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STATEMENT OF TIlE SOUTHWESTERN COLORAJ)O WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT BEFORE TIlE PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Washington, D.C., May 22, 1973 Hr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Committee; Hy name is Fred Kroeger and I an, Vice-Chairman of the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the South- western Water Conservation nistrict of Colorado. As you know there are nine authorized water resource development projects in Colorado Which have previously received the careful consideration of the Congress. Authoriza- tion of these projects was considered to be a milestone in our area. We are, to say the least, dism~ed that the Executive Branch of Government has not requested continued funding for these projects. .1 ': ~ He are requesting an appropriation for the Animas-.La Plata Project in the amount of ,~375,OOO.OO, ~he Dolores Project in the amount of :~3l0"OOO.00 and the San Higuel Project in the amount of ~220 000.00. We are advised that these sums are needed if our water projects are to continue in an orderly manner of development as ori~inally intended by the Congress. Hany years of effort have gone into securing the authorization of these projects. En each and every case the local people and water conservancy districts involveu have expended great amounts of time, effort and finan" cial resources in bringing these projects to their current status. '111e commitment contained in the 1968 Colorado River Dasin Project Act regarding concurrent construction of our water project with the construction of the Central Arizona Project is ' not being met. I We call your attention to the fact, that to our knowledge, not one of the nine authorized projects in the State of Colorado. particularly the five which were authorized concurrently with the Central Arizona Project have had an environmental impact statement completed or submitted for review to the proper agencies under the provisions of the llational Bnvironmental Policy Act. It is difficult for Lle as a small town businesstlan as well as for the people of my area to understand the processes of Government by which the Congress authorizes for construction, projects which collectively will provide an economic stimulus to our area which is desirable and so desper.. ately needed and then discover that the will of the Congress can apparently be effectively thwarted by the j;xecuti ve Dranch of our Govermnent. The continued decline of our rural population will never be reversed unless better economic opportunities are presented to our young people to encour- age them to remain in our area. .::. ~ , ,'?, As you gentlemen know, the costs for construction in terms of labor and materials for these projects annually increases at a rate which is terrifying. Continued del~ in the schedule of construction lUeans only larger costs. Early construction will brin~ an innnediate and drwaatic realization of the untold benefits which will accrue to the people not only of our area, but the entire United Gtates frm\ the completion of these 7