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<br />considerable protest and controversy about that. Had the original <br />plan been carried out. it would have been the responsibility of the <br />project itself to replace the town. That is a clear responsibility <br />of any project. But when the dam was moved downstream and the town <br />is no longer directly involved in the project, then the Bureau of <br />Reclamation has no authority to expend money for Ridgway or any other <br />community, even though it is impacted. The project is being built I <br />at the request of the state of Colorado in the belief that it will <br />greatly improve the economy of the uncompahgre Valley. The state <br />also has a large measure of responsibility, in my opinion, for these <br />impacted areas. . <br /> <br />The Federal Government this year has started making payments to the <br />counties. the so-called "payment in lieu of taxes," under which the <br />Federal Government is paying taxes on federal lands in the various <br />counties under a formula established by Congress. Some of that :money <br />has already been received by Montrose County, and those payments will <br />continue into the indefinite future. We think the counties also <br />should use some of that money to help these impacted communities. <br />It is a cammon 'problem. I think basic to all is that this is not a <br />federal project. It is a Colorado project. We are the ones who <br />insisted that it be built, and we therefore must share the responsi- <br />bility for the impact. <br /> <br />MR. KROEGER: Ridgway has suffered a great amount of disruption, I <br />think, frOm strictly an innocent standpoint. it being assumed that <br />it would be a town to be moved. This deterioration and lack of <br />maintenance, and SO on, that Mr'. Hicks speaks of is very real.' Driv- <br />ing by, you recognize this. So in a very innocent manner. they have <br />been the victim of something that is--I don't know whose fault is is-- <br />but, at any rate, it has created problems for Ridgway like few other <br />communities that I am aware of. When a nail needs driven or a little <br />paint needs pu't on or a sidewalk' needs repair or a rose bush needs <br />pruning, none of those things were done for a periOd of two years. <br />Ridgway did take a tremendous beating as a result of this. I don't <br />know how you put things back in shape under those kinds .of circum- <br />stances. <br /> <br />Are there questions from the audience? (NO response.) <br /> <br />Thank you very much for your report. <br /> <br />The next one is Starkville. <br /> <br />MR. HALLMARK: Mr. Chairman, I am the consulting engineer for <br />Starkville. The Mayor and the other people have not arrived yet; <br />so if we could postpone ours until the last, I would appreciate it. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />MR. KROEGER: We will go on and callan you later. <br /> <br />Is the Town of Limon represented here today? <br /> <br />MR. MEYER: 'My name is Ed Meyer. I am with Nelson, Haley, Patterson <br />and Quirk, consultant working with the Town of Limon. <br /> <br />-16- <br />