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<br />. G.J3'09S <br /> <br />PAGE 7 <br /> <br />ECONOMIC ASSET TO COLORADO. OR WE COULD AUTHORIZE THE STATE WATER <br />CONSERVATION BOARD TO PREPARE THE PAPERWORK NECESSARY TO APPLY FOR A <br />PERMIT FOR AN ALTERNATIVE SITE, EITHER AT ESTABROOK OR SOMEWHERE <br />ELSE ON THE PLATTE. <br /> <br />THIS IS NOT A ROLE THE STATE LEGISLATURE TRADITIONALLY HAS PLAYED. <br />BUT I BELIEVE IT IS A LEGITIMATE ROLE FOR IT TO PLAY. THIS IS MORE <br />THAN A SIMPLE ISSUE OF WATER FOR METROPOLITAN DENVER. IT IS AN <br />ISSUE OF HOW WE DEVELOP NATURAL RESOURCES AND HOW WE BALANCE THAT <br />DEVELOPMENT AGAINST OUR OTHER VALUES. IT IS AN ISSUE OF WHETHER WE <br />ARE GOING TO DAM ONE OF THE FRONT RANGE'S LAST FREE-FLOWING RIVERS <br />AND FLOOD RECREATIONAL AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES WHICH ARE UNMATC.dED SO <br />CLOSE TO OTHER URBAN AREAS IN THE U.S. IT IS A QUESTION WHICH <br />SHOULD BE DECIDED BY MORE THAN SINGLE-PURPOSE AGENCIES LIKE WATER <br />BOARDS OR DISTRIBUTORS. <br /> <br />FINALLY, OVER TIME WE NEED TO GIVE SERIOUS THOUGHT TO HOW TO ADAPT <br />OUR SYSTEM FOR MAKING WATER DECISIONS TO THE NEW REALITIES CREATED <br />BY INCREASING FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT, LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT I MEAN. <br />TRADITIONALLY, WATER HAS BEEN ALMOST EXCWSIVELY A STATE AND LOCAL <br />ISSUE. WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID GET INVOLVED, IT DID SO TO <br />FINANCE DEVELOPMENT -- SUCH AS THE COLORADO-BIG THOMPSON PROJECT. <br />INCREASINGLY SINCE THE 1970' S. HOWEVER. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS <br />EASED OUT OF FINANCING AND INTO PROTECTING WILDLIFE HABITAT <br />, <br /> <br />DESIGNATING WILDERNESS AND WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS, AND ENFORCING <br />WATER QUALITY STANDARDS. <br />