For Immediate Release: May 20, 2010
Eric Wortman, Communications Director
Contact: (202) 536-6190
Edward Stern, Deputy Press Secretary
Congressman Salazar heralds the passage of his fish recovery bill in the House
Improving the quality of the San Juan and upper Colorado River Basins
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman John Salazar announced the passage of the Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Improvement Act of 2010. This legislation, which was sponsored by Congressman Salazar, authorizes funding for the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program. The programs were established under cooperative agreements as multi-agency partnerships in 1988 and 1992 respectively. These recovery programs are recovering populations of endangered Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub, bonytail and razorback sucker species. These programs are currently scheduled for a reduction in funding in 2011. The Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Improvement Act of 2010 will authorize the annual base funding for the upper Colorado and San Juan fish recovery programs through fiscal year 2023. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
On the passage of the Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Improvement Act of 2010, Congressman Salazar offered the following statement:
“The passage of this legislation will help ensure that the vital restoration work these programs have started can be accomplished. The work that’s been done so far in the San Juan and the upper Colorado River Basins is an example of outstanding cooperation among a diverse group of local, state and federal governmental agencies, environmental groups, water users and utility consumers. I’m glad to have been able to help this effort.”
Recovery program partners include the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming; the Southern Ute Tribe; the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe; the Jicarilla Apache Nation; the Navajo Nation; environmental organizations; water users; CRSP power customers; the Bureau of Reclamation; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the Bureau of Land Management; the National Park Service; the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and the Western Area Power Administration.
###