Laserfiche WebLink
<br />" <br /> <br />.L ..UUUU>::>i;1 vauey Louner: Content <br /> <br />Pagelof3 <br /> <br />iJtr.~ <br /> <br />Awiculture <br />Business <br />Community Calender <br />Community <br />Editorial <br />Education <br />Life Styles <br />Local News <br />National Headlines <br />Obituaries <br />Pets <br />PoTICe/Courts <br />Reliqion <br />Sports' <br />Top Stories <br />Valley Health Guide <br />2000 <br />weather <br />Past Issues <br />Bills on the Sand <br />Dunes <br /> <br />;.:..ssltic:n:.; <br /> <br />Classifieds Home <br />Automotive <br />Employment <br />Real Estate <br /> <br />:1:".5 <br /> <br />For Seniors <br />For Teens <br />Health <br />FaVOiIte Sites <br />Financial Info <br /> <br />,dctJOn~ <br /> <br />Bid at Auction Hill <br /> <br />'J:~:n-;r;~~ L';r;~C(or'.' <br /> <br />All Cateqories <br />Automotive <br />Business Services <br />Community <br />Dininq <br />Education <br />Entertainment <br />Health & Fitness <br />Home Improvement <br />Real Estate <br />Shoppinq <br /> <br /> <br />~;"l!-:jt(t:-,;;'71i 1i-f <br /> <br />_If. .f-IJil'l;:L!i~ <br /> <br />'iOU Are Here: Home> Top Stories Section,. Content <br /> <br />Draft bill toughens Park water-rights provisions <br />Mar 16 2000 2:41PM 8y By Gary Taylor, Managing Editor <br /> <br />ALAMOSA - If the Baca Grant Ranch passes to federal government control as <br />part of a new national park, existing water rights there may not be altered <br />without the National Park Service going through Water Court, a draft of U,S. <br />Rep, Scott Mcinnis' yet-to-be-introduced legislation showed on Wednesday. <br /> <br />"If and to the extent water rights associated with the Luis Maria Baca Grant No, <br />4 are acquired. the use of those water rights shall not be changed without <br />complying with the requirements of the laws of the State of Colorado," the <br />legislation read. <br /> <br />Mcinnis, speaking from Washington, D.C., unveiled the first public draft of the bill <br />by fax to members of Alamosa, Saguache and Rio Grande county governments, <br />and then in a five-way conference call brought a dozen stakeholders together for <br />a review, <br /> <br />Reacting to the Baca water-rights language, Alamosa Board of County <br />Commissioners Chairman Bob Zimmerman said, "As a junior water rights holder, <br />I and many others really appreciate that paragraph." The Valley Courier was the <br />only media attending the conference call and the first to see the draft bill. <br /> <br />(See a related story in today's Courier which excerpts selected water rights <br />sections of the bill.) <br /> <br />The Valley Courier by late today will display the entire draft bill on its web site, <br />www.alamosanews.com. <br /> <br />Saguache gets earful <br /> <br />Zimmerman and fellow commissioners Charlot! Bobicki and Darius Allen said <br />nothing in the draft bill surprised them. <br /> <br />Also attending the Alamosa leg of the conference call was Saguache County <br />Administrator Peggy Mcintosh. During introductory remarks, Mcinnis was critical <br />of Saguche commissioners, possibly the only local government detractors to a <br />legislative effort that has been hailed by many as the end to the Valley's water <br />wars with Front Range interests. "I have done everything I can do to try and <br />appease Saguache County," said Mcinnis over the speaker phone, <br /> <br />After thanking Colorado Atty, Gen. Ken Salazar for legal assistance in protecting <br />Valley water, and for Salazar meeting with Saguache commissioners last <br />Sunday, Mcinnis said, "The reality of it is that every time I visit with them, they <br />raise the bar:' <br /> <br />Local Advisory Council <br /> <br />The 18-page, eight-section, draft bill-which doesn't have a H.R. number since it <br /> <br />...Inewsstory.cfin?newsid: 1 33239&title:Draft%20bill%20toughens%20Park%20water%2Dri!3/18 /2000 <br />