Agenda Item 12

• Board Meeting Date: 3/18/2008
• Description: CF Section - Review of Porposed Policy #18 - Water Management Partnership Program
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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UNLIMITED
Drew Peternell, Director- arld Counsel, Colorado Water Project
March 7, 2008
Via Electronic Mail
Ms. Jennifer Gimbel and Mr. Mike Serlet
Colorado Water Conservation Board
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Re: CWCB Policy 18
Dear Jennifer and Mike:
Thank you for meeting with members of the conservation community eazlier this week to
discuss CWCB Policy 18. We appreciated the opportunity to discuss the policy with you. As
requested, this letter contains the position of the undersigned organizations on policy 18 as
currently drafted, as well as some proposed conditions that would, we believe, :more acciuately
reflect how you have said you want to use this policy.
Because it would allow the CWCB to make non-reimbursable investments in water
supply projects, and to receive an ownership interest in the project or its water yin exchange,
Policy 18 represents a dramatic change in the way that the state of Colorado subsidizes water
development. What has not changed under the current draft of the policy, however, aze 'the
interests and values that would benefit from the CWCB's expenditure of state dollars. P-s we
read the policy, the CWCB could buy into a water development for any reason it deems
appropriate, without any requirement that the project serve any purpose other than water supply.
From our point of view, if the CWCB is going to spend state dollars to acquire ownership
interests in water projects, there should be a requirement that the project serve values anal
interests beyond just water supply, especially those values and interests that have not
traditionally benefited from CWCB financing.
Thus, as currently written, the undersigned organizations would oppose Policy 18.
Before we could consider supporting it, the policy would need to include conditions on the
CWCB's expenditure of Policy 18 dollazs. Such conditions would include the following:
• The policy should allow the CWCB to make anon-reimbursable investment in ai water
development project only in an amount corresponding to the extent that the project
benefits values or interests of the statewide concern other than water supply. Such values
would include creation of recreational opportunities, endangered species preservation,
instream flow protection or other benefits to the environment. If financing is to be
Trorct IIr:lirnitert: America's Leading Coldwater Fisheries Conservation Organization
1320 Pearl Street, Suite 320, Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 440-29370 • Fax: [phone] • www.tu.org