For Immediate Release
September 10, 2014
Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Poudre, 970.218.8310

Legislature’s Water Plan Hearing In Fort Collins Will Expose Corrupt Process

Hearing responds to legislature’s “challenge” to Governor and Save The Poudre’s request

Fort Collins, CO: On Wednesday, Sept. 17th, the Colorado state legislature’s water committee will hold a public hearing on the Colorado Water Plan in Fort Collins. The hearing is a result of Senate Bill 14-115 which required more public hearings around the state to “challenge the Governor’s water plan process” (see Aspen Journalism story) and a formal request in February 2014 by Save The Poudre to have a hearing in Fort Collins. Save The Poudre will provide testimony stating that the water plan process in the Poudre and South Platte River basins is corrupt and has been hijacked.

The very same people who are trying to dam, drain and destroy the Poudre River were appointed to write the Colorado Water Plan,” said Gary Wockner, Director of Save The Poudre. “The plan is being hijacked by this corrupt process and now has created a corrupt draft plan that endorses building every river-destroying scheme including the billion-dollar boondoggle Glade Reservoir.”

For over a year, Save The Poudre has been telling public officials that the Governor’s water plan is being “hijacked” by dam builders and river destroyers. When the draft plan for the Poudre and South Platte Rivers was finally released in the summer of 2014 (posted here), it was even worse than expected – it is a “river destroyer’s manifesto” (see Boulder Weekly story) that indeed hijacks the Governor’s water plan (see Denver Post editorial).

“The draft plan for the Poudre River reads like a river-destroyer’s manifesto, not a science-based public policy document,” said Gary Wockner. “It would destroy the Poudre River, it endorses every conceivable bad project, and it would ignite a water war throughout the state.”

Below is a 4-point summary of the testimony Save The Poudre will provide at the hearing:

1. The Colorado Water Plan process is corrupt and has been hijacked.
2. The Plan must not endorse any dam projects (indeed, the Director of the CWCB said it wouldn’t: “It’s not going to endorse water projects.” – James Eklund, recorded on 2/19/2014 at a legislative luncheon.)
3. The Plan should focus on alternatives to river-destroying dam projects, such as water conservation, efficiency, recycling, and water-sharing agreements with farmers.
4. The Plan should focus on river restoration – putting more water back in our rivers, not taking more water out.

The public hearing is being held at the Fort Collins Senior Center, 1:00-4:00pm.

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