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Salazar, Markey, Bennet secure federal funds to finally begin work on the Arkansas Valley ConduitColorado Congressman John Salazar, Congresswoman Betsy Markey, and Senator Michael Bennet announced Sept. 30 that $5 million will be included in the final Energy & Water Appropriations bill to begin work on the Arkansas Valley Conduit. The first round of Conduit funding will be used for the environmental analysis, planning and design. "My constituents in Southern Colorado have literally been waiting for generations to see this promise become a reality. This is a great day for Southern Colorado and for the Arkansas Valley Conduit--the work of building the Conduit can finally begin," said Salazar, a member of the Appropriations Committee, the Energy and Water Subcommittee, and the conference committee that approved the final funding. "Almost 50 years ago, the government made a promise to the people of Southern Colorado that it failed to meet. Today, Congress finally made good on that promise." "Water is the lifeblood of Southeastern Colorado," said Markey. "It sustains our farms, our families and our communities. The Arkansas Valley Conduit has been a long time coming, and I'm so happy to have helped finally get this started. This is truly a great day for our corner of Colorado." "The vision for the Arkansas Valley Conduit is the product of decades of hard work fueled by creative thinking and tireless collaboration," said Bennet. "For years, people in southeastern Colorado have fought to make the vision of the Arkansas Valley Conduit a reality. It's been a long fight and their hard work is finally paying off. This shows that with committed partners at the federal level to support the efforts of people on the ground, we can build a stronger foundation for future generations of the Arkansas River Valley." Earlier this year, Congress passed legislation authorizing the construction of the Conduit that was signed into law by President Barack Obama. Bennet, Markey, Salazar and Senator Mark Udall requested $9 million in funding for the project earlier this year. The Arkansas Valley Conduit (Conduit) is designed to provide clean drinking water to approximately 40 cities, towns and water providers in the lower Arkansas River Valley. The Conduit will begin at Pueblo Reservoir, travel east approximately 140 miles, delivering water to the various communities along the way. These communities are in dire need of a source of water that will help them comply with the Clean Drinking Water Act in a manner that they can afford. Every community that will receive water from the Conduit is currently rated below the 85 percent level of Average Household Income.
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