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<br />.1 <br /> <br />the Executive branch of Government, particularly the Secretary of Interior, <br />have to stop preconstruction planning on projects which have been found to <br />be feasible, proven to be desirable and so desperately needed in our area? <br />Why does the Secretary of the Interior who has the highest duties of a <br />difuciary to the Indian people hinder and delay development of our water <br />resources. The Water situation in Southwestern Colorado presents to the <br />Secretary of the Interior and the Executive branch of government a unique <br />opportunity to fulfill their trust obligations to the Indians and at the <br />same time resolve a conflict between Indian claims and non-Indian water claims <br />by completion of construction of the two projects, which have received the <br />blessing of the Congress. <br /> <br />As of this moment the Ute Indian Tribes of Southwestern Colorado have little <br />to be thankful for in the area of water resource development. On the one <br />hand in order to protect one of our most precious resources, we are com- <br />pelled to ask the Justice Department of the United States Government to <br />represent our interests in the FederaJ. Courts and at the same time we find the <br />Department of the Interior which is aJ.so supposed to represent our interest <br />seemingly using the actions of the Justice Department and the saJ.inity prob- <br />lems of the entire Colorado River to blocking development of Indian Water <br />Resources. Why should the Indians have to wait to utilize their water rights? <br />Why doesn't the Department of the Interior recognize the opportunity Which <br />is presented to help the non-Indian and Indian aJ.ike in Southwestern Colorado? <br />We are not satisfied with the response which we received from the acting <br />Secretary of the Interior and we do not believe that this committee should be <br />satisfied. That is why we are again here today urging the appropriation of <br />the funds necessary to complete the advance planning on the Animas-La Plata <br />and Dolores Projects. The Indian people of Southwestern Colorado want some- <br />thing more than a Court decree which sa;y-s they are entitled to water, they <br />want to use their water. <br /> <br />-j <br /> <br />u! <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />We urge this committee to appropriate the funds needed to provide the neces- <br />sary planning which will lead to the construction of the Animas-La Plata and <br />Dolores Projects. Upon completion these projects will provide the physicaJ. <br />facilities to assure that the Indians will be able to beneficiaJ.ly use their <br />water resources. <br /> <br />~:~ <br />cl <br />t?,'i <br />;-~ <br />, <br />>-", <br /> <br />~,. <br /> <br />~,-.; <br /> <br />> <br /> <br />The Southern Ute People are citizens of the State of Colorado and while we <br />ObviOUSly feel that the two projects with which we are most concerned deserve <br />the highest priority, we should aJ.so like to urge funding of the other <br />seven projects in Colorado Which have been authorized by the Congress. We <br />fully recognize the budgetary limitations and the fiscaJ. demands which are <br />made upon this colDll1ittee of the Congress, nevertheless we submit to you for <br />your consideration the proposition that water resource development has in <br />the past and will in the future prove to be of the most beneficiaJ. type of <br />programs which the Congress can fund. These projects will pay back many, <br />many times their costs in direct and indirect benefits, to not only people <br />of our area, but to people of the entire United states. <br /> <br />':;., <br /> <br />12 <br />