Sierra Club National Executive Director, Carl Pope, visited Fort Collins on Sunday, August 24th 2008 to support the Save The Poudre Coalition and rally local Sierra Club members. Dozens of citizens showed up to support Pope and the Coalition. Photos below, and press release at the bottom of this page.


Gary Wockner rouses up the crowd with a "SAVE THE POUDRE" chant.


State Representative Randy Fischer (HD53) spoke in support of Carl's visit and against NISP/Glade.



Pope told the crowd, "The West is addicted to reservoirs just like America is addicted to oil."



Carl rouses up the audience!


Carl gets a souvenir from the Coalition.



Carl also gets a souvenir book, "Pulse of the River: Colorado Writers Speak for the Endangered Cache la Poudre."



Thanks for coming Carl!!


For Immediate Release
Save The Poudre Coalition
www.SaveThePoudre.org
August 24, 2008
Contacts: Gary Wockner, Save The Poudre Coalition, 970-218-8310

Sierra Club National Executive Director, Carl Pope, says:
"The West is addicted to reservoirs just like America is addicted to oil."

Fort Collins, CO -- On Sunday, August 24th, on the banks of the Cache la Poudre River in downtown Fort Collins, Sierra Club National Executive Director Carl Pope spoke at a rally for the Save The Poudre Coalition. With dozens of Coalition supporters in the background, Pope spoke in opposition to the Northern Integrated Supply Project and its Glade Reservoir.

Pope made five important points during his speech:
1. Global warming will dramatically impact water supplies in the West, and will impact the role that reservoirs play in water storage systems.
2. Given the increased impacts of global warming, reservoirs are outdated 20th century answers to 21st century problems. Storing water underground in aquifers makes much more sense than building reservoirs.
3. Water conservation is woefully underutilized as a water source in the West. "When we take water out of the river, we need to make sure every drop counts," he said.
4. Projects like NISP can be stopped. "To stop a project like this, you need two things -- 1) local people who care, and you have that right here," he said, "and 2) a positive alternative that will meet water supply needs. The Save The Poudre Coalition will be presenting just such an alternative in the near future."
5. "We need to stop NISP and Save The Poudre," said Pope. "The West is addicted to reservoirs just like America is addicted to oil. When your addiction runs out, you need another hit, but a new reservoir will not solve this problem."

Save the Poudre spokesperson, Gary Wockner, said that Pope's visit meant that national environmental groups are increasingly involved with the Poudre River issue. "What Pope's visit means is that the American environmental movement -- from the top in Washington D.C., to the ground-level here in Fort Collins -- is committed to stopping NISP/Glade and saving the Poudre River."

State Representative Randy Fischer (HD 53) also spoke at the rally, and said, "I'm committed to doing everything I can to find an alternative to this project that does not destroy the Cache la Poudre River."

On Sept. 10th, the Save The Poudre Coalition will host a public meeting at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins where they will present their comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement as well as a "Healthy Rivers Alternative" to NISP. (More details about this meeting will come in future press releases.)

The Save The Poudre Coalition is made up of 12 national, state, and regional groups including Clean Water Action, Defenders of Wildlife, American Rivers, Colorado Environmental Coalition, Environment Colorado, Sierra Club – Rocky Mountain Chapter, Fort Collins Audubon Society, Citizen Planners, Wolverine Farm Publishing, Poudre Paddlers, Friends of the Poudre, Cache la Poudre River Foundation. Membership in these groups totals over 2 million American citizens.

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