Yvon Chouinard
Mountain 2012
Check out this great new essay by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, in their new 2012 catalog. We are not against dams, we are for rivers! Save the Colorado!
http://www.patagonia.com/us/patagonia.go?assetid=67738
For Immediate Release, December 15, 2011
Contacts:
- McCrystie Adams, Earthjustice, 303-623-9466
- Steve Jones, Wyoming Outdoor Council, 307-332-7031 ext 12
- Taylor McKinnon, Center for Biological Diversity, 928-310-6713
- John Spahr, Sierra Club, 307-732-0028
- Gary Wockner, Save the Poudre: Poudre Waterkeeper, 970-218-8310
- John Weisheit, Living Rivers – Colorado Riverkeeper, 435-259-1063
- Zach Frankel, Utah Rivers Council, 801-699-1856
- Duane Short, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, 307-742-7978
- Warren Rider, Rocky Mountain Wild, 970-385-9833
- Jane Whalen, Citizens for Dixie’s Future, 435-635-2133
- Michael Kellett, Glen Canyon Institute, 801-363-4450
Denver, CO – Today a coalition of 10 conservation groups from Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Arizona — the Colorado River Protection Coalition — moved to intervene in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) review of the Regional Watershed Supply Project (a.k.a., the “Flaming Gorge Pipeline”). FERC is currently evaluating a preliminary permit application for the Flaming Gorge Pipeline from Wyco Power and Water Inc. FERC allows members of the public with a stake in projects to intervene in preliminary permit proceedings, and the Colorado River Protection Coalition, represented by Earthjustice, has called upon FERC to deny the permit on numerous grounds.
“The Flaming Gorge Pipeline would be one of the biggest, most environmentally damaging water projects in the history of the western United States,” said McCrystie Adams of Earthjustice, the Coalition’s lead attorney. “The Pipeline would devastate the Green River, one of the West’s last great rivers and a sanctuary for native fish and wildlife, and severely harm the Colorado River downstream.”
In its intervention comments, the Colorado River Protection Coalition asserted that the Flaming Gorge Pipeline is extremely unlikely to be permitted because it would likely violate the Endangered Species Act, would adversely affect four national wildlife refuges, and part of the project would be located in a U.S. Forest Service roadless area. The Coalition also argued that the permit should be denied because the applicant failed to meet various requirements during a previous attempt at permitting a nearly identical project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Further, the Coalition asserted that the Pipeline is an extremely environmentally damaging water supply project that would irrevocably harm the Green and Colorado Rivers, not a “hydropower project,” and thus FERC is not the appropriate agency to lead federal review of the proposal.
“The Flaming Gorge Pipeline would severely harm the Wyoming landscape it crosses,” said Steve Jones of the Wyoming Outdoor Council. “Our state’s heritage, wildlife, and economy are dependent on protecting roadless and wilderness areas.”
“Four endangered fish — the Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub, razorback sucker, and bonytail chub — are dependent on the water this pipeline proposes to drain out of the Green and Colorado Rivers,” said Taylor McKinnon of the Center for Biological Diversity in Flagstaff, Arizona. “The pipeline would spell disaster for those fish and the river ecosystems we and they depend on. It’s a foolish proposal in the face of global warming and projected declines in river flows.”
“The Green River flows through Utah’s largest roadless area, provides 40 percent of the water entering the Colorado River at Lake Powell each year, and supports a world-famous trout fishery averaging 6,000 – 8,000 fish per mile” said Zach Frankel, executive director of the Utah Rivers Council. “This catastrophic proposal would not only mar these treasures, it would forever alter life in Utah.”
The applicant previously sought a permit for the Pipeline from a different federal agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). In July of 2011, the Corps terminated its review of the project because the applicant missed multiple deadlines and did not provide information requested by the Corps. A few months later, the applicant redesigned the project to include some incidental hydropower components and requested review through FERC. Despite the modifications, the project remains a huge energy hog — at least nine air-polluting natural gas-fired pumping stations would be required to pump the water uphill across Wyoming and over the Continental Divide. Wyco’s president has acknowledged that pumping the water uphill would use more energy than the project would create through hydropower.
“We know this project would burn more energy than it produces,” said John Spahr of the Sierra Club. “Claiming it is a hydropower project is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to make an end-run around federal law.”
Since its inception, the extremely controversial Flaming Gorge Pipeline has met with great opposition in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. The water would go to the Front Range of Colorado which is projected to double in population in the next 50 years. Colorado is already a parched state with severely depleted rivers while the majority of the water in Colorado’s cities is used to keep lawns green for three months in the hot, dry summer across sprawling suburban landscapes.
