United States Senate State of Colorado
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, August 21, 2008		CONTACTS: Matt Lee-Ashley (Salazar) 202-374-3791 Evan Dreyer (Ritter) – 720-350-8370
Sen. Salazar and Gov. Ritter Respond to Gov. Huntsman and Sen. McCain's Comments on Colorado River Compact Colorado Water Community Sends Letter Strongly Opposing Renegotiation DENVER, CO – Today, in a letter addressed to Colorado elected officials, Colorado water leaders and water experts stated their strong opposition to the renegotiation of the Colorado River Compact, as suggested by Arizona Senator John McCain and reiterated yesterday by Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. The letter, signed by senior Colorado water experts and leaders of the Colorado River Water Conservation District, Denver Water, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Southwestern Water Conservation District, the Board of Water Works of Pueblo, the City of Aurora, Colorado Springs Utilities, can be seen here. “The 1922 Colorado River Compact remains a sacrosanct framework that protects the water that is the lifeblood of Colorado communities,” said Sen. Salazar. “Governor Huntsman and Senator McCain seem to think the door is open for renegotiating that compact – we are slamming that door shut and saying: No way, no how. Colorado’s water community agrees that we have to do all we can to protect that framework and extinguish these flames before they spread.” “The message couldn’t be any clearer to Sen. McCain or anyone else trying to grab Colorado’s water: Not interested,” said Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Jr. “Any suggestion, effort or hint of re-opening or renegotiating the Colorado River Compact will be met with the fiercest of opposition from me and my administration. It was an irresponsible suggestion from Sen. McCain and his apparent flip-flopping or backtracking only underscores what many of Colorado’s major water leaders are now saying: We should do everything possible to protect that framework.” # # #