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<br />Lawsuit threat gains senators support <br /> <br />, <br />'" '.'1ilI', <br />t ' I~'m ~ t, ~*.~~ <br />"i' ,QjC1idlf'" <br />'" ~"4", <br />-> ~_.~~ ~" <br /> <br />Copyright @ 1998 The Durango Hera/d. All <br />rights reserved. <br /> <br />rm <br /> <br />1l!!;;.m <br /> <br />http://www.durangoherald.comlnewss9098.htm <br /> <br />OOD850 <br /> <br />Lawsuit threat gains senators <br />support <br /> <br />July 9, 1998 <br /> <br />By Deanna M. Murray <br />Special to the Herald <br /> <br />WASHINGTON - Three senators voiced support Wednesday for the San Juan <br />Water Commission's threat to sue over the Clinton administration's rejection <br />of Animas-La Plata Lite. <br /> <br />Colorado Sens. Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Wayne Allard and New Mexico <br />Sen, Pete Domenici, all Republicans, said the Bureau of Reclamation's June <br />24 statement opposing the water project frustrated the New Mexico-based <br />commission, which backs A-LP, and the Ute tribes in Southwest Colorado. <br /> <br />"The commission is at its wit's end with the government on this issue," <br />Campbell said. "The administration's refusal to implement the law is <br />exasperating for them and for those of us ... trying to get something done with <br />this legislation." <br /> <br />The project to pump water from the Animas River to the La Plata Valley was <br />authorized by Congress in 1968, but never built. In a bid for funding, <br />supporters last year offered a stripped-down version at one-third the estimated <br />cost ofthe full A-LP project. <br /> <br />The San Juan Water Commission said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner <br />E1uid Martinez ignored non-Indian water issues when he proposed fmding a <br />better way to provide water to the Ute tribes. <br /> <br />"We feel like we have been left out," commission Executive Director Randy <br />Kirkpatrick said in a telephone interview from Farmington. "The <br />administration is willing to work with the tribes, but what about the rest of us <br />who are counting on this project?" <br /> <br />Eric Stein, general counsel for the Ute Mountain Ute tribe, said the tribe is <br />also considering litigation but won't decide until after a House committee <br />hearing on the A-LP Lite bill July 28. <br /> <br />Allard said he would be surprised if the House committee endorses A-LP Lite <br />over the administration's opposition. <br /> <br />"This administration hasn't wanted to support any water projects in the area," <br />he said. <br /> <br />NV~iEd~.i~Jlim~]f!~Li1;!J <br /> <br />Comments on the site? Send' em to the webmaster{a},durangoherald.com. <br /> <br />1 of 1 <br /> <br />7/16/98 10:00 AM <br />