The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation yesterday to transfer the ownership of Joe Rowell Park from the U.S. Forest Service to the town of Dolores, and a bill to allow the Mancos Water Conservancy District to carry non-project water for irrigation and other beneficial uses.

The legislation now heads to President Clinton’s desk, where it is likely to be signed into law.

The bills were drafted and sponsored by Senator Wayne Allard (R-Colo.), and were unanimously passed in the Senate earlier this year.

Allard introduced S. 1972 at the request of the town of Dolores. The town has a special-use permit from the Forest Service to manage Joe Rowell Park, and has spent nearly $400,000 in improvements. The park includes a softball field, playground and basketball courts, and hosts many community events.

Without the ownership transfer, any routine improvements to the park would require the U.S. Forest Service to conduct expensive and time-consuming environmental-impact studies.

"Joe Rowell Park is the only lighted softball field within the Forest Service inventory," Allard said in a press release. "This park is a treasure to the Dolores community and holds no real value for the Forest Service."

Marianne Mate, the town’s chairperson of planning and zoning, said she was "excited" by the bill’s passage. "It will make a lot of things easier in terms of grant processes," she said.

In another victory for Allard, the House passed S. 2594, which amends the Water Conservation and Utilization Act to allow the Mancos Water Conservancy District in Southwest Colorado to use project reservoirs to carry non-project water for the purpose of irrigation and other beneficial uses.

The Mancos Water Conservancy District and local officials asked Allard to introduce the legislation concerned that the loss of the right to carry non-project water would be detrimental to the agriculture, business and municipal interests within the district.

"Passage of this bill is a victory for the residents of Southwest Colorado who rely on this water," said Allard.

Gary Kennedy, superintendent of the Mancos Conservancy District said that he was pleased the bill had passed, and that the new diversion off the Mancos River would likely be implemented in the spring. He said the diversion would help the district comply with current clean-water standards.

Both bills were expected to pass several weeks ago, but were set aside. U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis (R-Colo.) helped push them to the forefront of the legislative agenda.

"The passage of the these bills is a significant accomplishment for the citizens in Dolores and Mancos who have committed their time and resources to championing these important local causes," said McInnis. "Both are common-sense measures that are now one giant step closer to becoming law."