The commissioners voted against Thornton's pipeline plan 3-0 in February 2019. Now, they need encouragement to stand strong against Thornton in their threatened lawsuit.
COMMISSIONERS' EMAIL
The commissioners voted against Thornton's pipeline plan 3-0 in February 2019. Now, they need encouragement to stand strong against Thornton in their threatened lawsuit.
COMMISSIONERS' EMAIL
Constituent Services Help Line:
(303) 866-2885
Governor's Office, Front Desk:
(303) 866-2471
State Capitol Building
200 E. Colfax Ave., Rm. 136
Denver, CO 80203
Email the Governor: Governorpolis@state.co.us
We let a river shower its banks with a spirit that invades the people living there, and we protect that river, knowing that without its blessings the people have no source of soul.
(Thomas Moore, The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life)
Submit letters to the Board of Commissioners at https://www.larimer.org/bocc
Let the Commissioners know you appreciated their NO vote and urge them to stick to their ruling despite Thornton's lawsuit.
The most direct way of impacting an elected representative is through a letter writing campaign. The more letters that are written, the more important the issue becomes and the better chance for change.
Once you’ve done the work of crafting your letter and emailing it to the newspaper, it’s easy to email the same letter to all of your elected officials using the contacts we’ve provided on our “What Can You Do?” page.
Following are some examples you can use to get you started, but remember to write your letter in your own words as editors are looking for letters that are original.
1. I live near Douglas Road or Cty Road 56 and Thornton’s proposed pipeline means tearing up the road, devaluing my property, and disrupting my life and that of my neighbors who live in the 300+ homes with direct, single-entry access off of Douglas Road, and 1000s of others who use Douglas Road to commute to town. What will happen when an emergency vehicle needs to get into my single-entry neighborhood? What will happen to the trees along the road, to my fence, or my land if the road’s easement is expanded as planned? I will lose property, and that’s unacceptable! I urge the Larimer County Commissioners to reject the City of Thornton’s 1041 proposal. Visit NoPipeDream.com for more.
2. As a person who uses Douglas Road regularly to commute to town, I do not want a pipeline placed under or alongside the road. It is the only direct route to my destination, and it would likely mean at least a few years of disruption that doesn’t seem necessary. I understand Douglas Road would be a corridor for future pipelines, meaning it would be dug up again and again, continually inconveniencing me for years to come. Douglas Road is a major corridor, accommodating thousands of vehicles a day. Its use will continue to rapidly increase considering the growth of Wellington and the proposed large housing projects at Turnberry and Douglas Road, and those near Anheuser Busch. Why not choose another route, one that won’t disrupt so many people’s lives like leaving the water in the Poudre through town? I urge the Larimer County Commissioners to reject Thornton’s 1041 proposal, and I urge the City of Thornton to choose a different route. Visit NoPipeDream.com for more.
3. I live the Cty Rd 56 route and I am afraid for my property and home. The City of Thornton proposes a 500 ft. corridor for its proposed pipeline along Douglas. This is potentially a legal issue, possibly forcing residents like myself with property in the corridor area to turn their land over to the county. The county can claim “it is for the greater public good” or they can use “eminent domain.” You should know that most pipelines in the U.S. and Canada have the typical 120 ft. easement so you understand just how extreme their request is. Besides a fear of losing my property, I am concerned about: 1) Noise – both from construction and increased traffic (due to a widening of the road which will likely invite increased truck traffic), as well as from increased road vibrations. 2) Increased air pollution from increased traffic. 3) Safety for myself crossing the street and schoolkids catching the bus, and 4) Damage to low-lying properties along Douglas Road from possible leakage. Federal guidelines call for selecting a route that would affect the fewest amount of people. This selected route affects the most of those proposed. I urge the Larimer County Commissioners to reject Thornton’s 1041 proposal, and I urge the City of Thornton to choose a different route, preferably doing some good by leaving the water in the Poudre through town. Visit NoPipeDream.com for more.
4. I am concerned about the environmental impacts of the Thornton pipeline project that’s proposed to run under or along Douglas Road. The preferred pump station location near Douglas and Starlite Drive is near wetlands and an established nesting habitat on Terry Lake. The area attracts a large variety of migratory water birds protected by the Federal Migrating Bird Act. The proposed pump station is less than a mile from a pair of federally-protected nesting Bald Eagles. It would disturb wetlands that provide nesting and hunting habitat for these and other species. It would also shake the foundations of nearby homes and its continual noise would disrupt residents. According to the Pipeline Route Selection for Rural and Cross-Country Pipelines guidelines published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) (No. 46), the shortest route is preferred “from an environmental, engineering and economic perspective.” The choice of Douglas Road fails on all of these accounts! I urge the Larimer County Commissioners to reject Thornton’s 1041 pipeline proposal! Visit NoPipeDream.com for more.
