Congressman John T. Salazar, Third District of Colorado

Congressman Salazar's Funding Priorities for Energy & Water

As a new member of the Appropriations Committee, I have new oversight responsibilities for the spending of federal dollars, as well as an increased role in the prioritization of federal spending.

For too long, the process of Congressional funding requests lacked transparency and accountability, leading some members of Congress to abuse it and the public trust. Since assuming the majority in 2007, Congressional Democrats have significantly reformed the process, including ensuring that every American can easily determine which member of Congress has submitted a requests.

Below you will find a list of my funding requests for the Energy & Water Appropriations bill.

Mancos Project-Jackson Gulch Rehabilitation Project
$2,785,400
Mancos Water Conservancy District
42888 Road ‘N'
Mancos, CO
The Mancos Project is over 60 years old and rehabilitation is essential due to advanced structural deterioration and structural distress, seepage, loss of an access road due to land slides and additional risks of land slides. Municipal and agricultural water is diverted to and from Jackson Gulch Reservoir by 4.9 miles of concrete and earthen canal. Drinking and Agricultural water is essential for the livelihood of the residents in Southwestern Colorado.

Tamarisk Eradication, CO
$100,000
Army Corps of Engineers-Albuquerque District
4101 Jefferson Plaza NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
This project, located along the Arkansas River, consists of various management measures to restore aquatic and hydrologic functions and conditions and related riparian and seasonal wetland habitats. Tamarisk is known to suck dry creek beds, rivers, and all other water sources which are already limited in Colorado.

Arkansas Valley Conduit
$5,000,000
Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District
31717 United Avenue
Pueblo, CO 81001
This project will provide drinking and agriculture water to over 40 cities and 50,000 people in the Lower Arkansas basin

Fort Garland Geothermal Energy System
$760,000
Colorado Historical Society
1300 Broadway
Denver, CO 80203
The funding would be used for installation of a geothermal/radiant floor heat system at the historic Fort Garland complex. This area is well known for its strong potential for natural geothermal usage. This project would include the placement of new geothermal wells, heat pumps, tanks, radiators and flooring. The Fort Garland Museum is located in a rural area without access to municipal gas lines. Currently, three different heating systems are used at Fort Garland: electric, propane, and diesel where costs for all three sources are at the whim of fluctuating market prices and the nature of these markets poses a serious problem to an already limited budget. Additionally, fuel-based systems pollute outside air, while forced-air heating systems are ill-suited for museum specific collections preservation standards.

Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership
$1,097,000
Southwest Land Alliance
450 Lewis St
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
The Town of Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County Colorado is a deeply depressed and financially distressed community of roughly 12,000 people, with a tremendous abundance of natural beauty and natural resources, such as one of the largest and most complex natural hot springs in the world, but whose economy has been built on the narrow fulcrum of tourism, second home development, and construction, making is exceptionally vulnerable to economic fluctuations outside of its direct control. It will not only provide affordable, organic, locally grown food for people and businesses, but also serve as a center for K-12 Science Education, year round community gardens, and, most importantly, as a kind of a branding tool for attracting new types of businesses and people intrigued and inspired by a community embracing the new energy economy and local foods movement to re-vitalize itself using resources it already has: People, Geothermal Water, and Sunlight, simply used in a new way.

Creede Flume
$250,000
Army Corps of Engineers
2223 North Main St
Creede, CO 81130
The Army Corps built the flood control channel on Willow Creek tributary to the Rio Grande in1950. It runs through the center of town and bisects the business district. The project has surpassed its 50 year life expectancy and is in severely deteriorated condition. The upper walls and rim have some damage; however, the significant damage is at the toe of the bank slopes. This project will replace the flume invert with a 12' reinforced concrete slab including a 12' high curb at each toe.

San Luis Valley, CO (Regional Flood Plain Management Services Program Special Study)
$500,000
Army Corps of Engineers
4101 Jefferson Plaza
Albuquerque, NM 87109
Our floodplain data is extremely out of date (1987 Flood Plain Maps) these maps do not contain the data needed to adequately determine flood plain, base flood elevations or cross section areas. The San Luis Valley as a whole, needs to be re-studied so that the staff can give adequate information to protect the health and welfare of its residents' and stay in compliance with FEMA as we all (counties) are participants and have adopted the Flood Plain Management Rules and Regulations (FEMA).

