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<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />board has come from those people. It is my understanding that Rocky <br />Mountain Power Company has not been in a position in recent years <br />to provide a great deal of input. Nor has, to the best of my know- <br />ledge, any been sought. I think prior to the time that the assump~ <br />tion is made, and incidentally about the testimony, I don't kno,., any- <br />thing About that. I do know that the testimony of the River <br />District who was also seeking a priority date senior ~o Rocky <br />Mountain Power Company at the time of the adjudication was that they <br />were going to transport it into the Rifle area in the generation of <br />electrical energy which would have precluded this use for the develop- <br />ment of oil shale in the Piceance basin. Those things change over <br />a period of time. <br /> <br />I think those who have been in the business for sometime are well <br />aware ,that the wise thing to do is to develop the water, use it for <br />such interim purposes as they be indicated so that when the industry <br />or the agricultural community, or whatever it may be, develops that <br />needs ,the water, it is available rather than letting the water go <br />undeveloped and forever lose the right to use that water. It would <br />be my suggestion that if the board and the staff of the board wishes <br />to discuss this matter and how it could be worked out so as to meet <br />the objection of the people that I represent, the company I repre- <br />sent, would be more than willing to make themselves available. I <br />, <br />believe that the consulting engineers for Rocky Mountain Power <br />Company would make themselves available for a complete and thorough <br />discussion of this matter. I think it would be a mistake to assume <br />that this out of contact quotation from the testimony constitutes <br />the intention and the unswervable, unchangeable intention of Rocky <br />Mountain Power Company. At all times that I have been associated <br />it was the intention to use it, if possible, after its use for the <br />generation of hydro power by pumped storage which would not be <br />cpnsumptive at all for the development of the Piceanae basin if the <br />oil shale development takes place there, or development of oil shale <br />in the Rifle area if it is any place there. So I think this con- <br />ception should be cleared up. <br /> <br />I could go on for another two hours, having worked on it for five <br />years, and having recently become interested again in it to the <br />extent that I went back into some of the old files that I had, but <br />I will not do that. I will simply rest the point that I don't think <br />this board has any business suggesting that the United States by an <br />indirec~ means prevent the development of a water right acquired <br />under the state law. <br /> <br />If there are any questions, I will be glad to try to answer them. <br /> <br />Mr. Stapleton: Do any members of the board have any questions of <br />Mr. Barnard? Thank you, Mr. Barnard. Who would like to appear next <br /> <br />-7- <br />