Duane Short of Biodiversity Conservation Alliance noted, “The Coalition believes that Colorado and other western citizens are beginning to realize that unbridled consumption of water from our rivers and aquifers will leave our precious water resources depleted leading to even more severe water shortages for our children and grandchildren. We hope the public will work with us to prevent this shortsighted and irresponsible water grab.”
“The Flaming Gorge Pipeline would be a flaming disaster for Colorado,” said Gary Wockner of Save the Poudre: Poudre Waterkeeper. “The Pipeline would be a devastating step backwards for water supply policy and river protection in Colorado and the Southwest U.S. — our coalition will work as long and hard as it takes to stop this project.”
This Coalition’s intervention is one of several being filed by public interest groups and local communities. Over a hundred public comments urging FERC to deny the preliminary permit have already been filed before the Dec. 19th deadline. Comments are posted on FERC’s website here: http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/docket_search.asp(search for Docket Number: P-14263).
The Colorado River Protection Coalition’s comments are posted here: http://savethepoudre.org/documents/Sierra-Club-et-al-Motion-to-Intervene-FERC-Project-No-P-14263-000.pdf
A map of the pipeline’s proposed 550 mile route across Wyoming and down through Colorado is here: http://savethepoudre.org/documents/RWSP-Overview-map-12-15-2011.pdf
–end–
For Immediate Release
November 21, 2011
Save the Colorado River Campaign http://savethecolorado.org
Contacts: Gary Wockner, Save the Colorado, gary@savethecolorado.org
Erik Molvar, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, erik@voiceforthewild.or
Gabriel Solmer, San Diego Coastkeeper, gabe@sdcoastkeeper.org
Colorado River Basin – The Change.org online petition to restore water to the Colorado River Delta has now hit over 2,500 signatures and is supported by 25 conservation groups. The petition is here: https://www.change.org/petitions/restore-the-colorado-river-delta
For over a decade the Colorado River has been drained completely dry before it reaches the Gulf of California – 5 trillion gallons of water drained out (http://tinyurl.com/drydelta) by thirsty cities and farms across the Southwest U.S. and Mexico. The U.S. and Mexico are currently negotiating a “Bi-National Agreement” through the International Boundary Waters Commission and the Bureau of Reclamation that may restore a small amount of water to the devastated ecosystem. Twenty-five conservation organizations from the top of the Colorado River basin to the bottom are supporting the petition.
“The Colorado River system is the lifeblood of the American Southwest, nourishing some of the richest and most diverse wetlands in the region and providing key habitat for Endangered fishes and wildlife,” said Erik Molvar, wildlife biologist with Biodiversity Conservation Alliance in Wyoming. “It would be irresponsible to allow this lifeblood to be drained dry.”
The Bi-National Agreement could better manage the Colorado River so that water supply reliability can be enhanced for cities, farms, and natural ecosystems benefiting both the U.S. and Mexico. If structured properly, the Agreement would allow both countries to have better drought supplies while also addressing the devastating drought of water in the Delta ecosystem.
“The Colorado River is critical to San Diego communities, just as it is vital to the plants, birds, and other animals in the Delta area,” said Gabe Solmer of San Diego Coastkeeper. “We must work together to share and safeguard these precious resources.”
The Change.org online action is petitioning Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who oversees the International Boundary Waters Commission, and Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar who oversees the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The negotiators for the State and Interior Departments are predicting that an agreement may be reached in December of 2011 or January of 2012.
“The more people learn about the degraded Colorado River Delta, the more people want to step up and provide support,” said Gary Wockner of the Save the Colorado campaign which is leading the petition effort. “These 25 conservation groups are proud to provide positive support to the U.S. negotiators to help bring the Colorado River Delta back to life.”
The following conservation organizations are supporting the petition: Save the Colorado, Sierra Club – Rocky Mountain Chapter, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, Living Rivers: Colorado Riverkeeper, The Environmental Group, Western Rivers Institute, Blue Legacy, The Ocean Foundation, Clean Water Fund, San Diego Coastkeeper, Save the Poudre: Poudre Waterkeeper, American Whitewater, Waterkeeper Alliance, Food and Water Watch, Colorado Ocean Coalition, Glen Canyon Institute, Save the Colorado River Delta: Sonoran Institute, Sheep Mountain Alliance, Grand Canyon Trust, American Rivers, Citizens for Dixie’s Future, Great Basin Water Network, Redford Center: River Red Film, Planning and Conservation League of California, and Defenders of Wildlife.
