Date: 1988-06-14
Speaker: SENATOR BINGAMAN (democrat)
Chamber: S

On behalf of the Ute Reservoir Water Commission and the nine member communities and Cannon Air Force Base. I want to thana you for your interest and support in addressing the longterm water problems in Eastern New Mexico. This packet of information is designed to provide additional background information on the need for the project and the actions taken to date. As you probably know. this project dates back more than 25 years when the New Mexico Legislature authorized funding for construction of Ute Reservoir near Logan. About two year ago. the City of Clovis and the City of Tucumcari took the lead in renewing interest in the project by signing reservation contracts for impounded surface water at Ute. Recent reorganization of the Bureau of Reclamation has lead to the closing of the regional BOR office in Amarillo which has assisted with the evaluation of this project for several years. Vital records have been transferred to the Denver office and the Salt Lake City regional office which will now be responsible to any additional work on the project. Our problem now appears to be the current BOR policy which indicates they will not support additional work on any project which has not received full congressional authorization. In light of current federal policy. we specifically need your assistance now in obtaining continued Bureau of Reclamation support for additional preconstruction planning assistance on the project. We estimate that $500.000 in funding to the Bureau of Reclamation over the next two years will accomplish most of the required reeconstruction planning including environn.ental (NEPA). and more detailed engineering. This work is needed by the communities and by Congress to justify full congressional authorization of the project. It could be accomplished through the assistance to states program administered by each regional BOR office if Congress provided specific appropriations for that purpose. Specific language which would accomplish the objective could be very simple and straightforward: "Authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to prepare final design and specifications for an intercommunity water distribution system which will serve the New Mexico Communities of Clovis. Elida. Grady. Logan. Melrose. Portales San Jon. Texico. Tucumcarl. and Cannon Air Force Base. The project will deliver up to 18.400 acrefeet of treated water to the project area for municipal. industrial and other uses from existing Ute Reservoir in New Mexico. There is appropriated $250.000 for Fiscal Year 1989 and $250.000 for Fiscal Year 1990 to complete preconstructio. work on the project." As you know. the construction of this project is vital to the longterm economic vitality of communities in Quay. Curry and Roosevelt counties. We have also worked closely with officials from Cannon Air Force Base who are participating in this project. Upon completion. this project will provide more than 2.000 acrefeet of water annually to this important federal defense installation. 7" : availability of surface water for municipal and industrial use in Eastern New Mexico could turn our primary development constraint into one of our major assets. Without congressional action now. our current project planning cycle will be disrupted and we will lose valuable momentum in bringing this Important project to fruition. Included with this letter are several documents designed to provid.. supplemental information on the project. They include: A copy of the fully executed Joint Powers Agreement establishing the Ute Reservoir Water Commission: a copy of the July. 1987 Technical Memorandum on the project completed by the Amarillo BOR office. a summary of the City of Clovis 1986 CDBG planning assistance grant which has assi.ted Clovis. the Ute Water Commission and the East2rn Plains Council of Gcvernments to accomplish advance p~lanning and coordination on the project. and the current iembership roster fo the Ute Commission. We can provide additional detailed information as reqiuired. The Eastern Plains Council of Governments is currently staffIng the Ute Water Commission which is chaired by Clovis Mayor James B. Moss. We are working with Mitch in your Washington office aiz David Vacker in New Mexico to keep key people informed. I know you realize Senator how important this project is in addressing the inevitable water problems in Eaaitern New Mexico brought about by the continuing decline of the Ogallala aquifer. The involved communiLies and the Eastern Plains Council of Governments arn prepared to provide formal resolutions and letters of support for this effort. If a delegation from the communities is needed at any time to support your efforts in Washington. we will be on the next flight out. Thank you again for your efforts and support on this important undertaking. Sincerely yours.