From The Fort Collins Coloradoan, "The Water Resources Development Act that inspired Congress to override a presidential veto includes funding for a pipeline project out of Carter Lake. The bill, which carries $120 million for Colorado water projects, includes $10 million to build a pipeline from Carter Lake west of Loveland to a water treatment plant at Boulder Reservoir. The 21-mile pipe would be owned by the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, said district spokesman Brian Werner. The district's water projects are a major source of water for Fort Collins. The $10 million in the bill would be shared by the project's participating entities -- the city of Boulder, the town of Frederick, the Left Hand Water District and the Little Thompson Water District, Werner said. The total cost of the pipeline is expected to be around $33 million, with the participating entities paying the difference. The pipe would be 36 inches to 45 inches in diameter. It would follow the right of way of an existing pipeline for about 14 miles."
More coverage from The Pueblo Chieftain. From the article:
President Bush lost his first veto battle with Congress on Thursday when the Senate voted 79-14 to reapprove a $23 billion water project bill that the House affirmed earlier in the week. Bush had vetoed the popular water resources bill last week, saying it authorized too much federal spending. Colorado's Sens. Ken Salazar and Wayne Allard split on the issue with Salazar, the Democrat, voting with the majority to approve the legislation, which includes a $79 million authorization to begin work on the Arkansas Valley Conduit project. Allard, a Republican, has traditionally supported the conduit project but backed President Bush's veto of the legislation, saying it had become bloated with projects for both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
The White House had not expected Congress to uphold the veto, given the heavy majorities in both the House and Senate in favor of the measure. Except for spending bills for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the president has taken a hard line with Congress on appropriation bills that exceed his budget requests. He did not veto any bills - spending bills or otherwise - during the first six years of his administration, when Republicans were in the majority in Congress. Salazar said the water legislation was needed and credited both Democratic and Republican lawmakers with overriding the veto. "Today we were able to override the president's veto and will now be able to move forward on providing funding for urgent water projects that will have critical and long-lasting impact in Colorado," he said in a statement...
The Arkansas Valley Conduit is a pipeline project that would carry water from Lake Pueblo to communities along the Arkansas River.
Other Colorado items in the water resources bill include: Instructions to the Army Corps of Engineers to complete the Fountain Creek watershed study. Authorization for $25 million environmental management program for the Rio Grande in the San Luis Valley. Approval for a $10 million pipeline in Boulder County.
More coverage from The Denver Post. They write:
Six of the nine members of the Colorado Congressional delegation voted to override President Bush's veto of legislation authorizing water projects, the first override of Bush's presidency. "I am disappointed the president did not sign this bill because he understands the problems we face in the West with water quality and scarcity," said Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Fort Morgan. "Congress has been working on this bill for several years now, it is not like it was just slammed through like other recent bills." Musgrave was the sole Republican in Colorado's congressional delegation to vote against the president. In the House, Musgrave and Democratic Reps. Diana Degette of Denver, Mark Udall of Eldorado Springs, John Salazar of Manassa, and Ed Perlmutter of Golden voted to override. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, voted against the override. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Littleton, did not vote. In the Senate, Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo. voted to override and Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo. opposed.
The legislation does not guarantee any of the work will be done, however. The projects still must be funded through a separate process that the House and Senate must agree on and send to President Bush.
More coverage from The Lamar Ledger. They write:
Tara Hendershott from Sen. Allard's office said the senator chose to vote against the bill because of the extensive backlog with the Army Corp of Engineers, the agency responsible for completing water projects. "There is a huge backlog of over $58 billion and the senator feels that some of these projects need to be accomplished first." While the WRDA authorizes the conduit, funding still must be appropriated said Hendershott. She added that the senator would continue to seek appropriations for projects in the Arkansas Valley.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
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