BDD News
News Release
For More Information, Contact:
Lynn Pitcher Komer—505-660-7682 cell;
Rick Carpenter — 505-955-4206; 660-5696 cell
Committee Unanimously Passes House Memorial 21 Seeking Legislative And Congressional Support To Ensure Additional Safe Water Requirements
February 5, 2010
Santa Fe – The House Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources unanimously passed HM 21, sponsored by Representative Brian Egolf, formally requesting the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to implement a formal Memorandum of Agreement with the Buckman Direct Diversion Board to address specifics of an early warning notification system.
“The BDD Board is pleased with the House Committee on Agriculture and Water Resource's unanimous passage of HM21, which will ensure we keep the momentum we have all worked so hard to build,” said Rebecca Wurzburger, chair of the BDD Project Board and City Councilor and Mayor Pro Tem.
The formal Memorandum of Agreement has multiple goals and would formally set forth specific commitments including cost sharing, operation responsibilities, maintenance, sample testing and a completion schedule for an early warning system.
“We look forward to moving forward and appreciate the advantages of having such a Memorial in place,” said Virginia Vigil, vice-chair, BDD Project Board and vice-chair Santa Fe Board of Commissioners.
A number of other Santa Fe Legislators have joined to co-sponsor the memorial. For more information, visit www.bbdproject.org.
About the Buckman Direct Diversion Project - the BDD Project will provide a sustainable way for the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County to access surface water supplies by diverting San Juan-Chama Project water and native Rio Grande water to reduce their reliance on over-taxed ground water resources. Design and construction on the BDD began in September 2008 and is expected to be completed, with the project operational, in spring 2011.