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Lost Creek Guide
October 7, 2020
Gardner Helps Break Ground on the Arkansas Valley Conduit Project will deliver clean drinking water for 50,000 Coloradans
promised completion nearly six decades ago,” said Senator Gardner. “I want to thank President Trump, Office of Management and Budget Director Vought, Department of the Interior Secretary Bernhardt, the leadership of the Bureau of Reclamation, and everyone in Southeast Colorado who worked tirelessly to make today’s groundbreaking possible. I will keep fighting to ensure the federal government upholds its funding commitment until the project is completed.” Currently there are approximately 50,000 individuals in Southeast Colorado who have contaminated groundwater. The Arkansas Valley Conduit project, which was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1962, will deliver clean drinking water to local communities across the region upon completion. Background: In March 2020, Gardner questioned Interior Secretary David Bernhard about funding for the Arkansas Valley Conduit at a hearing held by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. In February 2020, Gardner announced he secured $28 million of funding for the Arkansas Valley Conduit, to be provided by the U.S Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation’s Fiscal Year 2020 work plan. In December 2019, Gardner secured language in the year-end spending package that continues to advocate for the construction of the Arkansas Valley Conduit, and allowed for Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) helped break ground on Bureau of Reclamation’s flexibility to use additional funding towards the project in Fiscal the Arkansas Valley Conduit project in Pueblo, finally beginning construction on the proj- Year 2020. ect for the first time since Congress authorized it nearly six decades ago. In February, In October 2019, Senators Gardner and Bennet and Representatives Tipton and Buck Gardner announced he secured $28 million of funding for the Arkansas Valley Conduit wrote to Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt expressing that funding the Arkansas project, provided by the Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation’s Fiscal Year Valley Conduit is a top priority for them and requested the administration support the 2020 work plan. project. “I was honored to secure the $28 million in funding to finally begin construction. The At Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt’s confirmation hearing in May 2017, communities of the Lower Arkansas Valley deserve clean drinking water, which the Ar- Gardner spoke about the importance of the Arkansas Valley Conduit and secured Bernkansas Valley Conduit will supply for generations to come. It’s exciting to see dirt mov- hardt’s commitment to working with the Colorado delegation to finance the Arkansas ing on this project for the first time since Congress authorized it and President Kennedy Valley Conduit. In July 2016, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources approved a bill Gardner authored that would extend greater flexibility to the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District by allowing the maximum use of miscellaneous revenue collected from the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project to be immediately reinvested into the Arkansas Valley High Plains Bank chartered in Flagler, CO intends to apply to the Federal Conduit once construction begins. Reserve Board for permission to establish a branch at an address to be deIn May 2016, Bent County Commissioner and President of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy termined on Market Street (Lot 33, Keenesburg Heights; north of Shell Gas District Board of Directors Bill Long testified at the SenStation), Keenesburg, CO 80643. The Federal Reserve considers a number ate Energy and Natural Resource Committee’s Water and Power Subcommittee hearing in support of Gardner’s of factors in deciding whether to approve the application including the record legislation to extend greater flexibility to the Southeastof performance of applicant banks in helping to meet local credit needs. ern Colorado Water Conservancy District and support the Arkansas Valley Conduit. You are invited to submit comments in writing on this application to the Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, One Memorial Drive, Kansas City, Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the ComMO 64198. The comment period will not end before October 22, 2020. The merce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and is the Board’s procedures for processing applications may be found at 12 C.F.R. Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy. 262.25. To obtain a copy of the Federal Reserve Board’s procedures, con-
Notice of Application to Establish a State Member Bank Branch
tact Dennis Denney, Assistant Vice President, at (816) 881-2633. The Federal Reserve will consider your comments and any request for a public meeting or formal hearing on the application if they are received in writing by the Reserve Bank on or before the last day of the comment period.
