Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici, and Representative Tom Udall, today introduced legislation in both chambers of Congress to help meet eastern New Mexico’s future water needs by authorizing the federal government to build a pipeline that will carry water to several communities in Curry and Roosevelt counties.

The legislation, called the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System Authorization Act, authorizes the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to spend up to $327 million to assist the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority in the construction of the pipeline. The water will come from the Ute Reservoir, which was built on the Canadian River in 1959 as a sustainable water supply for eastern New Mexico.

A few years after the reservoir was constructed, Congress authorized the study of a pipeline that would transport the water to eastern New Mexico communities that needed it. But it was only in the past few years, with an increasing concern about declining and degrading groundwater resources in the area, that the affected New Mexico communities began planning for the pipeline.

Under the legislation introduced today in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the state and the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority (ENMRWA), which represents communities in eastern New Mexico that will benefit from the pipeline, will contribute a total of 25 percent of the cost of construction. The Authority will be responsible for operating and maintaining the pipeline.

“The water supply and long-term security made available through this project is absolutely critical to the eastern New Mexico’s future,” said Bingaman, who first introduced Ute pipeline legislation in 2004. “After years of planning, we are now ready to take the next big step toward making the Ute pipeline a reality. Our bill has broad support in the state and in the congressional delegation, and we have laid the groundwork for gaining the support of Congress.”

“If the Ute water project is to become a reality, it is vital that we get it authorized. We are at a point where this step is necessary, and this bill is intended to meet that need. Ensuring this water supply for communities on the High Plains will require continued cooperation on many fronts. I am committed to being part of that process, and I hope to see it authorized before I leave office,” said Domenici, who introduced similar legislation with Bingaman during the 109th Congress.

“There has long been a recognized need for a reliable and safe supply of potable water for eastern New Mexico,” said Udall, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “After years of drought and ever-increasing population growth, this water supply legislation, built upon more than 40 years of research, planning, and design, is now absolutely critical for the continued economic well-being of Curry, Roosevelt and Quay counties in eastern New Mexico. We cannot stand by and watch vibrant communities dissolve into ghost towns, especially when solutions exist. This legislation represents the important next step toward addressing the overarching issue of water in the arid West and I look forward to working to secure its passage.”

Communities that will be served by the pipeline include: Grady, Clovis, Melrose, Texico, Portales, Elida, Cannon Air Force Base, and other potential locations in Curry, Roosevelt and Quay counties.

The New Mexico lawmakers have introduced similar legislation in previous Congresses which allowed for congressional hearings that led to changes reflected in the version of the bill introduced today.

Several Eastern New Mexico leaders issued statements of support for the legislation:

“I am very pleased that the bill has been introduced. I applaud our Congressional delegation for their leadership on this important matter,” said Portales Mayor Orlando Ortega, Jr., who serves as Vice Chairman of ENMRWA. “Our goal is to secure authorization and appropriations for this project as soon as possible, and this hopefully brings us closer to that goal.”

“I think it is critically important to our communities that this legislation has been introduced,” said Clovis Mayor Gayla Brumfield. “I want to thank our delegation who has done a tremendous job in making sure that this project, which is so important to the eastern side of the state, is a moving forward.”

“The communities of Eastern New Mexico who are members of the Water Authority are extremely grateful for the leadership provided by our congressional delegation on moving this project forward,” said David Lansford, Chairman of the ENMRWA. “The Ute Water Pipeline Project represents a vibrant future to Eastern New Mexico communities in Quay, Curry and Roosevelt counties. Based on the vital need of the project and the level and efficiency of the design that has been produced to date, I am optimistic that the time is right to move to the next step in seeking federal authorization for this project.”

“This is a very important milestone for the Ute Water Pipeline Project, one that we have been working on for several years, said Darrel Bostwick, Chairman of the Ute Water Commission. “This project is vital for the future of this area.”