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WSP00339
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Last modified
1/26/2010 12:13:49 PM
Creation date
10/11/2006 9:40:32 PM
Metadata
Fields
Template:
Water Supply Protection
File Number
8220.106.O
Description
Animas La Plata Project
State
CO
Basin
Colorado Mainstem
Water Division
5
Date
10/2/2003
Author
Various
Title
Animas La Plata Project Funding - Newspaper Articles - 10-02-03 through 09-06-04
Water Supply Pro - Doc Type
News Article/Press Release
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<br />0023i2 <br /> <br /> <br />_~OENVER POST <br />Ii:; DerNer, CO <br />J (Denver Gourty) <br />. 'I [)aiy,301,OOO <br /> <br />fPCOloradO Press <br />Clipping Service <br /> <br />IJJ6G1en.aml Place. Denver. COS01M <br />303-S'7l.5111- FA..'< 303.571-1803 <br /> <br />L.\.. ~ .0'\ <br /> <br />Contain water project costs <br /> <br />Cost overruns at the Animas La <br />Plata project in soutbwestern <br />C<Jlorado are unacceptable. <br />The federal water develop- <br />ment near Durango was pegged at <br />$338 million fivc years ago but now is <br />expected to cost $500 million. Tbat's a <br />48 percent increase. <br />Tbe U.S. Bureau of Recla/!lation, <br />which is in cbarge of the project, says <br />it bas implemented new management <br />and cost-tracking systems. Still, the bu- <br />reau remains the watchdog of its own <br />work. <br />The A-LP project will pump water <br />from tbe Animas River up 550 feet to <br />the Ridges Basin, where it will be <br />stored behind a dam. The project is de- <br />signed to satisfy long-standing water <br />rigbts claims by the Soutbern U/.e and <br />Ute Mountain Ute Indian tribes and it <br />also will supply five municipalities and <br />water districts. <br />It's a good project so long as tbe <br />costs don't get out of hand. <br />When reports of the cost increases <br />surfaced last summer, U.S. Interior <br />Secretary Gale Norton asked for a re- <br />port on the problem. <br />Tbat re\l<lrt, released last fall, said <br />Bureau of Reclamation employees <br />tried to warn higher-ups (our years ago <br />that the bureau had significantly under- <br />estimated the A-LP price tag. It also <br />said some work Wasn't put out to com- <br />petitive bids and some basic engineer- <br />ing jobs weren't included or were un- <br />derestimated. For example, the initial <br />estimate assumed tbat to build the <br />pumping station on the Animas River, <br />workers would dig through dirt. In- <br />stead, the chore will require blasting <br /> <br />through rock - a far more expensive <br />task. <br />It makes no sense to leave the hu- <br />reau that made such basic mistakes in <br />charge of stopping future overruns. <br />Longtime project critics accuse the <br />Boreau of Reclamation of deliberately <br />low-balling tbe cost so Congress would <br />approve the deal. But even project sup- <br />porters are frustrated. At a recent U.S. <br />Senate hearing, Sen. Pete Domenici, <br />R-N.M., threatened to cut off funding if <br />tbe bureau doesn't control tbe project's <br />costs. His tbreat may bave been a <br />bluff, since be's a longtime A-LP sup- <br />porter. U.S. Sen. Ben Nightborse Camp- <br />ben, a Colorado Republican, has vowed <br />tbat funding will continue, bowever, <br />even tbougb he is exasperated about <br />the escalating price tag. <br />IC supporters are serious about con- <br />taining costs, they must do more than <br />wring their bands. <br />Campbell sbould request an inquiry <br />by tbe General Accounting Orrice, Con- <br />gress' investigative arm. In fact, tbe <br />GAD should do periodic reports on the <br />project, to ensure that tbe cost doesn't <br />soar bigber. <br />Meanwhile, federal taxpayers. <br />sbouldn't have to eat t.be cost overruns. <br />Tbe government can't ask the Indian <br />tribes to absorb the costs, because Un- <br />cle Sam is building the project to make <br />good on the tribes' water rights. Howev- <br />er, tbe five cities and water districts <br />don't have the same legal claim - if <br />fact, tbey aiready are expected to re- <br />pay part of t.he project's cost. It would <br />be reasonable to use a similar formula' <br />to have them cover some cost overruns <br />as well. <br />
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