Thank you, Senator Bennet, for joining us on Tuesday, August 23, for a meet and greet in Granby. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s unpopular decision to strip a woman’s right to choose, it was no surprise that reproductive health topped the discussion. But we also talked a lot about water.

Bennet discussed the $4 billion he helped secure in the Inflation Reduction Act to address extreme drought in the West by funding water conservation, habitat restoration, temporary purchase of water rights to replenish the basin, and drought mitigation. (Sky-Hi ran an in-depth article about this on August 12.) Bennet also highlighted the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s nearly $30 billion for drought, forestry, conservation, and environmentally friendly farming. Much of these funds were allocated under the Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Conservation, which Bennet chairs.

Senator Bennet joined us after keynoting the groundbreaking for the Windy Gap Reservoir Bypass Channel, where he was joined by dignitaries from organizations involved in the planning and funding of this collaborative project, including Northern Water, Trout Unlimited, and the Bureau of Reclamation. This project will reconnect the Colorado River via the reservoir bypass, which will restore the riparian area and streambed, allowing insects and fish to, once again, thrive in a healthy river,

Confronting the crisis facing the Colorado River requires partnership between agriculture, conservation, business, and all levels of government. And it’s an issue where the Grand County Democratic Party frequently disagrees with our urban neighbors. Earlier this year, the local Dems passed a resolution calling to revisit assumptions about trans-basin diversion that threatens our rural environment and agriculture.

Keep fighting for us, Senator Bennet. We appreciate your attention to the issues Grand County faces as the Front Range demands ever more of the water that flows from our side of the Divide.

Ingrid Karlstrom, Fraser

This letter has been updated from the original, with a clarification about the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and a committee Senator Bennet chairs, the Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Conservation.