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Water rights, jurisdiction criticized

Dennis Webb

Beyond road and helicopter issues, environmentalists have criticized U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis’ Red Table Mountain wilderness legislation on other fronts as well:-He sets out to protect not only existing water rights, but rights to future water development. He also specifically would prohibit the Forest Service from imposing bypass or other minimum instream flow requirements in connection with the wilderness area.McInnis and environmentalists have long differed on the Forest Service’s attempts to impose such requirements. Richard Compton, director of the Carbondale-based White River Conservation Project, said McInnis’ water provisions set bad future precedents for wilderness bills.-McInnis proposes wilderness in a congressional district that no longer will be part of his 3rd Congressional District next year. Under redistricting, it will instead be part of the 2nd Congressional District, represented by Mark Udall, D-Boulder.McInnis previously objected to 1st District Congresswoman Diana DeGette, D-Denver, offering wilderness legislation covering his district.McInnis spokesman Blair Jones said the difference is that while Red Table Mountain may not be in McInnis’ district next year, “It’s in his district now … and he wants to protect this area.”If it is to pass, McInnis’ measure will have to be resubmitted next year, because it was introduced too late to move through Congress this year.


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