Laserfiche WebLink
Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 721 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (303) 866-3441 <br />Fax: (.3 303) 866-4474 <br />NVNVwcWcbMatc.comS <br />September 29, 2009 <br />Dave Hunsaker, <br />Acting Colorado Director <br />Bureau of Land Management <br />U.S. Department of the Interior <br />2850 Youngfield Street <br />Lakewood, CO 80215 <br />Dear Dave: <br />Bill Ritter, Jr <br />Governor <br />Harris D. Sherman <br />DNR Executive Director <br />Jennifer L. Gimbel <br />Cl CB Director <br />Dan McAuliffe <br />CWCH Deputy Director <br />I am writing to you to request that you grant additional time for submittals for consideration in <br />the context of BLM's revisions to the Resource Management Plans for the Glenwood Springs <br />and Kremmling field offices where the BLM is considering the "suitability" of certain stream <br />segments for Wild and Scenic designation. My staff has been meeting regularly with your staff. <br />(and a host of other representatives) for the past two years regarding the BLM'S process. I am <br />encouraged by a dialogue that has been initiated with your staff, the Colorado River Water <br />Conservation District, the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Denver Water, Trout <br />Unlimited, Summit County, Eagle County, Grand County, the Northwest Colorado Council of <br />Govermrents, the Wilderness Society, Colorado Springs Utilities, American Whitewater, <br />representatives of stakeholders involved in the lower Blue River management plantiing process, <br />and others to explore alternative approaches to protecting Outstanding Remarkable Values while <br />at the same time considering the State's water supply needs. We appreciate your staff's <br />dedication to working with the State and local entities to determine whether Wild and Scenic <br />designation is the best management alternative for these certain stream segments. <br />As you know, Wild and Scenic designation may or may not be the optimal management too], but <br />I am sure you would agree that a collaborative, consensus-driven approach to protecting those <br />values would be preferable. Given tlie importance of these water resources to the Bureau of <br />Land Management, the State of Colorado, environmental organizations, and local communities, I <br />hope you will be able to support the collaborative process described above. I believe that it <br />would be in the best interests of the State and the Bureau of Land Management to continue this <br />dialogue. <br />Pursuant to your process, which requires you to consider a range of alternatives, we request that <br />you allow additional time for the State, environmental, and local representatives to continue to <br />explore alternatives for resource protection by extending the September 30, 2009 deadline by 60 <br />days to allow the stakeholder group adequate time to refine its proposal. While 60 days may be <br />enough time to resolve the remaining issues, we may seek an additional extension if necessary. <br />Y. <br />would remind you that the Platte River Protection Plan took close to ten years to negotiate and <br />Water Supply Protection - Watershed Protection & Flood Mitigation - Stream & Lake Protection - Water Supply Planning & Finance <br />Water Conservation & Drought Planning * Intrastate Water Management & Development <br />