Hickenlooper, Bennet Applaud $100 Million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for Ark Valley Conduit
Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet applauded a Bureau of Reclamation announcement of $100 million in new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a planned 130-mile water-delivery system from the Pueblo Reservoir to almost 40 rural communities and 50,000 Coloradans throughout the Arkansas River Valley in Southeast Colorado.
In May, the senators thanked Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton for her visit to Pueblo for the project’s groundbreaking and urged Reclamation to release additional funding to speed up completion of the six-decade-long project.
“Southern Coloradans have been waiting decades for clean drinking water. Now, thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, it’s in our reach!” said Hickenlooper.
In honor of the announcement, Hickenlooper and Touton recorded a TikTok announcing the funding:
https://vimeo.com/849208253
“Since my earliest days in the Senate, I’ve fought to ensure the federal government keeps its word and finishes this vital infrastructure project for southeast Colorado,” said Bennet. “Today’s announcement marks the single largest investment in the Conduit’s history. I’m grateful to have helped deliver this new funding to provide safe, clean water to nearly 40 communities and 50,000 Coloradans along the Arkansas River.”
Hickenlooper and Bennet have consistently advocated for increased funding for the AVC. In January, Hickenlooper and Bennet joined in a letter to urge Reclamation to allocate additional resources through annual appropriations and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding.
U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet joined Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton, Department of the Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Gary Gold, and Colorado Water Conservation Board Director Becky Mitchell for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a major water infrastructure project that will deliver clean drinking water to 50,000 Coloradans when complete.
“Chaffee County is the third-largest financial contributor to the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District Board (SCWCD) through the mill levy,” said Chaffee County Commissioner Greg Felt after it became apparent that this is the year that the completion of the conduit will finally be funded. He holds the single Chaffee County seat on the board of the SCWCD and has sought to help Chaffee residents understand that this is important here as well.
“It’s because our property valuations are so high. A lot of counties don’t have much of their county in the district, but we have a lot. We benefit tremendously from the imported water from the Fry-Ark; that’s supplemental water used by our municipalities and the Upper Ark and we’re working with the agricultural community to facilitate their ability to avail themselves of this extra water when it’s available.”
Hickenlooper and Bennet also requested funding for the project in this year’s FY24 omnibus spending bill.
In October 2022, the senators celebrated an announcement of $60 million in new funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the completion of the Conduit.
The senators also secured $10.1 million for the project in the FY23 omnibus spending bill, which was signed into law in December, and $10.5 million in the FY22 omnibus spending bill.
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