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<br />,F~b 13 1997 88:31:46 ~id Fdx <br /> <br />-} <br /> <br />Al ison Grovr:s <br /> <br />Page Bill Of BB4 <br /> <br /> <br />CONTACTS: <br />Mary Anne -'fcConnel, Tupaye~ for Common $ense <br />(202) 546.8500 e"t.110 <br />Mar~' Wells, Sterra Club Legal Defense Fund <br />(202) 667 -4500 <br />Jack Scott, Aztec NM (505) 334-8986 <br />Michael Black, Taxpa~'ers for the Animas River <br />(9701385 -4118 <br /> <br />FOR IMMEDL~ TE RELEASE <br />Thurs., Feb. 13, 1997 <br /> <br />BIPARTISAN BILL KICKS OFF NA TlO~AL CAMPAIGN <br />AGAINST Al\'lMAS LA PIA TA PROJECT <br />16 Congressmen urge deauthorization, negotiations with tribes on alternatives <br /> <br />WASHINGTON. D,C. -- In a bipartisan effort to cut wasteful spending and proteCT the environment, <br />16 Re?ublicans and Democrats in Congress joined to introduce a bill toda)' to deauthorize the <br />Animas La Plata water project in southw<stern Colorado, Also toda)'. a coalition of groups <br />repres.enting faxpayer~. en\"irot11nentalis.ts.. NatiVE- Americans and other local interests announced a <br />nation,,'ide campaign focused on ;;topping the project. <br /> <br />Introduced b)' Reps. Peter DeFoz:io ID-OR; and Thomas E. Petri (R-WI). the bill has 14 <br />other original cospon.ors from several itates. The one-page bill ,,'ould .imply deauthori,e the <br />project and direct the Secretary of the Interior to negotiate with the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe <br />and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe to satisfy their ,,'aters rights interests. <br /> <br />".tuumas La Plata is a boondoggle that should never be built.'. DeFazio said" "We can -- and <br />should -- <atisf)' the Tribe" water rights withoUl violating the nation's environmental laws and <br />without providing huge taxpayer subsidies to non-Indian irrigators. That's what our bill will do,," <br /> <br />"If! owned stock in the Animas La Plata project. I'd sell. Jfs a bear market for boondoggles <br />in W3Shingtoll right now," said Ralph De Genll2ro, Executive Director of Taxpayers for Common <br />Sense. a national budget watchdog group in "Washington. DC. <br /> <br />According to Michael Black of Taxpa)'ers for the Animas River in Durango. the campaign's <br />goal is to d(:(luthonze the current proj~ct i'md force selection of a cheaper llIld more environmentally <br />sound alternative that addresses Nath'e A.merican water right. interests, "The project as proposed <br />will never be built. Ifs time for us to move on to a more reasonable alternative that ,,'i1llegitimately <br />fulfill our obligation to the tribes." he said, <br /> <br />Until that goal is achieved. the coalition ,,"ill push to deny later this year approval of any new <br />federal spending for the project in fiscal year 1998, accorditlg to De Gerlltaro. ,,"ho said he expected <br />a hot debte 011 it this summer. An amendment by Petri and DeFazio to cut the project's funding <br />passed ill the House last year, but the Senate defeated a similar proposal by Sea. Russ Feingold (D- <br />WI) and the project eventually receind SS,5 million for 1997. <br />-MORE- <br />