PRESSER: The Northern Integrated Supply Project Would Violate Clean Water Act
For Immediate Release October 4, 2018 Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Poudre, 970-218-8310 The Northern Integrated Supply Project Would Help Kill The Poudre River, Violate Clean Water Act "Diverting what's left of the peak flows of water would increasingly turn the river -- which is greatly loved by the people of Fort Collins -- into a muddy, stinking, lifeless ditch." -- Gary Wockner Fort Collins: Today, Oct 4th, was the close of the public comment period for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP), a massive, billion-dollar, proposed dam and diversion that would further drain the Cache la Poudre River through Fort Collins. Save The Poudre and other Conservation Groups inserted a 36-page document into the comment period (along with 282 pages of technical attachments) -- prepared by the Washington D.C.-based law firm, "Meyer, Glitzenstein & Eubanks LLP" -- arguing that the Army Corps would be violating the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act if they give a permit to NISP. Save The Poudre and the Conservation Groups argue that the impacts of NISP on the Cache la Poudre River would be devastatingly negative to the health of the river and the wetlands along the river as it flows through Fort Collins. Building NISP, the Groups argue, would not be the "Least Environmentally Damaging Practical Alternative" (LEDPA) which the Clean Water Act requires. In fact, about 63% of the river's water is already diverted by farms and cities before the river reaches downtown Fort Collins, and NISP proposes to cause massively more environmental damage by diverting about 40% of what's left of the peak flows in the months of May and June, on average. "NISP would cost over a billion dollars and basically kill the Poudre River through Fort Collins," said Gary Wockner of Save The Poudre. "Diverting what's left of the peak flows of water would increasingly turn the river -- which is greatly loved by the people of Fort Collins -- into a muddy, stinking, lifeless ditch." Save The Poudre and the Conservation Groups factually argue that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' FEIS violates the Clean Water Act and National Environmental Policy Act because the Corps: Failed to implement and analyze a proper "alternatives analysis" that would cause less damage on the environment, including alternatives that use more water conservation and buy water from farmers. Failed to adequately analyze the negative impacts to water quality in the river. Failed to adequately analyze negative impacts to sensitive wetlands and the forest along the Poudre River corridor in Fort Collins. Failed to adequately analyze the negative impacts to the Whitewater Park currently being built in downtown Fort Collins. Failed to provide adequate mitigation caused by the devastating negative impacts of NISP. "The FEIS violates federal law," said Gary Wockner. "The Corps has one more chance to correct these fatal errors when they create the 'Record of Decision' in the coming months. We've had an eagle-eye on NISP and the Corps for…