 |
 |
 |
|
ask.heather@mail.house.gov
|
In Washington DC
442 Cannon House
Office Building
Washington, DC
20515
202-225-6316 Phone
202-225-4975 Fax |
In Albuquerque
20 First Plaza NW
Suite 603
Albuquerque, NM
87102
505-346-6781 Phone
505-346-6723 Fax |  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Congresswoman Heather Wilson, First Congressional District of New Mexico
Home » Word-duh » Wilson Named Conferee for Defe... » Wilson Works to Increase Water... » Wilson Supports Bingaman Domen... » A True American Hero » Fliers Ready, Passports Aren`t » STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE HE... » Medicare Change Helps New Mexi... » Wilson Announces Possible Vet ... » Energy & Commerce Committee Pa... » Baca Ranch Sale is Official » KIRTLAND TAPPED FOR MAJOR NEW ... » E-Newsletter, Volume 6, Issue ... » Wilson Calls on Secretary Nort... » Wilson Touts NM Homeland Secur... » E-Newsletter, Volume 6, Issue ... » Rep. Wilson Wants to Improve T... » E-Newsletter, Volume 5, Issue ... » Wilson Appointed to House Page... » Placitas Library Gets $350K » Wilson Announces Federal Funds... » Thanking Our Troops » The Great American Jobs Machin... » Wilson Welcomes Next Step in I... » A bracelet and a simple questi... » Wilson Nails the E-mails » How you can help ... » Wilson Announces Federal Fundi... » Wilson Introduces Legislation ... » Wilson Statement on Iraq Suppl... » Wilson Added to Commerce Healt... » Wilson Supports Veterans And H... » Resources for Veterans » Kirtland AFB Hosts Successful ... » Wilson Announces Hearing on ‘S... » Wilson Announces Over $79,000 ... » Wilson Urges Stronger Federal ... » E-Newsletter Vol 2 Issue 6 » Wilson Opposes Union-Only Labo... » E-Newsletter, Volume 5, Issue ... » Wilson: Congress Should Heed G... » Wilson’s Spam Act Passes Overw... » Wilson: Don`t Charge Parents ... » New Mexico Students Can Reach ... » Wilson Votes to Create Jobs an... » Wilson Working to Raise Profil... » Wilson Introduces NM Aquifer A... » Wilson Applauds Deal to Purcha... » Bill to Protect N.M. Land Goes... » E-Newsletter Vol 3 Issue 7 » Jobs, schools, health care fac... » We`re Back! » Wilson: House Passes Comprehen... » Wilson: Albuquerque Companies ... » ‘Scooby’s Bill’ Gets Hearing i... » Recriminations on Capitol Hill... » Wilson Opposes Bush Administra... » Statement on Colin McMillan`s ... » Wilson Works to Raise Profile ... » State of the District » E-Newsletter Volume 6 Issue 58 » A woman`s place is in... » E-Newsletter, Volume 6, Issue ... » E-Newsletter Vol 2 Issue 28 » Facing Challenges Together » Home Heating Help » Wilson: LANL Has Long Road to ... » Adding Prescription Drugs to M... » Wilson Encourages Cuomo To Rel... » Border Patrol Job Fair » E-Newsletter, Volume 6, Issue ... » Wilson Asks DOE to Release Oil... » E-Newsletter Volume 4 Issue 10 » Wilson demands answer from Edu... » Welcome Home » Wilson Statement regarding res... » Wilson Attaches Amendment to P... » Wilson Votes to Override Veto ... » Wilson Opposes Troop Increase » E-Newsletter Vol 4 Issue 9 » E-Newsletter Vol 2 Issue 7 » E-Newsletter Vol 3 Issue 6 » Wilson touts education bill be... » E-Newsletter Vol 1 Issue 8 » E-Newsletter, Volume 6, Issue ... » Wilson Supported TB Bill Passe... » Iraq » Wilson, Pearce, U.S. House Wei... » The Electoral College » Wilson Introduces NM Water Pla... » Wilson: Medicaid Is Broken & N... » Tax Day Draws Near: Informatio... » Wilson Encouraged by Job Creat... » Congress poised to approve New... » Changing Trains » Rep. Wilson Working on $200,00... » Wilson Announces Expanded Chir... » E-Newsletter Vol 2 Issue 25 » Video Test » Wilson Hails Funding for Viole... » Wilson Introduces Bill to Give... » Celebrate National Hispanic He... » Albuquerque Man Presented with... » Strengthening mental health ca... » Domenici & Wilson Confirm That... » Wilson Reports on Economy at A... » Wilson Sheds Light on Solar Po... » Restoring the Rio Grande
|
|
 |
| Restoring the Rio Grande |
October 06, 2000 |
| |
| Dear Friends,
Long before I entered public service one of my friends said to me, "You like to color outside of the lines." That`s still true. I like to find unique solutions to seemingly insoluble problems. I don`t always succeed, but I still don`t pay attention to the lines.
We had some success last week in getting the resources to do something different in the Middle Rio Grande. The Energy and Water Appropriations bill includes almost $16 million for leasing water rights, restoration of the channel, research on water and the fish, and breeding and transplantation projects for the silvery minnow. And the bill forces people to work together to get the project done.
I don`t take full credit for it. Senator Pete Domenici was leading the effort on the Senate side and he`s the chairman of the spending committee. New Mexico is lucky to have him.
There`s been a group of people meeting in Albuquerque over the last two years that my staff and I have participated in along with Senator Domenici`s office. It`s a diverse group of environmentalists and city people and the tribes. What we`ve talked about is whether there is a way to avoid disputes about water and the silvery minnow in the Rio Grande from becoming a battle in the courts where all that is left is bad blood and no real winners. Could we color outside of the lines?
When the head Washington, D.C. lawyer for the Interior Department issued an order -- without prior notice to local folks who were working on the problem -- that pretty much federalized New Mexico water, I thought maybe we wouldn`t really have a chance to try a different solution. But maybe we still do.
We started in the House spending bill with some money to lease water and build some fish structures. Senator Domenici increased the money in the Senate. A significant amount of money was added to the bill in the Conference committee between the House and the Senate with input from the White House. It made sense to put it where there was community consensus about the need and people willing to color outside of the lines. . . .
So, we`ve got an opportunity and the resources to do some things differently, and I`m glad.
Wish you were here,
Heather |
|
|
|
|
|