Bennet, Hickenlooper Urge Senate Appropriations Committee to Continue Funding Arkansas Valley Conduit

April 16, 2024

Washington, D.C. - Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper urged the Senate Appropriations Committee to increase funding for the Arkansas Valley Conduit (AVC) in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 spending bill. In their letter, the senators requested increased funding in line with the $13 million proposed in the Biden administration's budget. This increase comes after the senators sent a letterto President Biden earlier this year encouraging additional support for the AVC in the President's Budget Request.

"We join the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, the State of Colorado, and the many local water providers in support of $13 million for the Arkansas Valley Conduit. These funds will allow Coloradans to maintain on-time construction, delivery of pre-construction activities, including updating environmental documents, design activity, contract negotiation, land acquisition, and right of way work," wrote Bennet and Hickenlooper.

More than 50,000 Coloradans in 39 communities in the Arkansas River Valley rely entirely on groundwater and several face water contamination from naturally-occurring radioactive elements. The AVC is the final phase of the Fryingpan Arkansas Project and would connect these communities with clean drinking water.

Bennet and Hickenlooper have consistently advocated for increased funding for the AVC. In July 2023, the senators welcomed$100 million in funding from the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to expedite the construction of the AVC after they urgedBOR to consider allocating additional funding for the system. Following Bennet and Hickenlooper's callto the Senate Appropriations Committee last March to continue to fund the project, the Fiscal Year 2024 budget included $10.1 million for the AVC.

The text of the letter is available HEREand below.

Dear Chairwoman Murray and Ranking Member Kennedy:

We write to request funding for the Bureau of Reclamation in fiscal year (FY) 2025 to continue planning and construction for Colorado's Arkansas Valley Conduit project. The Conduit project is a priority for Colorado, and we request $13 million, in line with the President's Budget Request, to continue investment and move closer to finalizing this crucial clean drinking water project.

The Arkansas Valley Conduit is a planned 130-mile water-delivery system from the Pueblo Dam to communities throughout the Arkansas River Valley in Southeast Colorado. The Conduit is the final phase of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, which Congress authorized in 1962. When completed, the Conduit will help bring clean drinking water to more than 50,000 people in 39 communities in the lower Arkansas Valley of Colorado who currently rely on naturally contaminated groundwater, which typically does not meet Safe Drinking Water Act standards.

Colorado water providers have worked to finish the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project since Congress first authorized it. Annual funding, in line with our $13 million funding request for FY25, will help shorten the Conduit's construction timeline and expand Coloradans' access to a secure and safe supply of water.

We join the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, the State of Colorado, and the many local water providers in support of $13 million for the Arkansas Valley Conduit. These funds will allow Coloradans to maintain on-time construction, delivery of pre-construction activities, including updating environmental documents, design activity, contract negotiation, land acquisition, and right of way work.

Additionally, we request a strong overall FY25 funding level for the Bureau of Reclamation. While the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided substantial and necessary funding for Western water infrastructure, the needs in our region will remain significant for years to come as these one-time historic funds come to an end.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

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