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Congressman John T. Salazar -- Defending Rural Values -- Third District of Colorado
  For immediate release: October 29, 2007  
 
Contact: (202) 225-4761
Eric Wortman, Communications Director
Rick Palacio, Deputy Communications Director
 
 

Rep. Salazar’s Dam Safety Bill Passes House

 
 

With over 1800 dams in Colorado, Salazar has made dam rehabilitation and repair a priority in the 110th Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United States House of Representatives passed, with strong bipartisan support, Rep. John Salazar’s bill, H.R. 3224 – the Dam Rehabilitation and Repair Act of 2007.

Salazar’s bill authorizes the FEMA Director to provide grants for the rehabilitation and repair of publicly-owned deficient dams.  H.R. 3224 provides $200 million over five years to begin repair on our nation’s aging dam infrastructure and requires states to match 35% of the funds necessary to rehabilitate a dam.

“In Colorado, we have over 1800 dams and 741 of them are in my district.  There are 340 Colorado dams classified as high hazard dams – which means they are near people and can potentially endanger life,” said Rep. Salazar.  “We cannot wait for our nation to suffer a catastrophic dam failure that takes life to address this serious issue.”

The legislation provides $4,942,292 to the State of Colorado – desperately needed funding to begin the repair and rehabilitation of unsafe high hazard publicly owned dams.  Salazar’s bill would disperse the funds in the form of grants to states over a five-year period.   High hazard dams owned or operated by state, local, or municipal governments or agencies that provide a significant benefit to the public will be able to compete for rehabilitation funds granted to states.

“H.R. 3224 is a huge first step to improving the safety of critical dams,” said Jack Byers, deputy state engineer, Colorado Division of Water Resources. “I can't say enough about how this bill will provide the initial funding to dams critically in need of repair for public safety.”

Rep. Salazar, the only Coloradan on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, secured broad bipartisan support for the Dam Rehabilitation and Repair Act, assuring passage out of Committee in August.  The bill now moves to the Senate for action.

“All Coloradans stand to benefit from this critically needed funding for repairs to dams across Colorado and the United States,” concluded Salazar.  “I urge my colleagues in the Senate to act as quickly as possible.  We either make the decision to repair our aging dam infrastructure today, or face the potential for catastrophic dam failures across the country in the future.”

 

 
 

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