–end–
This past week Gary Wockner — coordinator for the Save the Colorado River campaign — had the opportunity to join Gabriel Solmer of San Diego Coastkeeper in a tour of the City of San Diego’s new water recycling facility.
San Diego gets nearly 85% of its water from imported sources, either from the Colorado River or from the rivers in northern California. By recycling their water, San Diegans can increase their water supply reliability as well as be better stewards of limited Southwest U.S. water supplies. San Diego Coaskeeper has been working for years with a large coalition to bring water recycling to life in the region. The facility just opened amidst much regional news coverage.
Dubbed “Showers to Flowers,” the facility recycles the City’s wastewater, and after purfication, sends it into the regional irrigation system that is used for lawn-watering and commercial irrigation needs. After the City receives approval from the California Dept. of Health, the water will eventually be recycled and sent into a nearby reservoir and used for drinking water.
The facility uses advanced “reverse osmosis” technology to purify the water, which is used in similar systems all over the world. After the system is proven reliable and safe in San Diego, the City hopes to increase capacity beyond the 1 million gallons per day of the current system. (One million galons per day is about 1,000 acre-feet per year). 
The Save the Colorado River campaign has supported San Diego Coastkeeper’s efforts to promote water conservation and recycling in San Diego. We see water recycling as one of the solutions to Southwest U.S. and Colorado River water problems. If San Diego can do it, can Denver do it? Can Las Vegas do it? The answer is “yes,” of course, and we applaud the City of San Diego and San Diegans for taking this sustainable step forward — we encourage you find more ways to lead the Colorado River basin in both water supply and river protection so that we can all have a smaller and more sustainable footprint on this beautiful landscape.
The tour group including Gabriel Solmer (third from left) and Gary Wockner (second from right).
–end–
For Immediate Release
November 2, 2011
Save the Colorado River Campaign http://savethecolorado.org
Contacts: Gary Wockner, Coordinator; Luther Propst, E.D. Sonoran Institute http://sonoraninstitute.org/
Change.org petition supported by 19 conservation groups garners over 1,000 signatures in first 2 days
Colorado River Basin – Nineteen Southwest U.S. conservation groups from the top of the Colorado River basin to the bottom have launched an online petition drive to gather support for a “Bi-National Agreement” between the U.S. and Mexico to restore a small amount of water to the Colorado River Delta. In just 2 days, the petition has gathered over 1,000 signatures, a very strong start to address one of the most difficult conundrums in American environmental history. The petition is here: https://www.change.org/petitions/restore-the-colorado-river-delta
For over a decade the Colorado River has been drained completely dry before it reaches the Gulf of California – 5 trillion gallons of water drained out (http://tinyurl.com/drydelta) by thirsty cities and farms across the Southwest U.S. The Bi-National Agreement being considered by the International Boundary Waters Commission and the Bureau of Reclamation may be able to restore a small amount of water to the devastated ecosystem.
“This historic agreement could signal hope for the devastated Colorado River Delta,” said Gary Wockner, coordinator for the Save the Colorado River campaign, the lead petition organizer. “The Delta was once a flyway for millions of migratory birds as well as one of the biggest wetland ecosystems in North America. If we can restore a small amount of flows, we can restore a lifeline for North American wildlife.”
The Bi-National Agreement could better manage the Colorado River so that water supply reliability can be enhanced for cities, farms, and natural ecosystems benefitting both the U.S. and Mexico. If structured properly, the Agreement would allow both countries to have better drought supplies while also addressing the devastating drought of water in the Delta ecosystem.
“Our organization works everyday on the ground in the Colorado River Delta to restore the natural ecosystem,” said Luther Propst, E.D. for the Sonoran Institute. “The Bi-National Agreement could not only bring water and life back to the Delta, but it could increase water supply reliability for cities and farms on both sides of the border.”
The Change.org online action is petitioning Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who oversees the International Boundary Waters Commission, and Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar who oversees the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
“This is a friendly, supportive petition effort for a realistic opportunity to get the Colorado River flowing again,” said Gary Wockner. “We want to raise public awareness and support the efforts of the U.S. negotiators – there is hope in the Colorado River Delta and hope should be nurtured and supported wherever it flows.”
The following conservation organizations support the petition: Save the Colorado, Sierra Club – Rocky Mountain Chapter, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, Living Rivers: Colorado Riverkeeper, The Environmental Group, Western Rivers Institute, Blue Legacy, The Ocean Foundation, Clean Water Fund, San Diego Coastkeeper, Save the Poudre: Poudre Waterkeeper, American Whitewater, Waterkeeper Alliance, Food and Water Watch, Colorado Ocean Coalition, Glen Canyon Institute, Save the Colorado River Delta: Sonoran Institute, Sheep Mountain Alliance, Grand Canyon Trust.
