By Shannon Lukens for Steamboat Radio News.

 

United States Senator John Hickenlooper was in Routt County Thursday to meet with local leaders and officials to hear about  issues with water, such as the drought emergency across the West, and how it affects things like ranching, outdoor recreation and wildfire mitigation.

“As difficult as democracies are, they’re based on getting people together and letting everyone tell you what you need to know. This afternoon, the people of Routt County are free with their thoughts and happy to share and I can walk away from here with all kinds of arguments I can take back to Washington and fight to get more money.”

Those at the meeting included representatives from the City of Steamboat Springs, Steamboat Springs City Council, Routt County Commissioners, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Steamboat Resort, local business owners, Yampa Valley Community Foundation, Steamboat Springs Chamber, US Forest Service, Steamboat Springs Police, Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District, Routt County CSU Extension Office, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Friends of the Yampa, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, and the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust.

The gathering was at the Rotary Peace Pavilion overlooking the Yampa River.