DENVER – Governor Bill Owens has asserted Colorado’s commitment to build the Animas-La Plata water project in southwestern Colorado in a letter to Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt.

"Colorado will continue to support construction of the project as soon as possible as provided by the Indian Water Rights Settlement Act," Owens told Babbitt. "Colorado believes A-LP is the only reasonable solution to the 130 year-old Tribal water rights issue and I believe fairness to the Tribes and the local water users requires it."

Owens said a Babbitt proposal last year, commonly referred to as "A-LP Ultra Light," does not meet these Colorado’s requirements.

"We are skeptical about several aspects of ‘A-LP Ultra Light’," Owens said. "It drives a wedge between local water users and Tribes."

"Finally, you need to know that under no circumstances is Colorado prepared to support de-authorization of its entitled and authorized water projects as part of the A-LP agreement," Owens told Babbitt. These projects were authorized as part of the deal between Upper and Lower Basins that resulted in the Central Arizona Project and Colorado will not surrender its half of the bargain for nothing."

Owens supports the Animas-La Plata proposal introduced in Congress last year by U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell and U.S. Representative Scott McInnis.

The full letter from Owens to Babbitt is attached.

March 9, 1999

Washington, D.C. 20240

Dear Bruce:

You and I have not had a chance personally to discuss the Animas-La Plata water Project in Southwest Colorado, but the recent public scoping meetings in Colorado attracted a great deal of attention, and I want to make clear my Administration’s position on A-LP.

First and foremost, Colorado will continue to support construction of the project as soon as possible as provided by the Indian Water Rights Settlement Act. Colorado believes A-LP is the only reasonable solution to the 130 year-old Tribal water rights issue, and I believe fairness to the Tribes and the local water users requires it. We intend to hold the federal government to commitments that have been made, and will expect action soon.

Second, we are skeptical about several aspects of your proposal of last August, commonly called "A-LP Ultra Light." In particular, providing the Tribes some of the water to which they are entitled while providing no irrigation component or non-Indian water is half a solution at best. It drives a wedge between local water users and Tribes, which can only further the difficulty of getting the project built and avoiding more costly litigation. Moreover, the small size of the reservoir you proposed clearly does not solve the problem, and may actually create a worse environmental problem, as I think you are aware.

Finally, you need to know that under no circumstances is Colorado prepared to support de-authorization of its entitled and authorized water projects as part of the A-LP agreement. These projects were authorized as part of the deal between Upper and Lower Basins that resulted in the Central Arizona Project and Colorado will not surrender its half of the bargain for nothing. As you well know, California and Nevada are facing extreme difficulty supplying the water they need, the 4.4. Plan is not progressing well, the effort to quantify senior water rights in the Lower Basin remains illusive, and the Interim-operating agreement is not yet in place. These are separate issues from A-LP and must be addressed separately. At this time, it would be irresponsible for Colorado to surrender federal authorization to build projects to use its share of the River, and I assure you we have no intention of doing so.

I think an earlier proposal developed reluctantly by the Ute Indians; endorsed by the Colorado Water Conservation Board and formally introduced by Senator Campbell and Congressman McInnis a year ago is a more prudent option. That proposal also limits the amount of water available for irrigation and municipal and industrial uses from A-LP to 57,100-acre feet. It also shrunk the cost of the project to $257 million. I request that alternatives considered in the EIA include this version of the project, which is supported by the State of Colorado and its major stakeholders.

I sincerely hope we can work collaboratively on construction of A-LP as soon as possible. I am anxious that Colorado be helpful in resolving the remaining issues so we may proceed, and I hope you will let me know how that can be done. I look forward to working with you to that end.

Sincerely,

Bill Owens

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