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Senate Bill 179 <br />March 30, 2006 <br /> <br />Pages 4 - 5 <br />“And what we're trying to accomplish here is that there's a gap there that keeps us from <br />getting these projects built. And it's not the availability of capital to borrow. The gap is a <br />lot of these smaller entitie s do not have the money to gamble on the feasibility study or <br />environmental permitting.” <br /> <br />Page 5 <br />But, the problem they have is they can't gamble a half a million or $1 million and then <br />find out that the project wasn't feasible or that they never could get permitted. <br /> <br />Page 5 <br />And we've identified around the state through the Statewide Water Supply Initiative a lot <br />of potential projects in almost every part of the state. But, it's these small entities that <br />actually have to come up with the money in order to g et through their feasibility and <br />permitting. And it just isn't going to happen without some help. And if we can get past <br />that, then I think we can start addressing some of the water supply needs we have. <br /> <br />Page 7 <br />I argued here at this mic in opposition to Referendum A, and my opposition was because <br />we didn't need more money to borrow. We needed some real dollars to assist entities in <br />getting through their permitting and feasibility and this will help us do that. And I would <br />ask for an aye vote. <br /> <br />Page 9 <br />The biggest communities we have, like Denver, they have the ability to go do feasibility <br />studies and they can issue bonds themselves and build projects. We don't need to help <br />them. We need to help these small entities that really can't come up with the money to <br />get past this without some help. <br /> <br />Page 11 <br />That money is not being used to its potential simply because, as Senator Isgar pointed <br />out, there aren't sufficient resources for these small communities, these ranchers and <br />farmers, these ditch companies, usually in the rural areas of the state, to do the feasibility <br />and the environmental impact statements so that they can then have the go ahead to go <br />out and borrow money against the Perpetual Fund to build these projects. <br /> <br />Page 13 <br />I do agree with Senate B ill 179. And my biggest concern was the fact that when we set <br />up 1177, the roundtables, I was concerned about the fact that they would supersede <br />CWCB, Colorado Water Conservation Board issues. And speaking with Speaker George, <br />he assured me that they wer en't going to do this. <br />And I think it's a good idea to let the roundtables recommend to the CWCB on projects <br />because they may overlook some of those. And I think it's only right for them to have the <br />