–end–
It goes from this bone dry expanse: 
To this rich, lush, biologically diverse “River of Grass” just 100 yards away in the Cienega de Santa Clara in the southeast corner of the Delta (“cienega” means marsh or wetland in spanish):
In mid-October, Save the Colorado campaign coordinator Gary Wockner had the extraordinary opportunity to visit the Colorado River Delta area south of Mexicali, Mexico with one of our grantees, the Sonoran Institute, to see their great work to restore this degraded ecosystem.
We visited the Moreles Dam just south of the U.S./Mexico border, which is where the Colorado River stops and is drained bone dry, its water diverted away for nearby towns and farms. Though the diversion provides water for some people, it completely destroys the Colorado River and the culture of the former people who depended on it. Below is a photo of Cocopah tribal elder Colin Soto standing on top of the Moreles Dam with the dry Colorado River in the background. Colin is a part of the coalition effort to bring water back to the River and the Delta.
The Sonoran Institute is working hard in the Delta with a partner Mexican organization, Pro Natura, to bring water back to the Delta and to restore wetlands and riparian wildlife corridors for the benefit of the environment, the people, and a growing eco-tourism economy. Below is a photo of our tour group discussing wetlands restoration near the Mexicali wastewater treatment facility.
We also visited a tree-planting restoration site that will soon help connect a growing assembly of wildlife corridors up and down the Delta. Below, we heard a presentation about the riparian corridor initiative’s work to take advantage of scientifically mapped groundwater levels which will help make sure that restoration efforts are successful as water is slowly returned to the Delta.
The Colorado River Delta is one of the most degraded ecosystems in North America. Two million acres of wetlands have been drained dry; only 80,000 acres currently remain. But the Sonoran Institute, Pro Natura, and other partner organizations have big plans to bring water, wildlife, and a healthier economy back to the Delta. Check out these two videos of the Cienega de Santa Clara. There is hope when there is passion and work — Save the Colorado is helping these groups to “Just Add Water” to the Colorado River Delta.
Stay tuned for more information about how we can all work together to save the Colorado River Delta!
October 6, 2011
Fort Immediate Release
Save the Colorado River Campaign: www.SaveTheColorado.org
Contact: Gary Wockner, Campaign Coordinator, gary@savethecolorado.org
$170,000 Donated to Save the Colorado River
Funding focuses on water conservation throughout the basin
Fort Collins, CO – For the second year, the Save the Colorado River Campaign Fund has made donations to 15 environmental groups up and down the basin – from Denver to Las Vegas to San Diego – to help protect and restore the Colorado River. This year’s funding mostly focuses on efforts to promote and enhance water conservation in municipalities throughout the basin. The river’s water supplies are being stretched thin, and the river itself has been stretched beyond the breaking point – although 2011 was a historic year for the amount of runoff in the basin, the Colorado River’s 5 trillion gallons of water were once again drained completely out and never reached the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. (Here’s a photo of the bone dry Colorado River Delta where it no longer meets the Sea.)
“Everyone in the Colorado River basin needs to conserve more water,” said Gary Wockner, Coordinator for the Save the Colorado River Campaign. “These environmental groups are doing an excellent job at educating the public and policymakers about the need for more water conservation so that people and businesses, as well as the river itself, can thrive in the future.”
Environmental groups that received grants included the groups below in the geographic area noted:
- Bonneville Environmental Foundation (Basin-wide)
- Aspen Global Change Institute/Pete McBride (Basin-wide)
- Citizens for Dixie’s Future (Southern Utah)
- Colorado Environmental Coalition (Colorado)
- Living Rivers (Moab, Utah)
- Great Basin Water Network (Las Vegas, Nevada)
- San Diego Coastkeeper (San Diego, California)
- Sonoran Institute (Colorado River Delta/Mexico)
- Earthjustice (Basin-wide)
- Sheep Mountain Alliance (Southwest Colorado)
- Gila Conservation Coalition (New Mexico)
- Grand Canyon Youth (Grand Canyon Area of Utah/Arizona)
- Trout Unlimited (Colorado)
- Glen Canyon Institute (Glen Canyon Area of Utah/Arizona)
- Grand Canyon Trust (Grand Canyon Area of Utah/Arizona)
Of note, renowned filmmaker Pete McBride received support to promote his new documentary film about the Colorado River, “Chasing Water,” (see trailer) which in the last few weeks has received awards including “Best Documentary” at The Clearwater Film Festival and “Best in Category” at the CINE International Film Festival as well as being a finalist in several upcoming film festivals. (To request a showing of the film at a group or meeting, contact Pete at PeteMcBride.com.)
