THORNTON PIPELINE DENIED BY LARIMER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

By Gary Wockner

Save The Poudre

Tonight the Larimer County Commissioners voted UNANIMOUSLY to DENY the proposed Thornton Pipeline which would construct a large, extremely expensive, environmentally destructive water pipeline across northern Larimer County. The decision came after a year of applications, hearings, working group activities, and dramatic and extensive public input.

Throughout the process, Save The Poudre has encouraged Larimer County to deny the pipeline and instead work to get Thornton to run their water down the Poudre River and divert that water downstream near Windsor. The alternative to run the water down the Poudre, called the “Poudre River Option”, was created by Thornton over 10 years ago.

“The Larimer County Commissioners did the right thing by denying this permit,” said Gary Wockner, director of Save The Poudre. “Thornton must now also do the right thing and run their water down the Poudre River instead of through a disastrous pipeline across northern Larimer County. Running this water down the Poudre could be the biggest river restoration effort in Colorado history which would also help restore the health of the river through Fort Collins.”

“Thornton would be foolish to challenge this decision,” continued Wockner.