:' .YfAYNE N. ASPINALL, M. C. / " FOUinH 0JIITIItiCT COMMITTEES: ~ COLORADO PAUSADE. COLORADO $f!CRCTARIU: H.A.'"'trCT N. SHERIOAH CLAUOCJ.OE&AVTELS 'ION ...
OI.XM. S. OUNCAN
<!on.grt55 of tbt Wnittb
~tatts
J'lo~t
of
}lepn~mtatibtSRidflington,
19. (;,
May 19, 1958
William B. Nelson, Associate Editor The Daily Sentinel
Grand Junction, Colorado Dear Bill:
INTERIOR AHD IRSULAR AFFAIRS
VE'I"ERAHS' Af'F' AIRS
JOINT COMNfTTEE OH ATOMJC ENERGY
I am glad to have your letter of May 15, and I shall send you a copy of the bill which I am introducing for the Grand Valley Water Users Association just as soon as I receive it from the counsel of the committee who is studying i t prior to introduction. The purpose of the bill, of course, is to make it possible for a new lease to be executed and to provide for the disposition of the funds which will be paid for the benefits flowing to the lessee.
I am sorry that I could not have given more advance notice about the reclamation plan which I suggested. We had worked on it in secret for many weeks. I find that "too many cooks spoil the broth"
especially here in congress. However, I had alerted Helene a week ahead to the fact that she would have the material at least two days
in advance. She along with many others of you were disappointed ~
v -bec-.-1-bae--..ot iaelv<k<l .,_tain-p5<>je•>c~:s that
w=•
dedra.i andll;ad_suggested later priority of attention for some than what their advocates were wishing. This was a sample program, however, and not a hard and fast proposal, and there was no attempt on my part to establish priorities except as they were pretty well listed by the Bureau of Reclamation.
On the other hand, Bill, may I say that perhaps it is a good thing
to bring realities to the attention of some people. Whether we like it or not there is just so much money that is going to be spent for irrigation development, and it is a little bit difficult to always put
it upon power politics basis because that puts you in sometimes and
•
Page 2.
Mr. Willi . . H. Nelson May 19, 1958
Colorado development we had some five or six projects authorized and
built, or practically built, during the fifty-two years of reclaaation history. During the last alx or seven years we have bad at least six
projects authorized and a &ood chance of cetting thea constructed
within the next five or six years. Ko particular one deserves credit but if we are not careful we can upset the apple cart very easily.
Bill, the great compromise in the Upper Colorado River bil.l t.~aa not San .Juan~haa or Navajo. In fact, San .Juan~h8Uia is
In the
•mmc
~ositio~s nineteen rojecta in Colorado at the present time. •avajo D:;.m itself was perhaps a part ortlie coq>r<*ise. Tl\e great co.pr<*ise on the lesislation was when a few of us were ableto get Ed .Johnson to change the policy of the State of Colorado and demand the division of the net revenues. Had it not been for that decision and action on !d'a part you would have bad the bill as it passed the Senate. Under the Senate bill Colorado's chance of de-velopment would have been practically nil. From former governor
.Johnson's ori&inal sussestion that the revenues be divided in accordance witb the division of tbe water under the Upper Basin Co.pact to the percentages finally decided upon, with Navajo Dda thrown in for New Mexico, the real compromise developed and became an actuality. Kay
I say to you as one of my close friends and advisers that it was ay own stand in the conference committee, backed by my House colleagues,
Engle, O'Brien, Miller and Saylor, that there would be no bill what-soever unless it was the House version, with minor aaendments. If others had had the intestinal fortitude to put their foot down on other occasions in the way tbat I was able to do in that conference
committee we would have been much better off in western Colorado. However, it never has been my policy to try to excuse present day responsibility because of what happened yesterday. There are times when I wonder why people forget so easily. A get tough policy on ay
__f!!t at the present time would upset everything. We have too much at
stake for the immediate future-for us to ]eoparatze~eyYtbtng by
-today's action. Here ia one place where I think I know what I am
doing and I . . perfectly willing to take the critic! . . that necessarily
goes to the soldier on the firing line.
I am sorry to hear about Frank Kerriell's critical condition. We are losing a great public servant with his retirement from the
,
Page 3.
Mr. William
u.
Nelson May 19, 1958he has seen many things far more clearly than many others working on
the same problem. In fact, he has stood alone on many occasions. I have had great confidence in his work and suggestions and I can be perfectly frank with you and say that in my thinking we don't have anyone on the scene to replace him at this time.
With my personal thanks for your friendly letter and
with best wishes,
S1ncerely,
