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Congressman John T. Salazar -- Defending Rural Values -- Third District of Colorado
  For immediate release  
  June 29, 2005  
 

CONGRESSMAN SALAZAR TO HEFLEY: "LET'S CLEAN UP FOUNTAIN CREEK"

 
 

WASHINGTON, DC –Congressman John T. Salazar (D-Pueblo) reached out to Congressman Joel Hefley (R- Colorado Springs) today in an effort to move ahead with the clean up of Fountain Creek.

"Pueblo and Colorado Springs have long standing history of water disputes," said Salazar. "But I am confident that we can work together, build bridges between our communities to solve a decades-long problem."

Salazar hopes to pull together a working-group meeting with Hefley, as well as officials from the relevant federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Health.

"All communities have a right to clean water," said Salazar. "The taxpayers of Pueblo should not have to carry the burden of the clean up cost simply because they live downstream."

The complete text of Salazar’s letter follows:

Dear Congressman Hefley:

I write to ask for your assistance in solving the reoccurring problem of Colorado Springs’ raw sewage spills in Fountain Creek. Over the last eight years there have been spills combining for over 73,000,000 gallons of sewage into Fountain Creek. Colorado Springs has spilled over 400,000 gallons of sewage in just this last year alone. Pueblo and other downstream parties are becoming increasingly frustrated with this continuing problem.

As you may know, there have been talks by some of the downstream users to pursue legal remedies. While Colorado Springs has apologized, they have not offered to pay for the costs Pueblo has incurred related to the spills. I believe that the burden of cleanup costs should not have to be carried by the taxpayers of Pueblo simply because they live downstream.

I would like to work with you to bring Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and the necessary regulatory parties together to find a possible solution without the use of the court systems. I am optimistic that by working together we can find a solution to a decades-long problem.

Sincerely,

John T. Salazar

Member of Congress

 

 
 

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