Funding awarded from the senators’ Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
WASHINGTON – Today, Colorado U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet welcomed the announcement from the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) that $90 million in new funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law would be made available to speed up construction of the Arkansas Valley Conduit (AVC).
“We broke ground on the Arkansas Valley Conduit to finally deliver clean drinking water to Southeast Colorado,” said Hickenlooper. “Now, more Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments like this one will speed up the timeline.”
“Since joining the Senate, I’ve pushed for greater investments and passed legislation to ensure the federal government keeps its word and finishes the Arkansas Valley Conduit,” said Bennet. “This announcement brings us one step closer, but I’ll keep working with the Bureau of Reclamation and the 39 communities across Southeast Colorado to finish this project and deliver a safe and reliable water supply for every Coloradan.”
The AVC is a planned 130-mile water-delivery system from the Pueblo Reservoir to communities throughout the Arkansas River Valley in Southeast Colorado. This funding will help speed up construction. The AVC is the final phase of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, which Congress authorized in 1962.
Hickenlooper and Bennet have consistently and successfully advocated for increased funding for the AVC. In January, Hickenlooper and Bennet wrote to President Biden to urge him to prioritize funding for the AVC in his fiscal year 2025 budget. The senators also called on Senate Appropriations leaders to provide more funding for the project. In January 2023, Hickenlooper and Bennet urged BOR to allocate additional resources through annual appropriations and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding.
As a result of their efforts, the senators have helped deliver $250 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the AVC, including $100 million in 2023 and $60 million in 2022. They also secured an additional $10.1 million in fiscal year 2024 and $10.1 million in fiscal year 2023 through the annual government funding bills.
Hickenlooper and Bennet will continue working in Washington to ensure Colorado has the resources to complete this vital project.
###