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D,ENVPRRGCKY MQUNTAlti NEWS . . . "THU~SQAY.JjoIl'\I,jll'~OOO , Animas~La Plata project gets boost Campbell renews call for federal action on $300 million proposal By Michael Romano News .Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - The Clinton administration came as close as it ever has Wednesday to giving its stamp of approval to the massive Animas-La Plata water project in southwest Colorado. A top Interior Department offi- cial, testifying before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, said the government is optimistic that the $300 million-plus project can move forward if several "con- cerns" are addressed. "Although we have a number of recommended changes to the bill j .. .," said David Hayes, deputy .' secretary of the Interior, "we be- lieve that the majority of our con- cerns will not be objectionable to the parties and will improve the chance for the final settlement to take hold." Committee chairman Sen. Ben Nighthorse CampbeIl, a Colorado Republican who sponsored the Animas-La Plata legislation, re- newed his call for government ac- tion on the long-stalled project, which is designed to settle water claims of the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute tribes. He said the tribes have already agreed to compromises on the project, including a reduction in funding from the original $750 million. It could be the last chance to avoid an expensive legal battle with the tribes, CampbeIl added. The project, tied up by court challenges, politics and environ- mental activists who are dead-set against it, was first authorized by Congress in 1968. It consists of a dam and reservoir capable of di- verting 57,lOO-acre-feet of water a year. ~ "It is more urgent than ever to reach an agreement on this pro- ject," Campbell said. "My bill rep- resents that last opportunity for we as a nation to do the right thing by honoring our treaty obligations in a manner that is as environmen- tally and fiscally respectful of real- ity as is possible." Environmentalists remain fiercely opposed to the project, calling it a massive and unneces- sary boondoggle underwritten by tax dollars. Even the reduced scope of the latest plan has not appeased opponents. "It still has the same problems that the old project did, and some new ones," said Lori Potter, a Boulder lawyer representing envi- ronmental groups. Chris Changery, Campbell's spokesman, said there is "some room" for negotiation on several of the issues raised by govern- ment officials, who want to ensure that environmental compliance is part of the agreement. , ,