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,. . 4he Pueblo Chieftain Online Page 2 of 2 <br />In his speech Thursday, Salazar said: <br />He would work to establish a federal water easement program, which would <br />allow farmers and ranchers to continue to use the water that serves their land <br />for agricultural purposes while selling the development rights only to a federally <br />authorized purchaser. <br />He would oppose any use of federal funds for transbasin water diversion unless <br />both the sending and receiving basins are in agreement on mitigation to <br />prevent the seller from economic or environmental damages. Salazar <br />mentioned the legislation being sponsored by Rep. Joel Hefley, R- Colorado <br />Springs, which calls for studying the expansion of Lake Pueblo and allows the <br />Bureau of Reclamation to enter into new storage agreements with Aurora. <br />Salazar said that legislation is tilted in favor of the Front Range cities over <br />Western Slope water and he would oppose it - reflecting the opposition of the <br />Colorado River Conservation District to the measure. <br />He led the unsuccessful effort in the General Assembly last session to require <br />that communities receive adequate economic mitigation when water is <br />transferred out of their local basins. That measure was blocked by Denver <br />metro area lawmakers. <br />©1996- 2004The Pueblo Chieftain Online <br />http: / /www. chieftain. com /print.php ?article= /metro/1093633446/7 8/27/2004 <br />