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Save the Poudre

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2011
Contact: Gary Wockner, Save the Poudre: Poudre Waterkeeper, 970-218-8310
http://SaveThePoudre.org

Save the Poudre Wants Analysis and Public Disclosure
of Fracking Chemicals used in Oil/Gas Wells
on top of Proposed NISP Reservoir

Fort Collins, CO -- As oil and gas wells continue marching across Weld County, Colorado, they are also marching across the site for the proposed Galeton reservoir which is a water storage facility for the proposed Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP). Additionally, of the 11 wells currently drilled and producing on top of the Galeton reservoir footprint as of March 7, 2011, 8 were drilled using "hydraulic fracturing" (fracking) with unknown chemical pollutants (click for map of wells).

On March 8, 2011, Save the Poudre sent a letter to the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency asking for a thorough environmental analysis to be completed within NISP's Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) that includes publicizing the chemical components in the fracking fluid used to drill the wells on top of the proposed reservoir. That letter is here: (Click for letter) The NISP SDEIS is supposed to be released to the public near the end of 2011.

"The existence of fracked oil and gas wells on top of, and near, the proposed Galeton reservoir may pose significant human and environmental health risks that need to be thoroughly analyzed in the NISP SDEIS," said Gary Wockner of Save the Poudre. "NISP has triggered the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act -- these federal laws require full disclosure of all environmental impacts, including the environmental impacts of fracking under the proposed Galeton reservoir."

An example of the fracking description available for one of the wells that was drilled on top of the proposed reservoir reads:

Well 05-123-31052: Frac'd Codell w/101835 gals Silverstim, Acid, and Slick Water with 201220 lbs Ottawa sand. (Source: http://cogcc.state.co.us/)

In a February 17, 2011 email exchange with Save the Poudre: Poudre Waterkeeper, Chandler Peter from the Army Corps of Engineers confirmed that no environmental or cost analyses of the oil and gas wells has yet been figured into NISP. Save the Poudre's letter to the Corps, COGCC, and EPA outlines the extent of analysis needed to meet federal requirements.

NISP is already over 5 years late and at least $150 million over budget. In January of 2011, the Supplemental DEIS was postponed for the third time.

Save The Poudre: Poudre Waterkeeper opposes NISP and has proposed a "Healthy Rivers Alternative" to the project. This Alternative would be cheaper, better for farms, better for the river, and could be implemented faster than NISP. The summary of the Alternative is here: http://poudreriver.home.comcast.net/~poudreriver/Healthy_Rivers_Alternative.pdf

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