The Save the Colorado River Campaign is led by New Belgium Brewing of Fort Collins, Colorado. The Campaign Fund is further supported by donations from Patagonia, Clif Bar & Company, Kenney Brothers Foundation, Teva, National Geographic, Environment Now, and The Environment Foundation. Save the Colorado is a Fund of the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, a 501c3 charitable organization.
–end–
Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sent a letter to the applicant for the Flaming Gorge Pipeline informing him that the application was “deficient.” The letter is posted here (click).
“This project is a waste of time and money,” said Gary Wockner of Save the Colorado. ”It is a waste of time and money for FERC and for the State of Colorado. We should be studying more sensible projects rather than this destructive pipedream.”
The FERC letter says:
The letter gives the applicant 30 days to provide more information, or the application can be rejected.
For Immediate Release: September 14, 2011
Media Contacts:
Peter Roessmann, Western Resource Advocates: (720) 763-3721, peter@westernresources.org
Gary Wockner, Save the Colorado: (970) 218-8310, gary@savethecolorado.org
Elise Jones, Colorado Environmental Coalition, (303) 405-6704, elise@ourcolorado.org
Statement on CWCB Vote on Flaming Gorge Study Funding
At its Wednesday, September 14, 2011 meeting, the Colorado Water Conservation Board passed a diluted proposal to fund an exploratory study for the Flaming Gorge Pipeline. The original proposal was for $240,000 and multi-year meetings; the final proposal approved by the board funds just over $72,000 with only a few months of meetings. The watered-down proposal passed despite opposition from thousands of members of the public, a large coalition of environmental groups, taxpayer representatives, and West Slope businesses. Board members expressed many concerns, only some of which were addressed in the watered-down version.
Our organizations continue to have numerous concerns about the project even in a scaled back form. While smaller, the proposal would still spend thousands of dollars in state funds to investigate a controversial and environmentally damaging project which thousands of Colorado citizens believe should not be funded at all. This week members of the State Legislature Joint Budget Committee expressed their concerns over the project notably that this process seems to duplicate existing efforts of the Interbasin Compact Committee.
Ultimately, a Flaming Gorge pipeline project entails enormous costs and infeasibility. We will continue to work with the CWCB, project proponents, water utilities and other stakeholders to further the important and difficult dialog around meeting Colorado’s future water needs, in ways that — unlike the Flaming Gorge Pipeline — are cost-effective, feasible, and do-able in a short time frame.
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For Immediate Release:
September 9, 2011
Media Contact:
Peter Roessmann, Western Resource Advocates: peter@westernresources.org
Gary Wockner, Save the Colorado: gary@savethecolorado.org
***A Great Photo Opportunity***
CONSERVATION GROUPS UNVEIL BILLBOARDS EXPOSING PRICEY FLAMING GORGE PIPELINE
“This’ll only cost you $9 billion” billboards come day before funding vote
WHAT: Monday, a coalition of conservation groups will unveil three billboards along I-70 in the Grand Valley to expose the exorbitant cost of the proposed Flaming Gorge Pipeline. This happens just days before the Colorado Water Conservation Board comes to Grand Junction to vote on whether a proposed task force should be funded by $150,000 from Colorado taxpayers. The pricey pipeline would cost $9 billion, and divert 20-25% of the water in the Green River to Colorado’s Front Range. The pipeline would pump the water 560 miles across Wyoming, over the Continental Divide to the Front Range of Colorado.
WHO: Colorado Environmental Coalition, Save the Colorado, Western Resource Advocates, sportsmen, business owners, and other local concerned citizens who oppose the pipeline project
WHEN/WHERE: Monday September 12th, 8:00 AM 3217 F Road (across from Kentucky Fried Chicken), Clifton, CO 81520
WHY: The coalition and concerned citizens are voicing their opposition to the pipeline and urge Governor Hickenlooper and the Colorado Water Conservation Board to deny funding to the Flaming Gorge task force. The vote takes place Tuesday in Grand Junction. The coalition has collected over 20,000 signatures opposing the pipeline project: www.StopFlamingGorgePipeline.org.
The billboard photo is at the Colorado River Delta where, due to dams and diversions by all seven Colorado River basin states, the Colorado River’s five trillion gallons of water has been completely drained out. The river has not reached the sea for years. This billboard will be unveiled Monday at 3217 F Road in Clifton. Two identical billboards will also be on display at 2236 US Hwy 6 + 50 and 2825 I-70 Business Loop in Grand Junction.
A press release about the billboard project will be issued on Monday.
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