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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />'7''''-__ <br /> <br />H.R. 3715 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Project facilities of the Pine <br />River Project, and allows the jurisdictional transfer oflands between the U.S. Forest Service. rhe <br />Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau oiIndian Affairs, . <br /> <br />t10re soetciJicalllv. this le~islatiQn w~.uld transfer the 516 right to Project facilities owned by the <br />.....ureau 0 "ec amanon to the fme River Irrigation lJistrict (lJistnct), Willie Ule lIb nght <br />currently held in trust by the Bureau ofIndian Affairs (BIA) for the benefit of the Southern Ute <br />Indian Tribe would remain under the jurisdiction of the BIA, until the Tribe requests title to the <br />1/6 right. As a result of this 1/6 right held by the BIA for the Tribe, the United States would <br />remain involved in the operation of the project and would retain 1/6 of the liability. <br /> <br />While we have not had the opponunity to thoroughly analyze all oftlie implications of this <br />legislation.. the process established by H.R. 3715 wi1l enable the Federal agencies, Tribes, the <br />local community and a1l the other stakeholders ample opportUnities to identify and work to <br />protect the public interests which they represent, Therefore, with several technical amendments <br />provided below, the Administration could suppon this legislation. <br /> <br />Backiround: The Pine Ri....er Project, originally authorized for constrUction in 1937, is located in <br />La Plata and Archuleta Counties of southwestern Colorado. The only project feature is the <br />. Vallecito Dam and Reservoir with a total capacity of 129,700 acre feet, In addition to irrigation <br />water for the District and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, this project also provides flood control, <br />recreation, and fish and ",ildlife benefits. The District holds the water rights for the Project in <br />their name. <br /> <br />Currently, the Forest Service manages acquired and withdrawn lands along the reservoir, and <br />provides land. based recreation which includes operating campgrounds by the reservoir. The <br />District manages, through a contract with Reclamation under authority of the Act of July 9, 1965, <br />all of the water-based recreation including management of boat ramps. marinas, boating and <br />other water-based recreational activities. <br /> <br />In the Fall of 1997. the District and their consultants contacted Reclamation expressing an <br />interest in title tr;ar;sfer. Since that time. the District has sponsored six public scoping meetings, <br />attended by more than 285 people, to identify issues and concerns and answer questions about <br />their intentions for future management. The District has also worked with the Forest Service, the <br />Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and locallando....ners to address <br />concerns they have. On April I , 1998, La Plata County conducted an additional public meeting, <br />and the County Commissioners subsequently endorsed the title transfer proposal. <br /> <br />Sale Price: Section 3(b) ofH,R. 3715 establishes a sale price ofS492,000 to be paid by the <br />District to the United States. While the District completed its repayment obligation in 1982, this <br />valuation accounts for a conversion of2,OOO acre feet of water (or 1.9 percent of the water <br />avail..l1k fVI \hc Di"..ic.t' $ we) from agricultural uco to municipal and inrill~t~;:lll1~1l (M&l) <br />which was proposed by the District. but which is not likely to be developed for some time. This <br /> <br />s <br /> <br />'':lo~ ..............~~.....;.-: .. <br /> <br />~~. <br />