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<br />Senate committee backs water project
<br />
<br />$300 million Animas La Plata
<br />plan for southwestern Colorado
<br />i aims to satisfy tribes' rights
<br />
<br />By Michael Romano
<br />News Washington Bureau
<br />
<br />WASHINGTON - The Senate Indian Affairs
<br />Committee voted Wednesday in favor of the
<br />$300 million-plus Animas La Plata water pro-
<br />ject in southwest Colorado.
<br />It was the first of several votes expected on
<br />the project, which has remained in limbo,
<br />- ~~Jl,~d by legislative inaction, since it was first
<br />
<br />authorized by Congress nearly 32 years ago.
<br />The legislation, which is sponsored by Re-
<br />publican Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, the
<br />committee's chairman, will next be considered
<br />in the Senate by the Energy and Natural
<br />Resources Commitree. Campbell is also a
<br />member of that committee.
<br />Troubled since the start and vigorously op-
<br />posed by environmentalists, the Animas La
<br />Plata project is designed to satisfy the water
<br />rights of the Southern Ute and the Ute Moun'
<br />tain Ute tribes.
<br />Campbell said the government can pay now
<br />- or later -: for. the project. The project has
<br />been significantly scaled down from early esti-
<br />mates that put the price t;igin excess of $700
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />million.
<br />"If we take much longer, the tribes may have
<br />no other choice (than to sue the government),"
<br />Campbell said. "The legal bills, which are the
<br />government's responsibility, will be so high
<br />we'll wish we had built the project."
<br />The House Resources Committee will con-
<br />sider a companion measure in the next several
<br />weeks. That legislation is sponsored by Rep.
<br />Scott McInnis, the Grand Junction Republican
<br />whose congressional district includes the pro-
<br />posed site of the project near Durango.
<br />McInnis recently said he gave the project a
<br />"60-40 percent chance of passing, which is a lot
<br />better than the 40-60 percent chance it had last
<br />session." ." - '~ ~ "r-~<'~ ' .'. ."~. '-"'_'~' ~,'-'.
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