5. I am concerned a pipeline under Douglas Road would fail due to vibrations. Federal guidelines for pipelines specifically advise against placing pipelines along roads, advising municipalities to select a site with the least “percent of route not along major corridors.” The concern is vibrations from road traffic that may cause the sealant on pipes to crack and allow pipes to leak, causing possible liability to area home and property owners. This could affect the low-lying Terry Cove trailer park and homes near the shores of Terry Lake. Considering the recent increase in weight limits on Douglas Road by the county that has invited increased truck traffic by local haulers and out-of-town semi-trucks, this problem will only be magnified in the future. I request as a citizen of Larimer County that the commissioners protect us, and vote no on Thornton’s 1041 pipeline proposal. Visit NoPipeDream.com for more.
1. I care about the health of the Poudre River. The City of Thornton and Larimer County are now at a decision point in time where they can use that water to help protect and preserve one of the iconic waterways of the Front Range, the Cache la Poudre River, or build an expensive pipeline from the current intake site, and burrowing through the neighborhoods and communities of Northern Colorado, eventually reaching the taps of citizens in Thornton. Since Thornton purchased the water in the 80s, we have learned more about how important water is in Colorado, not only for its residents, but for the environment and riparian corridors that water keeps alive; the health of the Cache la Poudre River is currently gravely diminished. By leaving water in the Poudre through town, Thornton’s water would go a long way to improving the health of the Cache la Poudre River. Please ask the City of Thornton, and the Larimer County Commissioners to use the Cache la Poudre River as the conveyance mechanism for their water, instead of spending millions on an expensive pipeline that will disrupt and diminish the lives of Larimer County residents who live nearby. Visit NoPipeDream.com for more.
2. I hear that the City of Thornton does not want to pull water south because isn’t as clean farther from the source. I say, let them pay, not us. Thornton purchased water 70 miles from their town, they should bear the burden of this, not those who live along Douglas Road, not our wild and scenic Poudre River that would regain health if water was left in it for as long as is possible. Rivers are natural water ways and their job is to carry water. Leave it natural! Send the water down the Poudre, so no residents’ lives or property values are impacted, and the Poudre is a healthier river as it runs through county and city open space and parks. I request that the City of Thornton do the right thing and leave the water in the Poudre for as long as they can rather than building a disruptive pipeline along Douglas Road. Visit NoPipeDream.com for more.
3. It’s time to be proactive, pro Poudre and pro social responsibility. Rather than constructing a damaging and disruptive pipeline, Thornton could leave the water in the Poudre until it reaches a takeout point near Windsor. The increased water flows would be significantly beneficial to the currently ailing health of the Poudre as it runs through Fort Collins, as well as to wetlands, environmental and recreational resources and the communities and businesses that depend on them. It would also enhance the proposed River park and white water park in Old Town. Urge the Larimer County Commissioners to reject Thornton’s 1041 plan and keep the water in the Poudre through town. Visit NoPipeDream.com for more.
4. Don’t support the City of Thornton’s ongoing efforts to Buy and Dry! In the 1980s the City of Thornton anonymously purchased most of the farmland surrounding the towns of Ault and Pierce, eventually owning about 21,000 acres of land and rights to 30,263 acre-feet of water. In a 12 year dispute that reached the Colorado Supreme Court, Thornton converted their farmland water rights from agricultural to municipal - a process known as “Buy and Dry”. Thornton now wants to access that water via a west to east pipeline north of Fort Collins, tearing up roads and land, devaluing properties and disrupting our citizen’s lives. Urge the City Council, County Commissioners to say no. Thornton’s water is already being taken out of the Poudre River at the Larimer County Canal, and it has been for roughly the past 100 years. That is NOT a reason to continue doing so. Quite the contrary. Should we return to dumping toxic waste into our rivers because it had been done for hundreds of years before the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948, the Water Quality Act of 1965, the Clean Water Act of 1977 and the Water Quality Act of 1987? Thornton has an unprecedented opportunity to be a good neighbor, to be an ecological hero and a leader in environmental stewardship... to change the course of the Poudre River’s history! If you agree, please visit our website at NoPipeDream.com. It’s never too late to do the right thing.
Address: P.O. Box 2465, Fort Collins, CO 80522 Copyright © 2020 Stop Thornton's Pipe Dream - All Rights Reserved
Photo on Home page courtesy of Save the Poudre
Make checks out to No Pipe Dream Corporation
This site is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied. Before relying on material on this site users should independently verify the accuracy, completeness and relevance for their purposes and obtain any appropriate professional advice.
Site material may include opinions, recommendations or other content from third parties that do not necessarily reflect our views. Links to other Web sites are included for the user’s convenience and do not constitute an endorsement of the material on those sites, or any associated product or service.