SB24-199: Annual Species Conservation Trust Fund Projects
Second Reading Remarks | May 6, 2024
Speaker: Marc Catlin
Bill: SB24-199 Annual Species Conservation Trust Fund Projects
Legislative Stage: Second Reading
Introduction
During debate on SB24-199, Representative Marc Catlin spoke in support of funding endangered species recovery efforts in the Colorado River Basin. In his remarks, he discussed the connection between endangered fish recovery, agricultural water users, selenium management, and Colorado's compliance with the Endangered Species Act.
Video
Speech
Rep. Marc Catlin
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Members, this is one of those pieces of legislation that we need to pass. One of the things that it does is keep the State of Colorado in compliance with the Endangered Species Act, and it does a number of other good things as well.
Colorado is the only state that has a recovery program with specific recovery goals regarding endangered species in the Colorado River Basin. That may not sound like much, but one of the things it has accomplished is helping recover populations to the point that one species has been moved from endangered status to threatened status.
What we're talking about today is $1.8 million for the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program.
This effort focuses on four fish species: the bonytail, the humpback chub, the razorback sucker, and the Colorado pikeminnow.
They may not mean much in your world, but they mean everything to those of us involved in irrigation on the Western Slope—and to many of you on the Eastern Slope as well—because these species are native to the Colorado River. As their numbers decline, more and more pressure is placed on agriculture and on those who divert water from the Colorado River.
We are seeing success with some of these recovery efforts. These fish occupy the 15-Mile Reach near Grand Junction, an area that is critical to their recovery.
The other thing this legislation does—and I'll speak briefly on this before moving on—is provide funding for the Selenium Task Force on the Western Slope.
Selenium is a naturally occurring trace element in the water on our side of the mountains. We need selenium in our diets to remain healthy. However, fish and other lower life forms can only expel selenium through their reproductive systems.
As a result, selenium has created significant challenges in raising fry from these endangered species. When you see a photograph of a fish with a deformed or broken back, that's often the result of selenium exposure.
Selenium also affects migratory waterfowl by causing eggs not to hatch. The nests are there, the eggs are there, but the young never emerge.
This is one of those pieces of legislation that government should be doing. I'm glad that we are doing it.
As they've told me: good bill. Vote yes.
Thank you.