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<br />t <br />/. <br />~J. . ',-.. '" <br /> <br />EVANS GETS COMMITMENT ON PROJECTS <br />From "Montezuma Valley Journal" <br />August 5, 1976 <br />By Byron McKelvie <br /> <br />An evidently definite commitment has been forced out of the Bureau <br />of Reclamation by U.S. Rep. Frank E. Evans, D-Colo., for advertising <br />of bids on the Dolores River Project to be out about June I, 1977, it <br />was announced this week. <br /> <br />Evans, learning of a statement by the bureau's regional director, <br />Dave Crandall in Montrose last Friday that four projects, including the <br />Dolores, would be delayed for one year, made calls to bureau commissioner <br />Gil Stamm. <br /> <br />Stamm, EVans related to the Montezuma valley Journal Monday, assured <br />him that the bids on the construction phase of the projects will be <br />during this coming fiscal year. Those on the Dallas Creek, Savery-Pot <br />Hook and Fruitland Mesa projects will be advertised by Jan. 1, 1977, and <br />those on the Dolores about June 1, 1977. <br /> <br />"There apparentlr, will not be a year's delay in any of these Western <br />Slope water projects, ' Evans said. <br /> <br />When the Third Congressional District Congressman heard about the <br />statement in Washington Friday afternoon, he immediately contacted <br />Stamm's office. Stamm himself was on his way to a meeting in San Diego. <br /> <br />"I told the bureau that any further appreciable delay in the water <br />projects was 'totally unacceptable,'" Evans recalled. "I also demanded <br />a reversal of the delay." <br /> <br />Within an hour after Evans' first call, Stamm's office called back <br />saying that ''by cutting corners and condensing work," the bureau could <br />possibly go to construction contracts on Dallas, Savery and Fruitland <br />by Jan. 1. <br /> <br />Late Sunday, Evans, reported, Stamm met with bureau officials <br />gathered at San Diego to confirm the new information. Stamm contacted <br />Evans from San Diego Monday morning. <br /> <br />''Washington and regional offices of the bureau now know that:I."want <br />a detailed report of every delay cited on these projects," Evans told <br />the Journal. "I want to know how delays happened and what is being done <br />immediately to remedy the problems. The bureau must move on these water <br />projects." <br /> <br />Evans' inquiries came at about the same time that Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board Director Felix Larry Sparks proposed in Montrose <br />that the Bureau of Reclamation be made accountable for the delays in <br />projects which he pointed out are against the wishes of the 1968 Colo- <br />rado River Basin Project Act. <br /> <br />C:> '\ 1r/~ <br />