Dylan Roberts: Victories for Colorado’s water future
As the State Senator for a large portion of the Western Slope, protecting Colorado’s water is one of my top priorities. We secured several landmark legislative and funding victories this year to ensure Colorado’s headwaters, rivers, streams and wetlands are supported for years to come. Here is a recap of the year’s most important efforts in water.
I worked closely with legislative and community partners in 2023 to create the Colorado River Drought Task Force, and after their hard work, Republican Senator Perry Will and I introduced a bill to implement their recommendations. SB24-197 creates new protections for water used by our agriculture producers, increases water funding and creates incentives for more river flows to protect the natural environment.
One other key section of the bill will be especially important for Northwest Colorado’s economic transition. This new law will protect Yampa River water from abandonment as Tri-State and Xcel pursue future energy development opportunities in the area. We want to keep energy generation jobs in Northwest Colorado and securing these water rights is a crucial part to do so.
Last year, the United States Supreme Court overturned federal wetlands protections in Sackett v. EPA and kicked protection of these crucial waters to the states. We stepped up in Colorado this year to do just that. Thanks to the leadership of Speaker Julie McCluskie, also from the Western Slope, Colorado was the first state to restore these needed protections. It was a privilege to carry HB24-1379 along with Republican Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer.
Each year, the legislature passes a bill to fund water conservation board projects. This year, we fought to ensure that bill contained the investment our water future deserves. We directed unprecedented funding levels to meet our state’s water needs in HB24-1435. We funded several projects and programs, including increased funding for our successful turf replacement program.
This bill also made a crucial state investment toward protecting the Shoshone water rights on the Colorado River. Led by the Colorado River District, the state, counties and local governments in the region partnered to secure half the funding necessary to protect Shoshone water rights, which would permanently preserve crucial water flow that supports agriculture, outdoor recreation and the environment. I recently worked with colleagues at the state legislature to send a bipartisan letter to our federal delegation, calling on them to secure the additional support and funding necessary to protect this water. Just last week, Colorado’s US Senators and many of our US Representatives announced their support for federal funding.
SB24-005 builds on the turf replacement program by prohibiting the installation of new nonfunctional turf. This means that we will stop installing water-sucking grass that is never used or walked on except when mowed, in any new commercial, industrial, and government construction.
HB24-1362 works to encourage streamlined graywater use. Graywater, which is gently used water from sinks, showers, and washing machines, can be safe when used for yard irrigation and it reconnects our households with the natural water cycle. Under HB24-1362, which I was honored to carry with Democratic Rep. Meghan Lukens and Republican Rep. Marc Catlin, graywater will be legal to use unless a local government chooses to opt out.
I am proud to have worked on these new laws, all of which have bipartisan sponsorship and support from across the state. The state legislature is more committed than ever to protecting and conserving our precious water resources, and I look forward to continuing these efforts in the coming year.
As always, you can contact me directly at SenatorDylanRoberts@gmail.com or 970-846-3054.
Dylan Roberts is the State Senator for Clear Creek, Eagle, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt and Summit Counties.
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