end of the day, I am willing to work with all interested parties to develop a positive solution that will enhance water availability and protect our agricultural communities.” Included below is a letter written by Senator Salazar to all the Arkansas River Basin interested parties discussing Senator Salazar’s concerns and proposal. To: Commissioner Peter Binney, City of Aurora Mr. Jim Broderick, Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District Mr. Andy Colosimo, Colorado Springs Utilities Mr. Glenn Evertt, Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District Mr. Alan Hamel, Pueblo Board of Water Works Commissioner Loretta Kennedy, County of Pueblo Mr. Eric Kuhn, Colorado River Water Conservancy District Mr. Stephen Mathis, Colorado River Water Conservancy District Commissioner Anthony Nunez, County of Pueblo Mr. Brian Person, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation - Eastern Colorado Region Commissioner Matt Puelen, County of Pueblo Mayor Lionel Rivera, City of Colorado Springs Mr. Terry Scanga, Jr., Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District Mr. John Singletary, Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District Mr. Bob Stovell, City of Colorado Springs Mayor Ed Tauer, City of Aurora Councilman Randy Thurston, City of Pueblo Mr. Phillip Tollefson, Colorado Springs Utilities Mr. Jay Winner, Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District Mr. Thomas Young, Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District CC: U.S. Senator Wayne Allard U.S. Representative Bob Beauprez U.S. Representative Diana DeGette U.S. Representative Joe Hefley U.S. Representative Marilyn Musgrave U.S. Representative John Salazar U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo U.S. Representative Mark Udall From: Senator Ken Salazar Date: February 16, 2005 RE: PSOP Legislation Thank you for participating in the water forum that Congressman John Salazar and I held in Pueblo, Colorado, on January 29, 2005, to discuss the proposed Preferred Storage Option Plan (PSOP). I appreciate your taking time on a Saturday afternoon to discuss this important issue, and I value your input. As you know, I have been actively engaged in agriculture as a farmer and rancher for much of my life. My grandparents and parents passed along to me the values of preserving and protecting our land and water for future generations. In that respect, I have great concerns about how any legislation that would permit additional water transfers out of the Arkansas River Basin will affect agriculture and the economies of the rural communities downstream of Pueblo Reservoir. I have seen how water transfers from agricultural to municipal uses have adversely affected the counties of Otero, Crowley, Bent, Prowers and Kiowa in the Lower Arkansas River Basin. The last time I flew over the Lower Arkansas Valley, I was disappointed to see how much agricultural land has been dried up as a result of these transfers. Based on the input we have received from all of you, it appears there is broad consensus to go forward with the proposed study of the feasibility of expanding Pueblo and Turquoise Reservoirs. Additional water storage would benefit farmers and ranchers in the Lower Arkansas Valley as well as Aurora and Colorado Springs, among others, who want to use excess water in the Fryingpan-Arkansas project to meet their future needs. But it is equally important to ensure that any legislation that would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to manage non-project water stored in Pueblo Reservoir must also address the environmental and economic impacts of transferring water out of the Arkansas River Basin. I strongly support any plan to enhance the availability and use of water in the Arkansas River Basin. I cannot, however, support any PSOP legislation – including something similar to the bill introduced by Representative Hefley in the 108th Congress (H.R. 4691) – until all of the interested parties, including the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, reach an agreement that addresses my concerns with respect to the environmental and economic impacts to the areas downstream of Pueblo Reservoir. For example, an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) could establish a water allocation formula that is satisfactory to all of the parties, and it could establish an economic development fund to be used to mitigate impacts of water transfers out of the Arkansas River Basin. The fund could be used to create a water bank for the Lower Arkansas River area and to help finance the construction of the Arkansas Valley Conduit, which would provide a good clean and affordable water supply to Southeastern Colorado’s communities in Prowers, Bent, Kiowa, Otero and Crowley Counties. Such a fund could be funded by additional assessment on municipal water supplies and managed jointly by the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District and the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District. I am willing to work with all of you to devise a solution that will be satisfactory to all the stakeholders involved. Thank you for your thoughtful comments at our meeting in Pueblo and your continued efforts to solve this important problem. I look forward to hearing from you. # # #