Water Pact Roundtables Gearing Up for August
Jul. 23–The state is attempting to clarify confusion about appointments to roundtables which are forming to develop interbasin compacts within Colorado.
Under HB1177, signed into law this year, nine roundtables are forming, one for each of the state’s eight major river basins and a separate one for the Denver metro area. Those roundtables will choose two representatives to a statewide committee headed by Russ George, director of the Department of Natural Resources.
Initially, each county gets an appointment, and the municipalities within each county may jointly appoint one member to the roundtables. Conservancy districts each get one appointment. This group chooses 10 other members representing a cross-section of water interests. Finally, the chairmen of the House and Senate agriculture committees make a joint appointment.
The provision for municipal appointments has caused statewide confusion, said Dawn Taylor Owens, communications director for the Department of Natural Resources.
“A letter will be sent out next week with new forms to pinpoint who will be appointed from the municipalities in each county,” Owens said.
Owens explained the municipalities in each county may collaborate on an appointment. However, the statute does not provide a method for making the choice. Some cities have simply made a choice, creating a conflict if two or more municipalities in the same county submit names.
She said new forms will be sent out next week, explaining the picks must be collaborative. Until then, the final composition of roundtables won’t be known, despite the original July 15 deadline for appointments.
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