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<br />Litigation Account Update and Report to Gen. Assembly: A January 6,2006 memo to the Senate
<br />Agriculture, Naturai Resources, and Energy Committee and House of Representatives Agriculture,
<br />Li vestock, and Natural Resources Committee relating to the Annual Report on any litigation that involved
<br />the use of moneys from the litigation fund created pursuant to Section 37-60-121(2.5) can be
<br />found in its entirety in the attachment section,
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<br />RlCD legislation introduced as Senate Bill 37: The RlCD legislation endorsed by the Water Resources
<br />Interim Committee was introduced, as Senate Bill 37. Senator Isgar and Rep, Curry are the only sponsors
<br />of the bill at this time. The Colorado Water Congress, State Affairs Committee has set up an RICD
<br />subcommittee to consider the legislation and possible amendments. At this time the subcommittee has
<br />failed to reach consensus on whether to support the bill or any possible amendments.
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<br />State Officials Leave for Private Sector: On Dec, 30, Gov, Owens filled several vacancies created
<br />after three executives left for the private sector. The departures were expected as the governor enters his
<br />eighth and final year in office, Dennis Ellis, a senior policy adviser, will succeed Doug Benevento as
<br />executive director of the Department of Public Health and Environment. Benevento joined the Greenberg
<br />Traurig law firm, Another policy adviser, Nancy Lemein, will succeed Chris Castilian as director of the
<br />Governor's Office Policy and Initiatives, Castilian, who is joining the Brownstein, Hyatt & Farber law
<br />finn, also had served as the governor's deputy chief of staff.
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<br />Owens appointed his press secretary, Dan Hopkins, to serve as deputy chief in addition to his press duties,
<br />The governor also elevated Barbara Kirkrneyer, deputy director for the Department of Local Affairs, to
<br />director, She succeeds Mike Beasley, who left to work for Xcel Energy.
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<br />GOCO Drafting White-Water Park Rules: Great Outdoors Colorado is drafting new rules for white-
<br />water parks to clarifY its own policies on how grants to build the parks are awarded, Since 2000, 15
<br />communities have applied for grants to build white-water parks. GOCO has awarded grants to five of
<br />those, including Pueblo, Lyons and Palisade, GOCO's local government committee will discuss the
<br />proposed rules at a meeting on Feb. 16 in Denver. The GOCO board is expected to examine the proposal
<br />at its meeting in March, GOCO's Executive Director will address the CWCB during its January meeting,
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<br />Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers Set to Host Next Arid Regions
<br />Conference: The Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers (CASFM) has been
<br />selected to host the next Arid Regions Conference, a regional conference held by the Association of
<br />Stonnwater and Floodplain Managers (ASFPM), The conference will be held in Breckenridge in
<br />September 2007, and will draw in water, drainage, and flood professionals from all western areas of the
<br />country, The last Arid Regions Conference, held in Mesa, AZ in November 2004, drew nearly 300
<br />attendees, The Arid Regions Committee of ASFPM is predicting attendance of 350 due to the appealing
<br />change in location and the strength of the local association, Tom Browning and Kevin Houck, who both
<br />serve on the ASFPM Board of Directors and who serve as the Chair and Vice-Chair of CASFM,
<br />respectively, worked very hard to bring the conference to Colorado, This conference will create an
<br />economic benefit for Colorado and will draw a significant amount of positive national exposure to the
<br />proactive programs employed by the CWCB in the areas of water supply, flood control, and watershed
<br />restoration,
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