From The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel (Amy Hamilton):
Grand Junction city councilors are going with the flow when it comes to asking the federal government to pay for problems caused by stormwater runoff on public lands. Every other municipality in the Grand Valley already has or is planning to sign on with a similar resolution. Major storms lately that caused infrastructure damages have prompted the request.
In Grand Junction’s presentation during Wednesday night’s council meeting, Greg Trainor, Grand Junction’s public works and utility director, referred to a photograph of U.S. Highway 50 under several feet of standing water after a July downpour.
“The gist of the resolution is to ask the federal government for maintenance and repairs,” Trainor said.
Councilors should talk more about initiating stormwater mitigation projects, which could create local jobs, Councilor Jim Doody said.
“Knowing this resolution is going to Washington, D.C., it’s not going to get much, but it’s great that we’re doing it,” he said of the resolution.
About three quarters of the land in the Grand Valley is federally owned so the U.S. government should be held responsible when stormwater from those lands damages local infrastructure, Councilor Duncan McArthur said.
“Basically we’re just asking the federal government to obey the law they passed,” he said. “There should be some assistance there.”
More stormwater coverage here.