Hi Amazing Poudre River Lovers! It's time to take ACTION! The new Larimer County Commissioners have many options for how to handle the biased, illegal NISP permit -- and the lawsuits against it -- that was issued by the previous Commissioners (Donnelly and Johnson) just weeks before they left office. We need you to reach out to the new amazing Larimer County Commissioners -- John Kefalas, Kristin Stephens, and Jody Shadduck-McNally -- and very respectfully and professionally ask them to "RECONSIDER" the biased, illegal permit issued by the former Commissioners. Recall, Commissioner Kefalas -- now the "Chair" of this new Commission -- voted against the NISP permit. We've made a simple form, with a friendly letter, for you to send them a quick email. Click here: http://www.savethepoudre.org/take-action/send-action-alert-email/ Let's do it, team! It's a new year, a new world in Larimer County, and it's time to take action! Thank you! Gary Wockner, Director, Save The Poudre
PRESS RELEASE: Save The Poudre Sues Larimer County Over NISP Decision
For Immediate Release
January 18, 2021
Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Poudre, 970-218-8310
Save The Poudre Sues Larimer County Over NISP Decision
Fort Collins: Last week, one day before the new Larimer County Commissioners were sworn in, Save The Poudre and co-plaintiffs No Pipe Dream and Save Rural NoCo served Larimer County with a lawsuit alleging that:
- First, Commissioners Donnelly and Johnson had publicly advocated for NISP for a decade, and thus they were biased and should not have participated in, or voted on, the NISP 1041 permit. That bias violates both the Larimer County land use code and the Colorado Constitution which requires “unbiased” decision-making on 1041 permits.
- Second, the decision by the two-member majority of the Commission (Donnelly and Johnson) to give NISP a permit violated multiple criteria of the Larimer County land use code.
Larimer County Commissioner John Kefalas, who was appointed to be “Chair” of the Commission the day after Save The Poudre served the lawsuit, voted against the permit. Further, the new Commission – including Kefalas and newly elected Commissioners Kristin Stephens and Jody Shadduck-McNally – will now manage the County’s response to the lawsuit.
“We are suing Larimer County because Donnelly and Johnson should not have participated in, or voted on, the NISP permit, as well as their final illegal ruling to approve the NISP 1041 permit,” said Gary Wockner of Save The Poudre.
Similar to a change of administrations when a new President gets elected, as is occurring right now in the U.S., the new Larimer County Commission has many options for how it can handle the illegal actions and decisions of the previous Commissioners as well as lawsuits against the County.
“We call on this new Larimer County Commission to reconsider the illegal actions and decisions of the previous Commission,” continued Wockner. “NISP would be the biggest and most environmentally damaging project in Larimer County history, and throughout the County permitting process over 90% of public comments opposed NISP.”
This press release is posted here.
***