Adams State Solar Project
$750,000
Adams State University
208 Edgemont Blvd
Alamosa, CO 81102
The Adams State Solar Project is a 2.56 MW solar PV system to be located on and around the buildings at Adams State Community College in Alamosa, Colorado. The project will directly support the full time employment of 45 people in the United States solar industry and will create an estimated 64 local jobs in the San Luis Valley during the project's installation whose presence will further drive indirect investment in the local community. The project will also produce an estimated 5.3 MWh of clean energy annually, the equivalent of removing 792 cars from the road.

Renewable Energy Demonstration Project at Old Ft. Lewis College
$1,500,000
Ft Lewis College
1000 Rim Drive
Durango, CO 81301
Fort Lewis College is a charter signatory of American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment and this past year approved a climate action plan that outlines how the campus will achieve climate neutrality. The 200kW solar array is a key component of the plan and aligns the College with Governor's Greening Government Initiative. The solar array, along with the small wind turbine, will help establish the Old Fort as a demonstration site for the College's sustainability programs and provide ongoing applied research projects for Fort Lewis College students. The energy efficiency audit will help the College balance the often competing goals of energy efficiency and historic preservation and could serve as a model for other projects around the nation.

Pine River Indian Irrigation Project Assessment and Rehab
$1,950,000
Southern Ute Indian Tribe
356 Ouray Drive
Ignacio, CO 81137
Explanation: The project is an engineering evaluation and condition assessment, with initiation of construction on project components requiring the least amount of engineering design, for an Indian irrigation project serving both Indians and non-Indians. The irrigation project itself consists of approximately 175 miles of canals and ditches, as well as a 1/6th share in an aging reservoir storing approximately 125,000 acre-feet of water for irrigation and other purposes. This project will also create over 50 jobs.

Rio Grande Basin, NM, CO, and TX
$750,000
Army Corps of Engineers
4101 Jefferson Plaza
Albuquerque, NM 87109
The Rio Grande Basin is located in the states of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, and encompasses an area of over 160,000 square miles, from the Rio Grande's headwaters in central Colorado to its mouth on the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, Texas. Water conveyance and delivery, ecosystem degradation, and flooding are major issues in the basin. Water supply and flood control in the Rio Grande Basin fall under the management and jurisdiction of an international treaty, an interstate compact, and several Federal, State and local agencies. The study will identify ways to integrate the programs, policies, and resources of all concerned agencies into a multi-objective water resources plan.

Trinidad Lake
$1,343,000
Army Corps of Engineers
4101 Jefferson Plaza
Albuquerque, NM 87109
The project provides flood damage reduction as one unit of the flood control plan for the Purgatoire River and Tributaries, Colorado. Trinidad Dam is located on the Purgatoire River at river mile 160.5, an Arkansas River tributary, in Las Animas County, Colorado, approximately 4 miles upstream from the city of Trinidad. The dam is an earth fill structure 6,610 feet long with a maximum height of 200 feet above streambed. The reservoir has two uncontrolled spillways. The project controls flood waters from a 671 square mile drainage area. The project has been operational since 1977.

Threat Biomass to Fuel System
$1,000,000
Pueblo Board of County Commissioners
215 W 10th St
Pueblo, CO 81003
Operate an advanced renewable fuel production system to convert pine beetle infested trees to bioethanol. The system will produce 80,000 gallons of bioethanol annually for use in local and state owned E85 vehicles. The Threat Biomass to Fuel System will utilize the beetle infested biomass cut down and stockpiled at various locations in Colorado by the Rocky Mountain Region of the U.S. Forestry Service. Millions of acres of lodgepole pine in Colorado are infested with the pine beetle and have the potential to support a local energy industry producing millions of gallons of bioethanol while sustaining hundreds of jobs throughout the state.

Arkansas Valley Conduit
Language
Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District
31717 United Avenue
Pueblo, CO 81001
The purpose of this request is to give the Bureau of Reclamation the authority to reimburse the SECWCD for their work and financial assistance provided to the Arkansas Valley Conduit.

