Colorado's federal lawmakers are saying that the competing wilderness bills for Rocky Mountain National Park (home to the Grand Ditch) are unlikely to be resolved in this year's lame duck session, according to the Daily Herald (Utah). From the article, "Legislation to officially designate about 94 percent of the park as wilderness was first proposed in 1994, and Rep. Mark Udall, D-Colo., has introduced the bill every year since he took office in 1999. He and Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., thought they were finally poised to pass it this year after winning support from several communities surrounding the park. But progress was scuttled when Colorado Republicans Sen. Wayne Allard and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave introduced their own bill at the last minute. Now, with Congress set to wrap up work by the end of next week, Colorado[base ']s lawmakers say they still have not negotiated a compromise...
"One of the sticking points between the Republicans and the Democrats was whether to give liability protection to a company that operates the Grand River Ditch through the park. Water Supply and Storage Co. has the rights to the ditch, one of Colorado's oldest transmountain canals. Allard and Musgrave's bill would waive liability for future accidents that occur under normal maintenance. But Salazar and others have questioned whether the bill would also absolve the company of potential liability for damage to the park caused by a 2003 accident. The government sued the Fort Collins water company earlier this year for damage caused when the ditch overflowed, scouring a mountainside and forcing the temporary closure of trails and campsites."
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:56:04 AM 
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