PRESS RELEASE: THORNTON’S 1041 APPLICATION SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN

For Immediate Release March 24,2020 Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Poudre, 970-218-8310 PRESS RELEASE: Larimer County Unleashes 42-Day Permitting Process For Massive Proposed Dam Amidst Pandemic Fort Collins: Today, the Larimer County Commissioners created a 42-day permitting process for the biggest, most environmentally destructive, most controversial project in Larimer County history, all amidst the global coronavirus pandemic that has paralyzed Colorado's government and economy. The first public hearing is set for May 6th. The permitting documents made publicly available today include 62 highly technical documents totaling 911 pages (see County webpage here), which is the culmination of a 17-year process to create a permit for the proposed "Northern Integrated Supply Project" (NISP), a massive proposed dam and pipeline project that would further drain and destroy the Cache la Poudre River through Fort Collins. NISP proposes a massive dam and reservoir near homes that adamantly oppose it, a highway relocation near neighbors that oppose it, and two huge pipelines, one of which would go through neighborhoods that vehemently oppose it. In fact, just last year, hundreds of neighbors and Fort Collins citizens turned out for multiple public hearings against the Thornton Pipeline which would have gone along the exact same route proposed by NISP (Above: a photo of public participants at one of the hearings). The Larimer County Commissioners unanimously denied the Thornton Pipeline and the project is now in court. The permitting process for NISP -- called a "1041 permit" -- is proposed exactly when Governor Polis has ordered statewide "social distancing" and the closure of businesses, and when -- just yesterday -- the Larimer County Dept of Public Health said it was considering a county-wide "shelter-in-home" order (see Coloradoan story today here). "The Larimer County Commissioners must indefinitely suspend this 1041 permitting process for NISP until the pandemic passes and the public engagement process can be normalized," said Gary Wockner, director of Save The Poudre. "The public participation window of 42 days is insanely short for this massive technical project, and creating this public process for this extremely controversial project during the coronavirus pandemic violates all standards of government ethics and transparency, and likely violates Larimer County landuse regulations requiring public participation." ***end***  

July 14, 2019 For Immediate Release Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Poudre, 970-218-8310 Judge Allows Save The Poudre To Intervene Against Thornton Pipeline Poudre River, Colorado: Today, State District Court Judge, JUAN G. VILLASEÑOR, issued an order allowing for Save The Poudre to "intervene" in the lawsuit the City of Thornton is waging against Larimer County about the proposed Thornton Pipeline (the order is posted here). Thornton opposed Save The Poudre's intervention and formally motioned the court against it. The neighborhood group, "No Pipedream", was also allowed to intervene in the same order. "We are pleased with the court's decision and, to the best of our ability, we will defend the Larimer County Commissioners' decision to stop the Thornton Pipeline and send the water down the Poudre River through Fort Collins," said Gary Wockner, director of Save The Poudre. "The Poudre River is already degraded by dams, diversions, and pipelines -- adding this water to the river will increase the river's health and make the river cleaner for all Larimer County residents to enjoy." The court case is expected to play out of the next 6 - 12 months as attorneys for Larimer County, Save The Poudre, and No Pipedream will all now defend the decision by the Larimer County Commissioners. Thornton has fought a bitter, expensive, and so-far losing battle to build their pipeline while other alternatives exist including the "Poudre River Option" which was discussed at length during the year-long permitting battle that Thornton lost. "We should all be collaborating about how Thornton can get water and how we can restore the Poudre River, rather than fighting in court," said Wockner. "Thornton is wasting millions of dollars of its citizens' money, continuing to anger Larimer County residents, and wasting everyone's time." **end**