FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2012
Save the Poudre: Poudre Waterkeeper
Contact: Gary Wockner, 970-218-8310
Next Draft of NISP Environmental Study Delayed
For At Least Another Year
Fort Collins, CO -- On Friday, July 20, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers informed Save The Poudre that the next draft of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP) and its Glade Reservoir would not be released to the public for at least another year -- "Fall of 2013." The information came in a letter from the Corps that was written to Governor Hickenlooper. The letter cites "concerns regarding cumulative impacts to the Cache la Poudre River." The letter goes on to say, "The size of the proposals, types of analysis, and the amount of interest they have generated has resulted in substantial reviews."
"This is great news for the Poudre River," said Gary Wockner, Director of Save The Poudre. "This river-destroying scheme has now been delayed for 5 years with no end in sight."
Save the Poudre has been relentlessly bird-dogging NISP. Over the last 18 months, Save the Poudre has sent the Corp 17 letters, reports, and documents demonstrating the need for more analysis in the NISP EIS, some of that specifically regarding cumulative impacts of NISP with other proposed projects in the basin.
While the next draft of the EIS may be released in the Fall of 2013, NISP has a vast array of hurdles to jump after that. For example:
1. The next draft of the EIS (called the "Supplement Draft" EIS) allows for another public comment period.
2. After that public comment period, the Corps must again consider those comments and re-analyze any significant concerns.
3. After that analysis, the Corps will release a "Final" EIS, which also allows for yet another public comment period and re-analysis of significant concerns.
4. Then NISP must apply for and receive several additional state and federal permits, which may have significant analysis involved, including from the State of Colorado Water Quality Control Division and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
5. Assuming all of those hurdles can be jumped, the Corps will then issue a "Record of Decision" (ROD).
6. After the ROD is released, then anyone can formally challenge the project in court, which could take years to resolve.
As one example of a similar process, the Animas-La Plata dam/reservoir project in southwest Colorado was recently completed after 40 years of permitting and court challenges. As another example, the "Two Forks" dam and reservoir proposal west of Denver on the South Platte River was never completed because it was denied by another federal agency because the project would have irrevocably harmed the river as opposed to alternatives such as increasing water conservation in the Denver metro area.
At a recent public meeting (as reported in Windsor Now), the spokesperson for NISP said he expected NISP to be completed in the year 2022, 10 years from now.
"Ten years is extreme optimism," responded Gary Wockner. "Our mission is to protect and restore the Poudre River and NISP violates our mission. NISP participants need to invest in alternatives now -- such as the "Healthy Rivers Alternative" which focuses on water conservation and efficiency -- rather than throwing away more ratepayers' money on NISP."
