Grand County fishermen celebrate: Ritter signs instream flow legislation into law

By Katie LoobySky-Hi Daily News April 22, 2008

Gov. Bill Ritter signed HB 1280 into law Monday.

    The legislation, dubbed the “Protect Lease Instream Flow Water Right Bill” among supporters, allows water rights owners to leave their water in a stream or river without the risk of losing it, said Kirk Klancke, Winter Park Ranch Water & Sanitation District manager.

http://www.skyhidailynews.com/article/20080422/NEWS/441584195

Gov. Bill Ritter signs river-protection bill into law

By Joe Hanel | Herald Denver Bureau "The stream that I knew in my youth is not the stream I'm introducing my grandson to," said Kirk Klancke, manager of the Winter Park Ranch Water and Sanitation District. "We now have the ability to put water rights in the river, which is something I thought I'd never see - more water in the river."

http://durangoherald.com/asp-bin/article_generation.asp?article_type=news&article_path=/news/08/news080422_5.htm

Ritter signs water-rights bill — a win-win for holders, rivers

John Ingold, The Denver Post

Gov. Bill Ritter on Monday signed into law a significant revision to Colorado's water law to allow water-rights holders to leave some of their water in the river without penalty.

http://www.denverpost.com/legislature/ci_9007791

Dems push for limits on Roan drilling

By GARY HARMONThe Daily Sentinel

“We continue to believe the outstanding resources on the Roan deserve full protection,” said Dave Nickum, executive director of one of the organizations, Colorado Trout Unlimited. “We support this bill as an important step forward in protecting key habitat on the Roan, including native cutthroat watersheds.”

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/04/17/041808_1a_roan.html

Sportsmen keep eyes on energy companies

By DAVE BUCHANANThe Daily Sentinel

Heading the campaign are the conservation groups Trout Unlimited, National Wildlife Federation and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

Chris Wood, chief operating officer for Trout Unlimited, said the “Forest Service and (Bureau of Land Management’s) usual order (of energy development) is lease first, ask about water and wildlife next.

“But it shouldn’t take an act of Congress to ... ensure a place like the Roan Plateau is protected from energy development,” Wood said.

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/04/16/041708_responsible_energy.html

Outdoor groups "seek a balance"

By Andy Vuong and Steve Lipsher The Denver Post

Trout Unlimited's Chris Wood called the grass-roots lobbying effort a "last resort" because sportsmen have not been heard in discussions over oil and gas leasing.

Also, a new report shows that Colorado oil, gas and mining companies pay the seventh-lowest tax rate among firms in 10 Western states.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_8950679

AG wants Roan gas line halted

By Andy Vuong and John Ingold The Denver Post

Ken Neubecker, a Carbondale resident and president of Colorado Trout Unlimited, said the erosion into a waterway is "basically one of our worst fears from this kind of development."

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_8937704

Grand County rivers may benefit from passage of instream flow legislation

By Katie LoobySky-Hi Daily News April 10, 2008

    The Colorado Legislature has given final approval to a bill that could benefit the Fraser and Colorado rivers.

    The legislation would allow water rights owners to leave their water in a stream or river without the risk of losing it, through special circumstances, said Kirk Klancke, Winter Park Ranch Water & Sanitation District manager.

http://www.skyhidailynews.com/article/20080410/NEWS/983196381

Groups want an extension for pipeline comments

Pueblo Chieftain Chris Woodka

The letter is signed by representatives from the Colorado Environmental Coalition, Western Resource Advocates, Trout Unlimited’s Colorado Water Project, Sierra Club, High Country Citizens Campaign, Environment Colorado and the Colorado Progressive Coalition.

http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1207634400/2

Healthy Rivers Flowing Along

Pagosa Daily Post Ben Davis

“The support we’ve seen for the package of instream flow bills is exciting.  Trout Unlimited and the conservation community sincerely appreciate all the legislators who voted in favor of HB 1280, and we very much hope that the General Assembly will take positive action on the other bills as well,” said Drew Peternell of Trout Unlimited.

http://www.pagosadailypost.com/news/7934/Healthy_Rivers_Flowing_Along/