Bill could bring $44 million to Colo.

DENVER - U.S. Sens. Ken Salazar and Wayne Allard have teamed up on a proposal that could bring about $44 million to four western Colorado counties.

Salazar, Allard and Rep. John Salazar introduced a bill Tuesday concerning a trust fund to clean up an old oil shale research site.

Under the measure, the $88 million Anvil Points clean-up fund would be split evenly between the federal government and Garfield, Rio Blanco, Moffat and Mesa counties. The federal government would pay for the cleanup - which is now estimated to cost about $23 million - out of its half.

Of the $44 million that would come to Colorado, Garfield and Rio Blanco would each get a 40 percent share and Moffat and Mesa counties would each get 10 percent. In a joint statement, Sens. Salazar and Allard and Rep. Salazar said the money could be used to help the counties deal with the impacts of oil and gas development.