Roberts’ ski water bill dies

DENVER – The ski season is over, and so is the Legislature’s latest effort to keep the U.S. Forest Service from claiming ski resorts’ water rights.

Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, wasn’t expecting much when she brought her water rights bill to the Senate State Affairs Committee on Monday. But Roberts made one last try, telling the committee that Durango Mountain Resort is struggling with the Forest Service for access to its water rights.

“I remain convinced that the bill is the direction we should go,” she said.

It took less than three minutes for the panel to kill the bill on a 3-2 vote.