Senate Committee Approves Platte River Legislation

SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES PLATTE RIVER LEGISLATION

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee yesterday approved legislation to implement the federal share of the Platte River recovery implementation plan. The sponsors of the legislation, United States Senators Ben Nelson, Wayne Allard, Ken Salazar and Chuck Hagel, applauded the committee's action as a major step towards final passage of the bill.

"The Platte River recovery is absolutely critical to improving and maintaining habitat for threatened and endangered species while allowing water use and development along the Platte River. Our legislation will ensure that this plan is able to be fully implemented and we are pushing the Senate to act on it as soon as possible," said Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson. "With the Committee's unanimous action, the road is clear for Senate passage of this bill."

"When a program is developed that protects water users' rights and creates wildlife habitat protection it is a win-win for every one involved. The Platte River recovery plan does just that," said Senator Salazar, a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. "The program allows continued water use and development along the Platte that is critical to our farmers, ranchers and local communities and I am proud to support this sound conservation bill."

"This legislation aims to address one of the most pressing needs in the West, ensuring that the Endangered Species Act does not stop our most precious natural resource from flowing," said Senator Allard. "I have been an outspoken critic of the Endangered Species Act, but when I see a program designed to work with people to find real solutions I support it. This program is a good step forward in recovering endangered species and still providing the necessary water to meet the demands we face in the Platte River region."

"This is important news for Nebraskans. I applaud Governor Heineman for working with the Governors of Wyoming and Colorado, the U.S. Department of the Interior and local stakeholders to develop the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program. This is the kind of intra-state cooperation that will be necessary to address future water challenges in Nebraska and across the U.S. I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that the Senate considers this legislation as soon as possible," said Senator Hagel.

In late 2006 the Governors of Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming and the Department of Interior signed the final program agreement after working together since 1997 to develop a recovery plan that benefits certain species yet allows continued water use and development along the Platte.

S. 752 - passed out of the committee as HR 1462 - will authorize the Secretary of Interior to proceed with the program and includes $157 million to carry it out. The cost will be shared 50/50 by the states and federal government. Through the program the states will provide benefits for the endangered and threatened species as well as land, water, and scientific monitoring and research to evaluate benefits of the program.

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