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Poudre River Update: Save The Poudre Will Sue The Army Corps To Stop NISP

Hi Amazing Poudre River Lovers!

We all knew this day would come, and come it has. Last Friday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sent out a press release saying they had signed the Record of Decision and 404 Permit for the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP). As we always do, we jumped into action to learn as much as possible and stay on top of the swirl of media. We had quotes in stories in the Denver Post and Colorado Sun over the weekend, and more are coming.

While one phase of the battle to save the Poudre has almost ended, another begins. We will soon have two active lawsuits against NISP: 1) against the former Larimer County Commissioners who gave a permit to NISP. This lawsuit will play out in 2023. And 2) against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for giving a permit to NISP. We will file that lawsuit against the Army Corps in the coming weeks as soon as we are able to read and analyze the permit. This federal permit court fight could take 2 to 3 years in federal district in Denver.

In both lawsuits, we are thrilled to have a Great Legal Team. Further, our attorneys have their minds and pens ready as the briefing schedules play out. We have worked with them for years preparing for this day and for the next year. Further, NISP still needs a 1041 permit from the City of Fort Collins which is a whole different permitting process and arena, and we are 100% engaged in this Fort Collins permit as well which could take another year to play out.

Here’s what we know in our hearts — the Cache la Poudre River is the heart and soul of Fort Collins, and the people of Fort Collins want the river protected and increasingly restored. YOU have given us our marching orders and we intend to march into court to make sure the Poudre River gets its day in court. At the same time, we continue to communicate with anyone who will listen — NISP, Fort Collins, Greeley, Thornton, Larimer County — about finding some sort of solution that meets everyone’s needs, not just the narrow needs of water suppliers. We are working on every level to protect and restore the Poudre, and 2023 will be busier than ever.

YOUR SUPPORT IS WHAT WILL KEEP US CHARGING FORWARD IN 2023!

You can donate online by clicking here.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Gary Wockner, Mark Easter, and the STP Board/Team

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Poudre River Update: We’re Suing in Court, Fighting for Better Regulations, and Countering the Lies and Propaganda!

Hi Poudre River Lovers! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. YOU CAN DONATE ONLINE BY CLICKING HERE. We're aggressively working to protect and restore the Cache la Poudre River by suing in court, fighting for better regulations, and countering the lies and propaganda. First, we are actively in the 'briefing' schedule in our state district court case against the proposed, massive, river-destroying reservoir called the "Northern Integrated Supply Project" (NISP). Recall, the former Larimer County Commissioners, Steve Johnson and Tom Donnelly, gave a permit to NISP over 2 years ago and we immediately sued the County. That case is playing out in court and we may have a decision by the district court judge in the next 6 months. We're arguing tenaciously that NISP would irreparably damage the Poudre River by diverting so much water out of the river through Fort Collins. Win, lose, or draw, we will keep fighting and take the case all the way to the Colorado Supreme Court if we have to! We're also continuing to prepare our lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for giving a permit to NISP. That case will play out in federal court in Denver, and who knows, the Poudre River may get its day in court with the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C. as well. Second, the Fort Collins City Council recently considered new "1041 regulations" that would be required of NISP, and we testified to the Council to make sure the regulations are as strong as possible. Recall, the City has voted to "OPPOSE NISP", which was great news two years ago, and we are keeping the river's health front and center in the minds and eyes of the City Council. NISP would further degrade the Poudre River through Fort Collins as well as partially ruin the new $20 million Whitewater Park by removing so much water out of the river. We will do everything we can to protect the river in Fort Collins and get as strong of regulations from the City as possible. Finally, at that same Fort Collins City Council meeting on Feb. 8th, proponents of NISP stood up and told their tired, false story about how they think NISP would "improve the health of the Poudre River". This propaganda is ridiculous, and we continue to confront it at every turn. Take a look here on our Facebook page (click here to read it) for our rebuttal to this propaganda. NISP has one single purpose -- to drain the river before it reaches Fort Collins and send the Poudre's precious water out to sprawling towns mostly in Weld County. We will counter the lies and propaganda at every turn. Thank you for your support!  It's your support that keeps us in court, keeps us testifying, and keeps us rebutting the propaganda. You can donate online by clicking here. Gary Wockner and Mark Easter, Save The Poudre

