Rep. Salazar Urges President to Sign WRDA

Water Resources Development Act could ensure water infrastructure needs are met

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John T. Salazar announced today that the Conference Report for H.R. 1495, The Water Resources Development Act of 2007 successfully passed the full House.  WRDA provides the US Army Corp of Engineers with authority to study water resource problems, construct projects and make major modifications to existing projects and studies.  Congress last enacted a water resources bill in 2000; many projects authorized in WRDA 2007 have been pending for years.

This legislation includes a $34 million provision for the construction of a conduit from Pueblo Reservoir to rural communities in the Lower Arkansas Valley.  “The water conduit for Pueblo and Otero Counties is critical to the public safety of the Lower Arkansas Valley.  Already, communities have received notice that they are not in compliance with EPA safety standards,” Salazar said.  This pipeline will provide a regional solution to water quality problems facing communities in Eastern Colorado.

The Conference Report also includes $1 million funding for infrastructure improvements, including housing and community service facilities as well as improvements to the water delivery system to provide clean drinking water to the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation in Montezuma and La Plata Counties.  “This legislation provides the resources vital to updating the system,” said Rep Salazar “The current system providing water to the Ute Mountain Ute tribe is unreliable and unsafe,”

This legislation has now been referred to the President for enactment.  President Bush is threatening to veto this legislation, which also includes provisions that would protect areas like the Gulf Coast from levy disasters similar to those that followed Hurricane Katrina “We can’t prevent natural disasters, but the President can prevent the unnecessary loss of life through projects included in this bill.” Salazar said.