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I}. ~3f\ .... ;'" ."~II_lj~ Romer supports bill to set aside water in wilderness areas ..' , ",' , . ,.:~nvironmentalists elated By a.rry Noreen . Gazette Telegraph . DENVER. After weeks of si- ..tence, Gov. Roy Romer on Satur- lday sided with the state's en. . vironmentallobby by supporting :;th.e notion that water in wilder- 'ness areas needs as much protec- tion as the land. t;. Speaking in Denver at a field ::hearing (or a Senate subcommit- let. Romer supported Sen. Tlm Wirth's wilderness proposal. which is opposed by many Colo- :rado Republica.rul and the state's "water development community. ()pponents of Wirth's wilderness say that reserving water " t.s for wildemess purposes uld hamper growth. Some opponents have agreed at because the lands included ,Wirth's bill are high altitude. eadwaters areas, reserving the ateT poses no threat to devel- ~ment. However, they fear that e bill could affect potential : . dawnstream wilderness areas - 'that are not included in Wirth's bOt.. .t Siding with Wirth. Romer said ,V{e need to s.eparate out the eadwaten lands from the other lands, . ' , If downstream wilder- jlrii'!M areas are proposed. we 1:'iiIbo~' t consider the water-rights ~ ~estion on a case-by-<:ase buls." ~,.,~ For the past several weeks, !Romer has declined to take a ;m'" bUe poSition on Wirth's bill. publican Sen, Bill Armstrong . as jolned with water providers " . i pushing for a provision that auJd deny water rights to ownstream wilderness areas : .. ter on, even though they are .i!" t Included in the current egislation. . . ;,While the governor strongly ~sU'pported Wirth's bill philo- ?5bphically, Romer withheld com- 'ment about the proposed wilder. ness boundaries for the 750,000 acres mentioned in the legisla- .tion. He said he would have a '~etai1ed position on boundaries after leRislation by ArmstronR 't "I ' f downstream wilderness areas are proposed, we must consider the water-rights question on a case-by-case basis." GOY. Roy Romer and Rep. Ben Nighthorse Camp.. bell is introduced. Romer actually made his posi- tion kno.....n Friday night at a re- ception to honor the 25th annl. versary of the national wilder. ness bill. He had proclaimed Fri- day as Wilderness Day in the state. Sierra Club spokt!swoman ~aggle fox hailed the gover. nor's endorsement and said Romer's support is "very important. .. Kirk K~psel of the Colorado Environmental Coalition said "it carri~ a little more wj'lght th;\t he supports water rights" C.l6 5tiJr <;;1' U,(ViI at \ I \