U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

June 16, 2005

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Press Secretary

                        202-228-3630

Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary

                        303-455-7600

 

SEN. SALAZAR ANNOUNCES $75M IN FEDERAL FUNDS IN WATER PROJECTS IN APPROPRIATIONS BILL

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Senator Ken Salazar today announced the inclusion of $75 million in federal funds for water projects across Colorado as part of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today.

“In Colorado, water is our lifeblood. Every Coloradan works hard to protect this valuable resource and these funds will help ensure we have plentiful water resources for years to come,” Sen. Salazar said.

Under the 20 projects that Sen. Salazar successfully worked to include in the FY06 Energy and Water Appropriations bill, Colorado is positioned to receive over $75 million in earmarked federal funds, including over $6.4M on the eastern and northern plains and $62.6M on the Western Slope and southwest Colorado. These projects include:

  • $60M for the Animas-La Plata Project to fund continued construction activities on the Durango pumping plant and the dam located in Ridges Basin, the lynchpin of the 1988 Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement. This is $8 million more than the request submitted by President Bush earlier this year;
  • $250K for study of the Fountain Creek Watershed in El Paso County;
  • $2.6M for the John Martin Reservoir for routing operations and maintenance of this 2.6-miles-long concrete and earthfill structure in Bent County that controls flood waters from an 18,130 square mile drainage area;
  • $3.5M for Chatfield Reservoir and Trinidad Lakes for continued renovation and construction work, an increase of $2.5M over the request submitted by President Bush earlier this year; and
  • $50K to study flooding on Roaring Fork River near Basalt, CO to examine multipurpose flood damage reduction and environmental restoration.

The FY06 Energy and Water Appropriations bill will now be considered by the whole Senate.

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