Laserfiche WebLink
<br />,.. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />U.S. Department <br />of the Interior <br />Bureau of <br />Reclamation <br /> <br />. <br />Information <br />Public Affairs Center <br /> <br />tr.., <br />~ <br />Co \~ <br />ri <br />(.."; <br /><:,;, <br /> <br />Aquatrain Project <br /> <br />Summary of Significant Actions <br />October 1982 <br /> <br />8ackground <br /> <br />By letter dated April 22, 1982, to Ira E. McKeever, President, Western Mining <br />Operations, W. R. Grace & Co., Under Secretary Hodel committed the Department of the <br />Interior to working with Grace and other interests to study the Aquatrain Project as <br />a jOint venture among private industry, the seven Colorado River Basin States, and <br />the Federal Government. The primary public purpose for Federal and State participation <br />in the Aquatrain Project is to provide an inexpensive salinity control strategy for <br />the Colorado River. <br /> <br />The primary interest of Grace is to provide a low cost method of transporting coal <br />from Northwest Colorado to domestic and expert markets. The Aquatrain Project <br />appears to meet both objectives through a coal transport pipeline which utilizes <br />the saline water as a coal transport media. Those waters are to be collected under <br />the Colorado River Water Quality Improvement Program. <br /> <br />Under Secretary Hodel's letter dated April 22, 1982, provided a general division of <br />responsibilities for project implementation among industry, the involved States, <br />and the Federal Government. Those responsibilities and progress to date are described <br />in the following paragraphs. <br /> <br />State Responsibilities and Actions <br /> <br />. <br />, <br /> <br />The seven States of the Colorado River Basin, acting through the Colorado River <br />Basin Salinity Control Forum, have agreed to (1) pursue needed Federal legislation <br />and (2) address related State permitting and water rights issues. <br /> <br />With regard to water rights issues, a Subcommittee of the Forum's Work-Group has met <br />four times and is developing a general water rights strategy for the entire salinity <br />control program, including the Aquatrain Project. Members of the Forum are also <br />taking the lead in identifying a procedure and focal point for coordination with <br />other affected sectors of State Government. <br /> <br />Legislation to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter joint ventur~ with <br />industry for benefi~ially using Colorado River saline water has been drafted by the <br />Forum. That legislation was introduced earlier this year (S. 2202-Armstrong, et.al <br />and H.R. 6097-Kogovaec, et.al) with bipartisan support from throughout the Basin. <br />The Senate Subcommittee on Water and Power held hearings on June 22, 1982. Passage <br />during the Lame Duck Session is possible but more likely the enabling legislation <br />will have to wait until next year. <br /> <br />(more) <br /> <br />Code 140 <br /> <br />P,O, Box 25007 <br /> <br />Denver Federal Center <br />n........,..... /'"'-n pn..,.,c: <br />