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<br />ion, Colorado
<br />
<br />Friday, April 17, 1981, page 9
<br />
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<br />
<br />Dominguez Dam
<br />may get approval
<br />for 1 983 go~ahead
<br />
<br />By Mary Louise Giblin
<br />Sentinel staff writer
<br />The Dominguez Project has "at-
<br />tracted the personal ir,teresf'oi Sec.
<br />retary of the Intel'iorJames Watt. and
<br />s~rious comideratiol1 is being gil'en
<br />to recommending project's approval
<br />lorliscal1983.
<br />
<br />David Jensen. legislative assistant
<br />to U.S. Sen. William Armstrong, R-
<br />Colo., confirmed today that Wntt is in.
<br />terestedinthecombinationofmunici.
<br />pal, industrial and hYdroelectric uses
<br />promised by the prOposed 26-miJe.
<br />300,OOO-acrc.foot reservoir between
<br />Whitewater and Delta.
<br />
<br />The Dominguez Project, lirst pro-
<br />posed in 1928 and again in the 1950s,
<br />was revived in the early Hl70s. Since
<br />197B,theMesaCountyDominguczRes_
<br />entoir Advisory Council, with III. 0,
<br />Brown of Grand Junction as chair-
<br />man, has actively sought author-
<br />izationofthe project.
<br />
<br />Jensen said Dominguez appeals to
<br />Watt because it wvuJd be a Colorado
<br />River Basin waler storaGe project and
<br />would be located ill the impact area
<br />related to ellergy development.
<br />
<br />"Everything is right from the sc;:re.
<br />tary's point oJ view," Jensen
<br />se:id."Scnator Armstrong is backing
<br />thepropotial."
<br />Jensen said he will meet ne;,:t week
<br />with Hobert Broadbent incoming
<br />chairmlw of the Water and Power He-
<br />source., Serviee, to talk about the Do-
<br />minguez Project.
<br />
<br />"We're optimistic about Domin-
<br />guez' prospects. We hope that if it is
<br />not the top project, il'will be right at
<br />the top," Jensen said. .
<br />
<br />The Reagan Administration has al.
<br />ready annoullced it will SUpport no
<br />new reclamation projects in fiSCal
<br />1982, which begins next Oct, 1.
<br />"But it appears they are begilllling
<br />to plan (new llllthorizations)forfisral
<br />1983 (which begins Oct. 1, 1982) right
<br />now," Jensen said.
<br />
<br />Jensen anticipates the- decision to
<br />recommend the project for author-
<br />ization to he made by the end of May.
<br />In Grand Junction today, Brown,
<br />chairman of the Mcsa County com-
<br />mittee, said, "We arc trying toaccekr-
<br />ate the final fcasibiHty and
<br />c'llvironmentaJ reports_ We hope '.I-''.~
<br />will have a bill ready for congH's-
<br />sional action in 1982, or perhaps evell
<br />Infer this year."
<br />The feasibility and environmental
<br />reports are being prepared by the Wa-
<br />ter and Power Resources Service,
<br />Brown said.
<br />
<br />Brown said Dominguez SUpporters
<br />are not 11eressarily 2sking for funding
<br />for the project in 1932, but arc merely
<br />seeking authorization for the prujr:ct.
<br />The project cost, c"timated in 19'/8
<br />dollars, was approximately $330
<br />million,
<br />
<br />Bl'{lwn said the Carter adminis-
<br />tration approrcd a $50,000 appropri.
<br />ation for fcadlJility and
<br />enviror.mental reports, and the
<br />money has remained <ivailable in the
<br />Reagan administration,
<br />
<br />AltllOugh the Domingue? Project
<br />has the b:!cking of [~OVernmrnt offi-
<br />cials alld business leaders in both
<br />
<br />counties, some environmental groups
<br />have opposed it.
<br />
<br />Last rear, the 1\\-'0 Rivers Citizens
<br />Association, a Grand Junction.based
<br />environmental group, del'eloped a for-
<br />mal position statement on the project.
<br />
<br />In the statement, Sally Crum. leader
<br />of the eroup's land-use ('ommitt~e,
<br />said development ot th,e project
<br />"would encourage excessh'e CCffi-
<br />mercial and industrial de\',elopment,
<br />excessive population growth whh all
<br />its attendant problems and wot;]d de-
<br />stroy naturalrccreationaland produc-
<br />tive land,"
<br />
<br />Ted KaHon, presidC'nt of tbe Two
<br />Rivers Citizens Group, said this morn-
<br />ing the organizatioll position rema.ins
<br />unchanged,
<br />
<br />Thf> Two Rivers group has urged in-
<br />creased use of E1ue Mesa and ;\lorrow
<br />P(lint Reservoirs between lIIolltrose
<br />ane! Gunnison as ail alternati\'c to the
<br />Dornillf,Ul'zDam.
<br />
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