March 15, 2008--Pipeline issue progressing at Capitol (Sterling Journal-Advocate)
A $60.6 million loan to the Republican River Water Conservation District is by far the largest and most contentious issue in the annual water projects bill being considered by Colorado lawmakers this year. The loan is included in House Bill 1346, which sets the funding priorities for the Colorado Water Conservation Board. The district, using fees collected from irrigators and other water users in the Republican River Basin, would pay back the loan over 20 years with 2 percent interest. Colorado already is more than 50,000 acre feet of water short of its compact obligations to Nebraska and Kansas. The shortage is increasing by about 10,000 acre feet a year. Curry’s committee unanimously endorsed the measure Wednesday, but it must go through the House Appropriations Committee before it reaches the full House for debate. “Our charge is to bring Colorado into compliance with the Republican River Compact,” said Tim Pautler, a conservation district board member who briefed the committee on the history of the compact and district.
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