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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**

For Immediate Release Oct. 1, 2018 Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Poudre, 970-218-8310 State Must Investigate, Reveal Cause of Fish Kill on the Poudre River Fort Collins: Recent news reports have indicated that the fish kill on the Poudre River through Fort Collins has wiped out thousands of fish (see Sept 28 Coloradoan story here). Further, one of the prevailing hypotheses for the kills is warmer temperatures and lower flows in the Poudre River.  Further yet, warmer temperatures and lower flows may be the exact future for the Poudre River as climate change intensifies and if the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP) is built. "The State must fully investigate and reveal the cause of this fish kill," said Gary Wockner of Save The Poudre. "If it is related to warmer temperatures and lower flows, then climate change and NISP could turn the river through Fort Collins into a muddy, stinking, dead ditch, not a river ever again." About 63% of the water in the Poudre River is already drained out by cities and farmers before the river reaches downtown Fort Collins. If the Northern Integrated Supply Project is built, about 40% of what's left of the peak flow of water during May and June will also be drained out (see July 20 press release here). Even worse, the proposed 'mitigation' for the huge negative impacts on the health of the river wouldn't extend downstream past LeMay Avenue in Fort Collins where the fish kill has occurred. "NISP would basically kill the Poudre River through Fort Collins," said Wockner.  "The State and the Army Corps of Engineers must do a full analysis of the potential impacts of NISP including its low flows and interaction with climate change." October 4th is the deadline for comments to the Army Corps of Engineers on the Final Environmental Impact Statement for NISP. The public can send in comments to the Army Coprs by clicking through to Save The Poudre's ACTION PAGE HERE. ***end***