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<br />~," . " 1_... <br /> <br />BEN NIGHTlih@;ffiG.iJElL <br />3D DISTlifr. COLORADO <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />PlEASE AEPLY TO: <br />WASHINGTON OFACI1: <br />1724 LONGWOflTtl8UILDING <br />WASHINGTON, DC 20515 <br />12021225-4781 <br /> <br />COMMlnEES: <br />AGRICULTURE <br />INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS <br />SMALL BUSINESS <br /> <br />~ongress of the I1niteb 35>tates <br />j!}ouse of l\epusentatibes <br />R1asbington. J)~ 20515 <br /> <br />DISTRICT OFFICES: <br />. 720 N. MAIN ST. <br />SUITE 400 <br />PUI1BLO. CO 8t003 <br />130311543-9821 <br />836 e. SECOND Ava <br />SUITE 105 <br />DURANGO. CO 81301 <br />13031247_9300 <br />D 115 N. 5TH STREET <br />SUITE 620 <br />GRANO JUNCTION, CO 811101 <br />(3031242_20400 <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />HOLD FOR RELEASE: June 10, 1987 <br /> <br />CONTACT: Carol Knight, 202-225-4761 <br /> <br />CAMPBELL INTRODUCES LONG-AWAITED ANIMAS-LA PLATA BILL <br /> <br />Saying it's "been a long time coming," U.S. Rep. Ben <br />Nighthorse Campbell introduced legislation Wednesday, June 10, <br />that will implement a water-rights settlement signed late last <br />year by two Indian tribes, the state of Colorado, municipalities, <br />water districts and ditch companies in Southwestern Colorado and <br />Northern New Mexico and the federal government. <br /> <br />"The Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of <br />1987" -- which lays the groundwork necessary to finally build the <br />Animas-LaPlata Water Project southwest of Durango -- "represents <br />the culmination of years of effort and historic cooperation <br />between Indian and non-Indian water interests," Campbell said at a <br />press briefing in Washington, D.C. <br /> <br />The bill was introduced with more than 20 cosponsors and has <br />the bipartisan support of the Colorado and New Mexico delegations. <br /> <br />The Animas-La Plata Water Project was authorized in 1968, <br />along with the Central Arizona Project and several others. "In <br />nearly 20 years, a lot of water has flowed out of Colorado into <br />lower-basin states," said Campbell, "and now the time is ripe for <br />Colorado to store more of its share to quench the thirst of the <br />towns, the tribes and the farmers in the arid southwest corner of <br />our state and in neighboring New Mexico." <br /> <br />The water-rights settlement was the product of 10 years of <br />litigation and two years of negotiation among the Southern Ute <br />and Ute Mountain Ute tribes, the state and numerous non-Indian <br />water users. It was signed on Dec. 10, 1986. In the settlement <br />agreement, the tribes exchange federal reserve water rights (to <br />which all other users' rights are subordinate) on the Animas and <br />La Plata rivers for water to be stored in the Ridges Basin <br />Reservoir (Animas-LaPlqta) and the McPhee Reservoir (Dolores <br />Project) nearing completion north of Cortez. <br /> <br />"Everyone gains something from this settlement and water <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />L< <br />