Preparing to Stop Moffat/GrossImminent legal action has prompted creation of the Boulder County & Colorado River Legal Defense Fund
TEG has joined forces with Save the Colorado to see that Denver Water’s proposed expansion of Gross Dam and Reservoir is stopped. The project, also referred to as the Moffat Collection System Project, would raise Gross dam 131 feet and nearly triple the volume of the reservoir with increased diversion of water from the Western Slope and would be the largest construction project in Boulder County history. Extensive and highly critical responses to the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in October 2009 caused a four-year delay in the release of the final EIS. We recently learned that the “record of decision” by the Corps, granting or denying the mandatory Clean Water Act Section 404 permit, has been postponed until early 2016. Ironically, 2016 is the year that the project was to be finished, and the year that Denver Water predicted the beginning of a water shortage. In fact, thanks to successful adoption of conservation measures throughout their service area water use is decreasing while population grows. The impact of successful water conservation measures has never been appropriately considered by Denver Water or the Army Corps of Engineers during the permitting process.
So TEG and Save the Colorado have retained attorney Mike Chiropolos, who is laboriously preparing for a court case, in the likely event that the Corps gives Denver Water the 404 permit and the project moves forward. The goal is to stop the project, preventing years of construction traffic congestion in Boulder and Jefferson counties and massive environmental destruction, while keeping Western Slope water where it belongs—on the Western Slope.
While Chiropolos is willing to provide his services at a significant reduced rate, the costs involved with retaining a seasoned attorney for years on end are still significant. So, TEG and Save the Colorado are raising funds for the cause and we need your help. To date, we have raised over $30,000 but we anticipate a need for $20,000 more by years end, and a total of $100,000 for the duration of the legal action. Donations are administered via TEG, a 501c3 non-profit, so they are tax-deductible.
Although Denver Water would like us to believe that the project is a done deal, this is not so. The 404 permit is one of several that Denver Water must get, federal, state and county. Additionally, the Boulder County commissioners have the power to block Moffat/Gross – what would be the largest construction project in the history of the county. While Boulder County Commissioners Gardner, Domenico and Jones cannot legally take a formal position at this time, they welcome public comment and need our support. Send your comments to commissioners@bouldercounty.org
For background information on the project and TEG’s responses, including the recently completed Citizens’ Alternative, go to tegcolorado.org/gross-docs.
At this point, ongoing fundraising is essential to the campaign’s success. This is crunch time, so gather your friends for a fundraising dinner party; encourage discussion about the project and make a donation.