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<br />Page 4A The Chieftain, Pueblo, Colo., Friday, April 16, 1999
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<br />W~r 'urhlo
<br /><n~trftatu
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<br />FRANK S, HOAG, General Manager, Publisher, Presidenl- 1904-1963
<br />FRANK S, HOAG, JR., Chairman, Publisher, president-1931-1989
<br />ROBERT H, RAWLINGS, Publisher and Editor
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<br />The first salvo
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<br />THERE WAS good news afloat this week when Colora-
<br />do Attorney General Ken Salazar announced his office
<br />would fight any effort to export water from the San Luis
<br />Yalley. .
<br />~'>Mr, Salazar was, of course, referring to the attempted
<br />water grab by Baca Ranch owner Gary Boyce and his
<br />:S\ockman's Water Co. to pump billions of gallons of water
<br />and pipe it to the highest bidders, be they in the northern
<br />Front Range or: as many suspect, ultimately in Las Vegas
<br />or California.
<br />J(fMr. ~oyce is being .backed by a group of California ven-
<br />,.MIre: capltaltsts. '
<br />:\:'::'?/h~t raises the possibility he might try to export the wa-
<br />~terwesiward was the fact that officials in, New Mexico had
<br />..~.iert~q 'Mr. Salazar of Stockman's interest in selling water
<br />there. The attorney general says this would make it possible,
<br />through water exchanges between the Rio Grande and the ','
<br />San Juan River that could provide extra water along the
<br />Colorado, to wit for Las Vegas or Southern California,
<br />Mr. Salazar has heard reports that Mr. Boyce'may file an',
<br />application in Alamosa Water Court after the Legislature'
<br />adjourns. Such an application would h~ve to detail where.
<br />Stockman's would sell the water, -,
<br />In the past two years, Mr. Boyce announced plans 'to"
<br />seek permission to pump at least 100,000 acre-feet of water
<br />from the deep aquifer below his ranch. He did not ,carry
<br />through. . .:~ '
<br />But it appears Mr. Boyce is not done with tryirigto exe:",:
<br />cute his scheme, Water is a valuable resource in the South'-",:,
<br />. west. one that fetches a high price. ' ':';>'
<br />Attorney General Salazar has fired the first salvo, warn,':'
<br />ine Stockman's that the cost of even attempting such a sale
<br />wiil be high, indeed, ,-',
<br />And it is a battle worth Colorado's efforts. With water~'
<br />the San Luis Valley can prosper. With a major drain on the
<br />resource, the Vallev's future would be clouded. " ,
<br />We stand foursquare with the attorney general and the
<br />people of the Valley.
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