GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) – Colorado water officials have agreed to spend $72,000 to explore a proposal to divert water from Wyoming to the Front Range.

The Water Conservation Board unanimously backed the study on Wednesday. They also agreed to spend another $100,000 if the initial study proves promising.

A spokesman for the Department of Natural Resources, Todd Hartman, told The Denver Post that the move isn’t a signal that the project has state backing.

A Fort Collins entrepreneur, Aaron Million, and a coalition of Denver area water providers have separately proposed tapping water from near the Flaming Gorge Reservoir and piping 570 miles to the Front Range.

Some environmental groups said Colorado shouldn’t be spending public money to explore the idea because they claim it could hurt the reservoir and the Green River.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)