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C'j c.o -' STATEMENT OF THE SOUTHWESTERN COLORA.J)O WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT BEFORE THE PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Washington, D.C., I~y 22, 1973 Nr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Committee: !iy name is Fred Kroeger and I ani Vice-Chairman of the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the South- western Water Conservation nistrict of Colorado. As you know there are nine authorized water resource development projects in Colorado which have previously received the careful consideration of the Congress. Authoriza- tion of these projects was considered to be a milestone in our area. We are, to say the least, dismayed that the r;xecutive Branch of Government has not requested continued funding for these projects. He are requesting an appropriation for the Animas...La Plata Project in the amount of '::375.000.00, 'the Dolores Project in the amount of :~3l0 .000.00 and the San Hi/;uel Project in the 8l11ount of :;220000.00. l'le are advised that these sUmS are needed if our water projects are to continue in an orderly manner of development as orirrinally intended by the Congress. Ilany years of effort have ~one into securing the authorization of these projects. Bn each and every case the local people and water conservancy districts involveu have expended great amounts of time, effort and fina.n<" cial resources in bringing these projects to their current status. ~~e commitment contained in the 1968 Colorado River Basin Project Act regarding concurrent construction of our water project with the construction of the Central Arizona Project is' not being met. We call your attention to the fact. that to our knowledge, not one of the nine authorized projects in the State of Colorado particularly the five which were authorized concurrently with the Central Arizona Project have had an environmental impact statement completed or submitted for review to the proper agencies under the provisions of the ilational LnviroIll1lental Policy Act. It is difficult for me as a small town businessman as well as for the people of rr.y area to understand the processes of Government by which the Congress authorizes for construction. projects which collectively will provide an economic stimulus to our area which is desirable and so desper.. ately needed and then discover that the will of the Congress can apparently be effectively thwarted by the l;xecutive Branch of our Government. The continued decline of our rural population will never be reversed unless better economic opportunities are presented to our young people to encour-- age them to remain in our area. As you gentlemen know, the costs for construction in terms of labor and materials for these projects annually increases at a rate which is terrifying. Continued delay in the schedule of construction means only larger costs. Early construction will brinl, an immediate and drar:latic realization of the untold benefits which Ifill accrue to the people not only of our area, but the entire United f,tRt~~ ~rom the cOlnpletion of these ~