Save the Poudre, No Pipe Dream sue over Fort Collins review of NISP
Citizen groups Save the Poudre and No Pipe Dream are suing to stop the city of Fort Collins from processing an application for Northern Integrated Supply Project infrastructure in city limits.
The two groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the city and the Northern Integrated Supply Project Water Activity Enterprise over Northern Water’s SPAR (site plan advisory review) application for the controversial Poudre River reservoir project. The complaint argues that SPAR is the wrong way for the city to review NISP infrastructure and seeks to terminate the SPAR application. It also seeks to cancel the Fort Collins Planning and Zoning Board review of the application set for June 30.
county’s approval of the Northern Integrated Supply Project last fall.
In the suit filed in Larimer County District Court, No Pipe Dream Corp., Save Rural NoCo Corp. and the Save The Poudre group argue that the board ignored evidence of multiple adverse environmental impacts by redirecting some flow from the Poudre River into the two reservoirs that would be built in northern Larimer County and northern Weld County.
In particular, the groups claim the board ignored evidence that redirecting some of the river’s flow would cause significant water quality degradation in the Poudre and the wetlands along it, along with flooding a valley in the county that would displace wildlife. The board is also accused of ignoring alternative measures on siting the reservoirs or the water pipelines that are included in the project plans.