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<br />,""", <br />(;1 <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />The project will have a stabilizing effect on the fluctuating tourist <br />economy of today. It will also assist in developing a favorable balance of <br />for the local area as well as for the Nation. <br />The project has a direct benefit-cost ratio of 1.29 to one and a total <br />benefit-cost ratio of 1.41 to one. <br /> <br />trade <br /> <br />Repayment <br />The project is currently estimated to cost $336.3 million. Of this amount <br />$19.8 million would be nonreimbursable in the form of recreation, fish and wild- <br />life, and cultural resource costs. Of the remaining $316.5 million, $198.6 would <br />be repaid from Colorado's share of the Colorado River Storage Project revenues <br />and $117.9 or 37 percent would be repaid by local entities. <br />This compares to 20 percent of the reimbursible costs of the Dolores Project <br />that are repayable by local entities. <br /> <br />Taxes <br /> <br />All property within the proposed Animas-La Plata Conservancy District will <br />be subject to an advalorem tax, not to exceed one-half mill prior to the first <br />delivery of project water and one mill thereafter. To put this into perspective, <br />a person now paying $1,000 in property taxes could have those taxes increased by <br />a maximum of about $13.00 to $16.00, depending on the school district in which <br />the property is located. <br /> <br />Population Growth <br /> <br />Based on data from other Bureau of Reclamation projects, that agency has <br />estimated the peak population influx to La Plata County during the eighth year of <br />project construction would amount to about 3,700 people. Of that number about <br />1,000 would be of school age. This will obviously have a heavy impact on housing, <br />traffic, schools, police protection and other community services. <br />At the Durango Chamber of Commerce retreat in Pagosa on March 16 and 17, <br />1979, that group recommended that the Animas Regional Planning Commission and its <br />staff be asked,to analyze the temporary construction impacts of the project and to <br />recommend techniques and proceedures that could help the area cope with these im- <br />pacts. As an example, when Navajo Dam was built, the prime contractor built a <br />temporary trailer park for construction employees. After the project was com- <br />pleted, the park was obliterated and landscaped. Temporary school buildings might <br />be used. <br />The ARPC could not be asked to make a decision as to whether to build the <br />project. Approval of the project involves the following: (1) formation of a new <br />water conservancy district, which is a petition process, but goes to an election <br />if there is a counter petition, (2) a mandatory election of the people within the <br />new conservancy district boundary to ratify a project repayment contract, and (3) <br />congressional appropriation of construction funds. <br /> <br />Summary <br /> <br />The project will provide the service area with a strong economic base, large- <br />ly agriculture, which provides new wealth that is critically needed to assist in <br />maintaining a favorable balance of trade both locally and nationally. It will also <br />provide municipal water for five cities and the surrounding rural areas at a lesser <br />cost than these entities could build separate facilities. <br /> <br />-6- <br />