U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

Monday, May 05, 2008

CONTACT: Stephanie Valencia – 202-494- 8790
Cody Wertz – 303-350-0032

Sen. Salazar Statement on Rocky Mountain National Park Settlement

WASHINGTON, DC – United States Senator Ken Salazar released the following statement in response to a Department of Justice announcement today that the Water Supply and Storage Company will pay $9 million in damages for a breach that caused damage to Rocky Mountain National Park in May 2003. The settlement money will be used to restore areas within Rocky Mountain National Park that were damaged by the breach.

“I would like to congratulate both sides on this hard-negotiated settlement. Today’s announcement is a positive development that will allow both the ditch company and the park to put the 2003 breach behind them and move forward on the much-needed repairs,” said Senator Salazar. “Rocky Mountain National Park is one of our nation’s most treasured crown jewels and I will continue to push our legislation that will permanently designate RMNP as wilderness so that future generations can enjoy the pristine wilderness that makes Colorado famous. I will also continue to work to ensure that the Grand River Ditch and other water infrastructure in the park can continue to safely deliver the water that farmers and Front Range communities depend upon.”

In May 2007, United States Senator Ken Salazar joined Senator Wayne Allard, Reps. Mark Udall, Marilyn Musgrave, John Salazar and Ed Perlmutter to introduce the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness Area Act (S.1380/H.R. 2334). In short, the bill would:

  • Designate 249,339 acres in RMNP as wilderness;
  • Guarantee that the backcountry of RMNP will be managed so that future generations will experience the park as we know it today
  • Allow for the National Park Service to continue bark beetle and fire mitigation efforts as well as emergency response actions;
  • Ensure wilderness designation will not affect water rights connected to the Colorado Big Thompson Project or the Grand River Ditch; and
  • Allow possible construction of a bike trail near Grand Lake.

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