|
<br />
<br />Profile - David Robbins, Sailor helps ISF Program stay afloat
<br />
<br />AttorneYDavid Robbins is considered one of Lhe so-called
<br />"'three musketeers" of Colorado's Stream and Lake Protection
<br />Program (lSF program). Asthc attorney rcprcscntingthc
<br />CvVCB, Robbins legitimized the ISF program by successiully arguing
<br />Lhe consLill1lh."1nalil:1 ,.:..Cthe progT<1111 before the water court in 1978
<br />and later betore the Colorado Supreme Court.
<br />
<br />Robbins' associaLion ......iLh Lhe ISF program began in 1975, when he
<br />joined the Attorney General's Office asthe head of the Natural
<br />Resources Section. Bet\.'\.'een '75 and '78, he and the other tl..\.'O
<br />musketeers. Eddie Kochman and Duane I Iehall (both will be fea tured
<br />in Cmure issues) leamed up La ga Lher biologic",l and hydroh:..gkal data
<br />for filing ISF appropriations on nearly one thousand stream
<br />segments. In 1975, Robbins and company carefully picked thcISF
<br /><'IppropriaLions on the CrysL<'IIRiver and Avalanche Creek Lo proceed
<br />to trial, "because these tvro streams provided a broad range of issues
<br />that, if succcssfully rcsolvcd, would support the ISF program as a
<br />\.Vhole."IIe adds, ''Lhe conslilulionalily of lhe ISF righls has never
<br />been challenged since-I think we did pretty well"
<br />
<br />The pl.....lilicdl clirn.aLe of lhe lirne. Robbins recalls. was a
<br />"hands-off-attitude." Althongh the legisbture had passed the ISF law
<br />in 1973, the water user community did not belicve that the ISF water
<br />righL was a "legal realiLy." "V'later users generally did 11o.."1llake lhe
<br />Program seriously because they were certain that it was
<br />unconstitutional to have a watcr right without diversion. Because it
<br />\.Vas uncharLed LerriLory, Lhe environmenLal community was Laking a
<br />wait and see attitude, but I ,...'as young en0ugh to think otherwise,"
<br />Robbins adds.
<br />
<br />When RI.....bbins nled the ISF applica lions for the CrysLal River and
<br />
<br />.___1-___I__r'____, 'nTH_~~_r'>'__,~,~_ r- I'________Y___.___-'"__n___T _L_ ___
<br />n"'a.La11'--"L "LlLLI\.lll ., alL--'- L'lVWlVII '--', .LVlUlLl) U.Jll'--L '\JLVlOL LU'" naLl
<br />the watcr judge. However, Jlli'tir.p.l.ohr recused himself from hcaring
<br />lhese ISf cases due LO a coniliclofinler eSl; so Judge Roben Ogburn
<br />from Water Division .3 heard these cases. In a decision in June 1978,
<br />Judge Ogburn ruled in ta"ur of the CV\'CB by recognidngthc
<br />consLiLuLionaliLy ofLhe ISF righLs. The wa ter courL'S decision .....as
<br />appealed to the Colorado Supreme Court. Robbins successfully
<br />argucd thc legality of the ISF rights betor e the Colorado Supreme
<br />CouIt, clearing the way for many ISF rights that had been tlled in the
<br />intervening years.
<br />
<br />Robbins believes Lhat waLer users should embrace LhelSF progyam.
<br />He approves of the 'way the ISF program has evolved, but emphasizes
<br />"'the Progyam was not designed as a sword to solve all environmental
<br />problems." In his vie \.V. Lhe legislature did noLinLend for Lhe Cy.,lCB
<br />to :file on every stream. ''There is nothing wrong with managing what
<br />c
<br />
<br />,~-
<br />
<br />l,__:_.1..,'.~.. '--". -.:::", ~"" .....'::, ,'-.~;""':;;-,~,-~;;~,711':'
<br />
<br />~
<br />
<br />(or compacL developmenL-providing
<br />incentives to some to store water for
<br />non-consumptive uses. robs from others
<br />""ho could use the fund for building ne"" or
<br />rehabililating existing reservoirs."
<br />
<br />In 1979, Robbins let! the AG's Office and
<br />became a senior partner aL Lhela..... firm o(
<br />Friedman, Hill, and R0bbins. In 1981, the
<br />law tIrm changed to Hill and Robbins '\.'\.'hen
<br />Alan Friedman retired. Robbins, who is
<br />no..... lhe pres idem oelhe la..... flrrfl,
<br />represents a wide variety of clients. He is
<br />General Counsel to theRia Grande Water
<br />ConservaLion DislricL, dS well as gener al ..:-ounsello lliverside
<br />Irrigation District and the Groundwater Appropriators of the South
<br />Platte River Basin. Inc. (GASP). Robbins is Special Counsel to the
<br />Dolores 'Vater Conservancy DislricL, lhe Animas-La Plata V\'ater
<br />Conservancy District, and the Southwestern 'Vater Conservation
<br />District He also serves as watcr counsel to many other municipal
<br />and quasi-rnunicipal enLiLies LhroughouL Colorado.
<br />
<br />Since 1985. Robbins has served as Special Assistant Attorney General
<br />and ..:-ounsel of record represenLing the SlaLe orColorado in. the U.S.
<br />Supreme Court case entitled, Kansas v. Colorado, involving violation
<br />of the Arkansas River Compact. Robbins also served three terms as .1
<br />rnern_ber of Lhe C'NCB represenLing Lhe Denver MeLropoliLan Area
<br />from 1980 to 1989. He represents the State on the Colorado lliver
<br />Salinity Control Forum and Salinity Control Advisory Council and
<br />has for over 20 years on a pro-bono basis.
<br />
<br />
<br />-n_'-'-'__ _ L _ _ L _ _n _n ____ _L~ ___ _ _ _ _ ___ __ _ ___, ,.,." n___n_ YT _ n_ _ __ _--'
<br />.L'-UOJOJUl<C> HaL> OJLLll III /;-'11val'--/;-'.LaLllL'--lUl lI'--'l,l.LJ-' ~~ YLal.J. IlL l'--LLIV'--U
<br />
<br />a bachelor degree tram Stanford University and aJD tram the
<br />Universily ofvVisconsin-Madison. He served lhree years in lhe
<br />military (Wilssile Unit/Europe Air Defense) where he worked closely
<br />with the Commanding Officer, GeneralleVan in Germany. In
<br />addiLion La having a rigorous ski rouLine, he is an experien..::ed sdilor.
<br />He picked up sailing while gr owing up near Lake Erie and Lake
<br />Chautauqua in NcwYork. He now sails frequently in the open
<br />ocean-between the mainland andIIawaii or between the coast of
<br />Maine and Bermudd. Unlil several years ag....... RI.....bbin.s played rugby
<br />for the Denver Barbarians. His wife, Kristin is a dentist in Denver.
<br />Their 23-year old son V\'illlives in Silverthorne, Colorado. $
<br />
<br />:,:.,;.
<br />
<br />
<br />~,,---J
<br />~
<br />
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.....................................
<br />......................................
<br />.......;:::;.;.~;.:.:.:....... ...............'i:::.................... _""'_r
<br />
<br />-
<br />
|