In a July 24 article in The Gazette of Colorado Springs, reporter Ed Sealover surveyed the views of Republican candidates for the 5th Congressional District seat being vacated by Republican Rep. Joel Hefley (Colorado Springs) on proposed legislation to authorize a federal feasibility study of a pipeline project to expand Pueblo Reservoir. But The Gazette did not report any position the Democratic candidate, Jay Fawcett, may have on the issue. Sealover merely noted that "[t]he winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Jay Fawcett in the November election."

In the article, Sealover reported, “Of the six Republicans competing to succeed the retiring GOP congressman, five say they will pick up where he left off or expand on his efforts.” He then noted the positions of Republican candidates John Anderson, Duncan Bremer, Jeff Crank, Doug Lamborn, Bentley Rayburn, and Lionel Rivera about the proposed Bureau of Reclamation study and the underlying issues of water storage, treatment, and usage in Colorado Springs and the Lower Arkansas Valley. The article did not report whether Fawcett has a position on these issues.

From the article "5 of 6 GOP candidates favor pipeline study" published in the July 24 edition of The Gazette:

One of Rep. Joel Hefley's major unrealized goals has been the passage of a bill authorizing a study on the feasibility of expanding Pueblo Reservoir.

Hefley and Colorado Springs leaders see this, in conjunction with a new pipeline that does not need federal approval, as key to meeting future water needs. But some Pueblo leaders and southeastern Colorado water officials have opposed it, and the bill has remained on hold for several years.

Of the six Republicans competing to succeed the retiring GOP congressman, five say they will pick up where he left off or expand on his efforts. Only retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Bentley Rayburn questioned whether such a study is the right way to go.

“It'd be a high priority ... because I think that developing the Southern Delivery System is vital to the longterm future of Colorado Springs and the surrounding area,” state Sen. Doug Lamborn said.

[...]

Hefley maintains a stance that he will let local groups work out deals before he gets involved, and Colorado Springs Mayor Lionel Rivera said he'd keep that position. Former El Paso County Sheriff John Anderson and former El Paso County Commissioner Duncan Bremer said they would get more involved in the negotiations.

Former Chamber of Commerce vice president Jeff Crank, meanwhile, said he would set a deadline for the Lower Ark to reach an agreement or would move forward without it. Lamborn said that if a consensus can't be reached, he will use the majority status of Republicans and “brute political leverage” to move the bill along.

Most men expressed no qualms with the contents of Hefley's past bills, which would authorize and fund the $4 million study and allow the Bureau of Reclamation to draw contracts on water storage in the reservoir. Rivera, who has worked on the issue for years, was adamant about keeping out of the legislation a requirement for a southeastern Colorado quality-of-life study suggested by U.S. Rep. John Salazar.

Then there is Rayburn, the only candidate from outside El Paso County, who says he needs to be convinced expansion is safe and is the smartest move. Before he introduces any bill, he wants to do a long-term study on area water needs, looking also at other options like highaltitude [sic] storage and reuse of treated water.

“If there are other good projects out there ... the question is: How should this fit into a long-range plan?” Rayburn said. “And should we spend our limited money on this feasibility study without knowing how this fits into a bigger plan?”

Anderson also said he would like to do more study and create a master plan, asking especially how new technology can be used to alleviate current water-storage problems.

But he still favors passage of the bill and said the study can lead to future bills and plans.

Some of the candidates also had unique suggestions.

Rivera was the only one who said he will ask for a seat on the Committee on Resources, which would handle the bill.

Rayburn said he would consider the idea of reopening the seven-state Colorado River Compact if this state needs to pull more water from the river for its use.

Bremer said that the Bureau of Reclamation study should look also at other options, such as expansion of Brush Hollow Reservoir near Penrose.

The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Jay Fawcett in the November election.