McInnis: No Dam Without City Support

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McInnis: No dam without city support Page 1 of 1 The Pueblo Chieftain Online Select file then print to print this article. Publish Date Friday May 3rd, 2002 McInnis: No dam without city support By PETER ROPER The Pueblo Chieftain U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis, R- Colo., has assured City Council he will not support the federal legislation to reauthorize the Fryingpan- Arkansas federal water project until the city has obtained satisfactory guarantees that the Arkansas River will have an adequate flow through Pueblo. "Congressman McInnis has said he represents the people of Pueblo and he will not endorse (House Resolution 3881) until the city is satisfied with the legislation," Blain Rethmeier, McInnis' spokesman, said Thursday. "Of course, he is also confident that both sides will eventually reach an agreement." The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District is urging Congress to approve HR 3881, which would authorize a study of expanding Pueblo Reservoir as well as reauthorize the 40- year -old federal water project The dispute between the Southeastern district and City Council is over the flow of the river between Pueblo Dam and Fountain Creek. The city wants a guarantee there would be a flow of at least 500 cubic feet per second during the summer months. Southeastern officials have said they intend to protect the river flow through the city but have stopped short of a guarantee in the legislation. The district is made up of the nine counties that are served by the Fry -Ark project. District officials have refused the explicit guarantee the city is seeking because that could affect fixture water "exchanges" out of Pueblo Reservoir, particularly for the,chies of _ Colorado Springs, Fountain and Aurora. City officials have said they are concerned those future exchanges could shrink the river thror • h Downtown into a feeble trickle without a guarantee. As a result; city officials testified. against HR 3881 during a hearing before a House subcommittee earlier this spring. Council President Mike Occhiato had been outspoken and critical of McInnis for not openly siding with the city in the dispute. He told his colleagues last Monday that McInnis had assured him in a private conversation that he would not endorse HR 3881 until city officials were Rethmeier confirmed that Thursday. Southeastern officials hoped to bring HR 3881 to a vote before the full House in the near future but the dispute with has slowed the measure's progress. U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, R- Colo., has also stepped back from endorsing the legislation while the dispute continues. City and Southeastern officials are scheduled to meet again on May 20. ©1996-2002 The pueblo Chieftain Online file: / /C:\ unzipped \McInnisNodamwithoutcity\McTnni sNodamwithoutcity.htm 05/06/2002