PRESS RELEASE: NISP Record of Decision Issued; Save The Poudre Says, “We’ll See You In Court”

12/9/2022 For Immediate Release Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Poudre, 970-218-8310 NISP Record of Decision Issued; Save The Poudre Says, "We'll See You In Court" Fort Collins, CO:  Today, after nearly 20 years, the Army Corps of Engineers issued the 404 Permit and Record of Decision for the proposed $2 billion "Northern Integrated Supply Project" (NISP) near Fort Collins, CO. The permit is posted here: https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/3241655/us-army-corps-of-engineers-issues-section-404-permit-authorizing-fill-discharge/ Save The Poudre response: "We've fought this river-destroying project for nearly 20 years, girding for this final battle. Our attorneys' pens are sharpened and we will sue to stop this project and protect the Poudre River as soon as possible. We've given the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District ("Northern") every chance to find a compromise solution, but instead they've chosen to compromise the Cache la Poudre River. Northern proposes to spend $2 billion on a project that has one massive environmental impact in Larimer County -- further draining and destroying the Cache la Poudre River through Fort Collins. We are happy to keep a dialogue open with Northern Water as the lawsuit plays out, but for now it's a court battle they want, and it's a court battle we will give them." Save The Poudre is also in state court against NISP, suing the former Larimer County Commissioners who gave a 1041 permit to NISP. That lawsuit is just beginning its briefing schedule after the beginning of 2023 and will play out in 2023. Federal court battles generally last 2 - 3 years for the first round in federal district court. --end--

Poudre River Update: Thank you for your support on Colorado Gives Day!

Hello Poudre River Lovers! Thank you for your support! We are pushing hard on every single lever to protect and restore the Cache la Poudre River. First, we WON in court against the City of Thornton, and now we’re making news about it on the Front Page of the Denver Post! For 12 years, we’ve been telling the City of Thornton they should send their water down the Poudre River, all the way through Fort Collins, before taking it out near Windsor. And for 12 years, Thornton has refused to do so. Now the media is really starting to take notice. The Denver Post, Colorado Sun, Fort Collins Coloradoan, and other publications are all writing about the debacle Thornton has tangled itself in, and writing about our simple solution to untangle them: RUN THE WATER DOWN THE POUDRE! Further yet, we’ve now expanded the concept to include the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP), the City of Greeley’s proposed storage project, and the City of Fort Collins’ proposed expansion of Halligan Reservoir. All of these municipalities should use the “river as the conveyance” for their water rather than building massive pipelines that take the water out of the river. The river is “natural infrastructure,” and using the river as conveyance is a “Nature-Based Solution” to these water supply problems. Further yet, our concept of using Nature-Based Solutions is resonating across the U.S. and the planet. At COP27 recently in Cairo, Egypt, the Asst Secretary for the U.S. State Dept., Monica Medina, spoke about “Nature-Based Solutions” for climate change and environmental problems. We’ve reached out to all of the stakeholders who are trying to build new projects on the Poudre including Larimer County, the City of Fort Collins, the City of Greeley, the City of Thornton, and Northern Water to begin discussions about using the river as the conveyance for the water. Further, we are reaching out to our federal elected officials including Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, and Congressman Neguse, to discuss the concept. We’ve also reached out to the Biden Administrations’ U.S. EPA. If the status quo continues – which includes building multiple dams and pipelines – the river through Fort Collins will be increasingly drained. We believe we owe it to the people of Fort Collins and Larimer County, as well as to the river itself, to try to negotiate a better outcome. Over $2 billion dollars is proposed to be spent by the municipal water agencies to build dams and pipelines designed to get the water out of the Poudre River before it reaches Fort Collins. We’re working to change that trajectory. While we attempt to negotiate, we’re also keeping our foot on the pedal of law enforcement! Recall that we sued the former Larimer County Commissioners for giving a permit for NISP, and that lawsuit is still playing out in state court in Larimer County. We believe we have a strong case and our legal team is fighting hard to get the best outcome. If the Army Corps…

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