Larimer County commissioners voted to approve a controversial water supply project Wednesday night. In a 2-1 vote, commissioners paved the way for the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP) to be fully permitted.
Commissioners Tom Donnelly and Steve Johnson voted yes on the county鈥檚 1041 permit, which gives local governments oversight of large infrastructure projects built within their boundaries. Commissioner John Kefalas was the lone no vote. Donnelly and Johnson鈥檚 seats on the county board are up for election this fall, as both men are term-limited.
The vote came after lengthy hearings before the county board and the county鈥檚 planning commission. The majority of speakers at those meetings spoke about concerns over the project鈥檚 effects on the Poudre River, its main water source. The project would divert water from the river during its peak flows due to its relatively junior water rights.
Nearby residents in the Bonner Peak and Eagle Lake neighborhoods also voiced concerns about pipeline routes disrupting quiet, rural neighborhoods, and diminishing property values. Northern Water, the agency pushing for NISP鈥檚 construction, hasn't ruled out using eminent domain to build those pipelines, if necessary.
NISP includes the construction of a large new reservoir along highway 287 north of Fort Collins, and a sprawling network of pipelines to carry water to its 15 participants, mostly fast-growing suburbs in Weld, Boulder and Morgan counties.
In comments explaining his vote against the permit, Kefalas noted scientific papers show a warming trend across much of Colorado, with consequences for rivers fed by snowmelt, like the Poudre.
鈥淏ased on the modeling that has been done with the Upper Colorado River basin, I think there are serious implications to the Poudre River flow and how that affects the Glade Reservoir,鈥� Kefalas said.
Kefalas said he was also uncomfortable with the project鈥檚 tradeoff in advocating for flatwater recreation on a reservoir a 20-minute drive outside of Fort Collins, instead of seeing high spring flows through the city as a recreational amenity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a risk to diminish the value of the Poudre River flowing through the city of Fort Collins, of protecting the natural areas, and the fact that it鈥檚 accessible to people from all walks of life. You don鈥檛 have to drive there. To me, that鈥檚 a social equity thing,鈥� Kefalas said.
In voting to approve, commissioner Johnson said a rejection of the permit would be an example of parochial self-interest. While much of NISP鈥檚 water would be used in communities outside of Larimer County, Johnson said Colorado is full of examples of projects where water is stored and transported from one region to another. The majority of the Front Range鈥檚 water supply is drawn from the Western Slope.
鈥淐olorado鈥檚 a semi-arid state, we have 16 inches of rain a year, in a good year,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淗ow do we provide for the additional people that will come here in a responsible way that preserves our environment but provides for our kids and their kids?鈥�
鈥淲e know those people are going to come. And there鈥檚 no way -- there鈥檚 no good way to stop growth in our community,鈥� Johnson said.
Commissioner Donnelly hewed closely to the county鈥檚 1041 evaluation criteria, which assess projects based on how they fit into the county鈥檚 master plan and affect its residents. NISP鈥檚 proponents were able to satisfy all of the county鈥檚 criteria, Donnelly said.
Gary Wockner, head of environmental group Save The Poudre, said in a statement his organization plans to challenge the Larimer County permit in court, though no lawsuit has been filed yet. As commissioners began their deliberations, several local groups called for Johnson and Donnelly to recuse themselves based on past statements of support for NISP.
In a statement, Karen Wagner with local environmental group, No Pipe Dream, said the vote did not come as a surprise.
鈥淟ame duck commissioners, Johnson and Donnelly, failed our organization and the citizens of Larimer County, who have argued long and hard that NISP is unsustainable, disastrous for the Poudre River and injurious to residents who live and make their livelihood in the pathway of the river-draining proposal,鈥� Wagner said.
The project is still awaiting a record of decision from the Army Corps of Engineers before it can move forward into construction.
This story is part of a project covering water in the western U.S. and the Colorado River basin, produced by 糖心vlog传媒 and supported through a Walton Family Foundation grant. 糖心vlog传媒 is solely responsible for its editorial content.
