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<br />\..... <br />, . <br /> <br />. ' <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />"liTATE OF COLORADO <br />Roy Romer. Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br /> <br />DIVISION OF WilDLIFE <br /> <br />REFER TO <br /> <br /> <br />AN EQUAl OPPOImJNITY EMPLOYER <br />perry D. orson. Director <br />6060 Broadwav <br />Denver. colorado 80216-1000 <br />Telephone: 13031297.1192 <br /> <br />For WildJife- <br />For People <br /> <br />December 29, 1993 <br /> <br />Bill and Lee Rooks <br />P.O. Box 412 <br />Buena Vista, CO 81211 <br /> <br />RE: Buena Vista Correctional Facility Fish Rearing Unit <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Bill and Mr. Lee Rooks: <br /> <br />Govemor Romer has asked me to respond to your letter regarding the fish rearing unit to be <br />located on the grounds of the Buena Vista Correctional Facility (BVCF). The intent of this letter <br />is to provide some background information, current status of the rearing facility project and how <br />we are attempting to address the issues you have raised. Please refer to the attached location map <br />for facilities discussed below. <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />There has been a fish rearing facility on the BVCF grounds for over 80 years. The rearing <br />facility was operated continuously until the late 1950's when it was shut down. The unit was <br />reopened in 1987 and put back into use and has been able to produce between 10,000-15,000 <br />pounds of fish arinnally with the historic water supply from a spring located near the Buena Vista <br />Airport. The fish produced in this unit have been used to stock streams and lakes in Chaffee and <br />Park Counties which improved fishing opportunities and provides economic benefits to the local <br />recreational economy of the counties. <br /> <br />The rearing unit operation provides benefits to the Division of Wildlife (DOW), the Department <br />of Corrections (DOC) and the citizens of Colorado. In addition to Chaffee and Park Counties as <br />mentioned above, the fish reared in the enlarged facility will be used to stock streams and lakes <br />throughout the Arkansas and South Platte River basin which will improve fishing opportunities <br />for all anglers of the State. The demand for improved fishing opportunities has exceeded the <br />DOW's current hatchery production levels. Ifwe are to improve fishing opportunities, the DOW <br />needs to increase its fish production capability. The BVCF, utilizing inmate labor, would <br />provide the DOW and the angling public the most cost effective option to rear fish for improving <br />opportunities. The operating cost of producing fish at DOW fish rearing facilities is financed <br />through the sale of fishing licenses, whereas producing fish at BVCF benefits DOC in that it <br />creates jobs for the inmates to perform and provides training for the inmates in fish culturing <br />skills. <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT OF NA rURAL RESOURCES, Kenneth Salazar. Executive Director <br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION. Jesse L. Boyd. Jr.. Member. Eldon Cooper. Member. Thomas M. Eve. Chairman. Rebecca L. Frank, Member <br />William'R. Hegberg. Member. Mark ~eValley. Member. Arnold Salazar, Secretary. Louis F. Swift. Vice Chairman <br />