Senator Jerry Sonnenberg, a Republican from Sterling, is the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Once again, he has tabled the latest version of the Colorado Rain Barrel Law. Unless he allows a vote on the bill during the current session, the bill will be dead for the year.
The latest bill even includes the two provisions Sonnenberg labeled as critical to success last year. Somehow that isn’t enough. During debate he asked proponents to answer a hypothetical question about Greeley water rights being abridged by Denver rain barrels. Rain barrel proponents say the scenario he proposed will never happen.
Sonnenberg also rejected the CSU study that said it was very likely that all water retained in rain barrels would have never made it into the stream flow anyway. The study found that water runoff from suburban rooftops almost always soaks into the ground and does not reach waterways.
Common sense says that every gallon captured from rainfall is one gallon less of treated water used for gardening. We know the source of the treated water: the heavily monitored and paid-for water distribution system. We can see where the rooftop water goes during rainfall: into the lawn. Children can see that using a rain barrel makes sense.
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Yes, this is democracy in action. Yes, democracy is messy. But this is getting ridiculous. Apparently common sense and even scientific evidence are not enough for Republican obstructionists. People like this used to be called “aginers” because all they would ever say about any issue is “I’m agin’ it.”
Because Sonnenberg is a senator, he represents every Coloradoan. Let him know what you think of his obstructionist actions. Tell Senator Sonnenberg to bring the Colorado Rain Barrel Law to a vote now. Tell him to stop delaying and do his job. Tell him you are tired of Republicans gumming up the works.
Ray N. Franklin
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