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Home About John Contact Helping You Issues Appropriations Kids' Page News Room Photo Gallery Third District Visit Washington, DC E-News Sign-up Name: E-mail: Subscribe Unsubscribe Search this site: Privacy Policy		Congressman Salazar's Funding Priorities for Energy & Water As a new member of the Appropriations Committee, I have new oversight responsibilities for the spending of federal dollars, as well as an increased role in the prioritization of federal spending. For too long, the process of Congressional funding requests lacked transparency and accountability, leading some members of Congress to abuse it and the public trust. Since assuming the majority in 2007, Congressional Democrats have significantly reformed the process, including ensuring that every American can easily determine which member of Congress has submitted a requests. Below you will find a list of my funding requests for the Energy & Water Appropriations bill. Mancos Project-Jackson Gulch Rehabilitation Project $2,785,400 Mancos Water Conservancy District 42888 Road ‘N' Mancos, CO The Mancos Project is over 60 years old and rehabilitation is essential due to advanced structural deterioration and structural distress, seepage, loss of an access road due to land slides and additional risks of land slides. Municipal and agricultural water is diverted to and from Jackson Gulch Reservoir by 4.9 miles of concrete and earthen canal. Drinking and Agricultural water is essential for the livelihood of the residents in Southwestern Colorado. Tamarisk Eradication, CO $100,000 Army Corps of Engineers-Albuquerque District 4101 Jefferson Plaza NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 This project, located along the Arkansas River, consists of various management measures to restore aquatic and hydrologic functions and conditions and related riparian and seasonal wetland habitats. Tamarisk is known to suck dry creek beds, rivers, and all other water sources which are already limited in Colorado. Arkansas Valley Conduit $5,000,000 Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District 31717 United Avenue Pueblo, CO 81001 This project will provide drinking and agriculture water to over 40 cities and 50,000 people in the Lower Arkansas basin Fort Garland Geothermal Energy System $760,000 Colorado Historical Society 1300 Broadway Denver, CO 80203 The funding would be used for installation of a geothermal/radiant floor heat system at the historic Fort Garland complex. This area is well known for its strong potential for natural geothermal usage. This project would include the placement of new geothermal wells, heat pumps, tanks, radiators and flooring. The Fort Garland Museum is located in a rural area without access to municipal gas lines. Currently, three different heating systems are used at Fort Garland: electric, propane, and diesel where costs for all three sources are at the whim of fluctuating market prices and the nature of these markets poses a serious problem to an already limited budget. Additionally, fuel-based systems pollute outside air, while forced-air heating systems are ill-suited for museum specific collections preservation standards. Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership $1,097,000 Southwest Land Alliance 450 Lewis St Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 The Town of Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County Colorado is a deeply depressed and financially distressed community of roughly 12,000 people, with a tremendous abundance of natural beauty and natural resources, such as one of the largest and most complex natural hot springs in the world, but whose economy has been built on the narrow fulcrum of tourism, second home development, and construction, making is exceptionally vulnerable to economic fluctuations outside of its direct control. It will not only provide affordable, organic, locally grown food for people and businesses, but also serve as a center for K-12 Science Education, year round community gardens, and, most importantly, as a kind of a branding tool for attracting new types of businesses and people intrigued and inspired by a community embracing the new energy economy and local foods movement to re-vitalize itself using resources it already has: People, Geothermal Water, and Sunlight, simply used in a new way. Creede Flume $250,000 Army Corps of Engineers 2223 North Main St Creede, CO 81130 The Army Corps built the flood control channel on Willow Creek tributary to the Rio Grande in1950. It runs through the center of town and bisects the business district. The project has surpassed its 50 year life expectancy and is in severely deteriorated condition. The upper walls and rim have some damage; however, the significant damage is at the toe of the bank slopes. This project will replace the flume invert with a 12' reinforced concrete slab including a 12' high curb at each toe. San Luis Valley, CO (Regional Flood Plain Management Services Program Special Study) $500,000 Army Corps of Engineers 4101 Jefferson Plaza Albuquerque, NM 87109 Our floodplain data is extremely out of date (1987 Flood Plain Maps) these maps do not contain the data needed to