Wild & Scenic Rivers South Platte River

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Mr. Bradley` Mr. Bingaman' Mr. Rockefeller` 'Indicates vote by proxy. COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS The Committee amended S. 1819 in two substantive ways along with a number of technical and conforming amendments. Amendment number 1 provides for a new set of maps reflecting the segments of the river that are administered by the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior for the portions of the river segments in Rocky Mountain National Park. Amendment number 2 is a technical amendment changing a township number. Amendment number 3 provides that the segments of the river designated within Rocky Mountain National Park be administered by the Secretary of the Interior and provides specific authorization for appropriations for development, land acquisition, and the study identified in section 3 of the Act. Amendments numbered 4 and 5 limit the contribution of the United States to the study to a maximum of $150,000. SECTION- BY-SECTION ANALYSIS The basic components which led to the introduction of legislation ' proposing the Cache la Poudre River as a Wild and Scenic River are reflected in section 1 of S. 1819, which amends section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, 16 U.S.C. 1274, by designating 75 miles of the river in various wild and recreational segments. Section 2 of this legislation is a savings provision which discusses the protections for the Wild and Scenic River values and water supply interests in this legislation. - Section 2 contains three broad concepts: (1) to recognize and pro- tect the existing water supply management regime for the river;.(2) to assure that the Wild and Scenic designation will not be used to prohibit the permitting of a project utilizing the Grey Mountain site entirely downstream from all designated segments, but also provide the basis for requiring reasonable measures, through the permitting process, to minimize impacts on the Wild and Scenic River segments; and (3) to clairfy and define the reservation of water established by the designation of the Cache la Poudre as wild and scenic, in relation to Colorado and Federal law. Section 2 begins by recognizing that the inclusion of the desig- nated portions of the Cache la Poudre River into the Wild and Scenic Rivers System will not interfere with the exercise of valid existing decreed water rights to water which has heretofore been stored or diverted by means of the present capacity of storage, con- veyance, or diversion structures which exist on the date of enact- ment of this legislation, or the operation and maintenance of such existing structures. While section 2 provides that the Wild and Scenic River designation will not be used to prohibit development of proposed Grey Mountain Dam, Reservoir and hydropower facili- ties, the section also provides that project sponsors and Federal, State and local agencies with permitting authority over the project