John Salazar Works To Secure  Clean Water Funds For Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

Water resources bill now moves to the Senate for consideration

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Rep. John Salazar (CO-3) joined the majority of House members Thursday in approving the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (H.R. 1495). This bill authorizes approximately $15 billion for water resources studies and construction projects by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

H.R. 1495 passed by a vote of 394 to 25.

Last year similar legislation passed the House, but was stalled in the House-Senate conference negotiations.  Legislation authorizing water resources has not been enacted since 2000.

In Colorado, H.R. 1495 will secure one million dollars for water and wastewater related infrastructure for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.

As the only Coloradan on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Army Corps of Engineers, Salazar gathered support for this critical clean water project in WRDA.

“Every American has the right to clean water,” Salazar said. “But the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe has been suffering because of poor water quality.  This funding for water projects will go a long way toward making the water safe.”

Since Salazar came to Congress in 2005, he has held a seat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and has worked to fund construction of a wastewater system to service the Tribe’s homes and facilities.

The Ute Mountain Ute reservation, whose headquarters community is Towaoc, is located in an isolated section of southwestern Colorado.  The system that provides water to tribal members is very outdated and unsafe.  Members of the Tribe need significant infrastructure improvements including housing and community service facilities, but providing a safe water supply is an immediate priority.

“The needs of the Third Congressional district are great, and the resources are stretched thin,” said Salazar. “The federal government needs to be a strong partner with local communities. That partnership will be strengthened by this commitment of federal dollars.”

The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.