adequately determine flood plain, base flood elevations or cross section areas. The San Luis Valley as a whole, needs to be re-studied so that the staff can give adequate information to protect the health and welfare of its residents' and stay in compliance with FEMA as we all (counties) are participants and have adopted the Flood Plain Management Rules and Regulations (FEMA). Adams State Solar Project $750,000 Adams State University 208 Edgemont Blvd Alamosa, CO 81102 The Adams State Solar Project is a 2.56 MW solar PV system to be located on and around the buildings at Adams State Community College in Alamosa, Colorado. The project will directly support the full time employment of 45 people in the United States solar industry and will create an estimated 64 local jobs in the San Luis Valley during the project's installation whose presence will further drive indirect investment in the local community. The project will also produce an estimated 5.3 MWh of clean energy annually, the equivalent of removing 792 cars from the road. Renewable Energy Demonstration Project at Old Ft. Lewis College $1,500,000 Ft Lewis College 1000 Rim Drive Durango, CO 81301 Fort Lewis College is a charter signatory of American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment and this past year approved a climate action plan that outlines how the campus will achieve climate neutrality. The 200kW solar array is a key component of the plan and aligns the College with Governor's Greening Government Initiative. The solar array, along with the small wind turbine, will help establish the Old Fort as a demonstration site for the College's sustainability programs and provide ongoing applied research projects for Fort Lewis College students. The energy efficiency audit will help the College balance the often competing goals of energy efficiency and historic preservation and could serve as a model for other projects around the nation. Pine River Indian Irrigation Project Assessment and Rehab $1,950,000 Southern Ute Indian Tribe 356 Ouray Drive Ignacio, CO 81137 Explanation: The project is an engineering evaluation and condition assessment, with initiation of construction on project components requiring the least amount of engineering design, for an Indian irrigation project serving both Indians and non-Indians. The irrigation project itself consists of approximately 175 miles of canals and ditches, as well as a 1/6th share in an aging reservoir storing approximately 125,000 acre-feet of water for irrigation and other purposes. This project will also create over 50 jobs. Rio Grande Basin, NM, CO, and TX $750,000 Army Corps of Engineers 4101 Jefferson Plaza Albuquerque, NM 87109 The Rio Grande Basin is located in the states of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, and encompasses an area of over 160,000 square miles, from the Rio Grande's headwaters in central Colorado to its mouth on the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, Texas. Water conveyance and delivery, ecosystem degradation, and flooding are major issues in the basin. Water supply and flood control in the Rio Grande Basin fall under the management and jurisdiction of an international treaty, an interstate compact, and several Federal, State and local agencies. The study will identify ways to integrate the programs, policies, and resources of all concerned agencies into a multi-objective water resources plan. Trinidad Lake $1,343,000 Army Corps of Engineers 4101 Jefferson Plaza Albuquerque, NM 87109 The project provides flood damage reduction as one unit of the flood control plan for the Purgatoire River and Tributaries, Colorado. Trinidad Dam is located on the Purgatoire River at river mile 160.5, an Arkansas River tributary, in Las Animas County, Colorado, approximately 4 miles upstream from the city of Trinidad. The dam is an earth fill structure 6,610 feet long with a maximum height of 200 feet above streambed. The reservoir has two uncontrolled spillways. The project controls flood waters from a 671 square mile drainage area. The project has been operational since 1977. Threat Biomass to Fuel System $1,000,000 Pueblo Board of County Commissioners 215 W 10th St Pueblo, CO 81003 Operate an advanced renewable fuel production system to convert pine beetle infested trees to bioethanol. The system will produce 80,000 gallons of bioethanol annually for use in local and state owned E85 vehicles. The Threat Biomass to Fuel System will utilize the beetle infested biomass cut down and stockpiled at various locations in Colorado by the Rocky Mountain Region of the U.S. Forestry Service. Millions of acres of lodgepole pine in Colorado are infested with the pine beetle and have the potential to support a local energy industry producing millions of gallons of bioethanol while sustaining hundreds of jobs throughout the state. Arkansas Valley Conduit Language Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District 31717 United Avenue Pueblo, CO 81001 The purpose of this request is to give the Bureau of Reclamation the authority to reimburse the SECWCD for their work and financial assistance provided to the Arkansas Valley Conduit. Back to Appropriations
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