Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Natural Energy Resources Company <br />P. O. Box 567 Palmer LakeJ CO 80133 <br />(719) 481-2003 Fax (719) 481~3452 <br /> <br />REceiVED <br />NOV 1 9 2003 <br /> <br />(j) <br /> <br />, ".. <br /> <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br /> <br />Novem'ber' 13, 2003 <br /> <br />USBR-~astern Colorado Area Office <br />11056 W. Co~nty"Rd..18E <br />Loveland, Colorado 80537 -9711 <br />Attn: Mr. Pat Mangan, EIS Coordinator <br /> <br />. ~ . ~ : . ~ <br /> <br />Subject: Request for stay of Southern Delivery System <br />Environmental Impact Statement Development <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Mangan: <br /> <br />Natural Energy Resources Company (NEeQ) requests a stay of the proposed Southern <br />Delivery System (80S) Environmental lmpact Statement (EIS) for Colorado Springs. <br />National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations require early identification and <br />correction of seoping flaws in the EIS processl The following fatal seoping flaws justify this <br />stay req uest: <br /> <br />1. Union Park alternative oversiaht Colorado's Union Park high altitude pumped- <br />storage water and power alternative was first proposed for both slopes by NECO in <br />1986 (see Union ,Park Reconnaissance Evaluation Study by the major Ebasco a'nd <br />Black and Veatch enginee'ring firms dated October 1986). Unfortunately, this superior <br />state and regional water and power alternative has been improperly uoverlooked" by <br />local, state, and federal entities, because of misguided institutional and political <br />constraints. <br /> <br />Union Park will pump some of Coloradots undeveloped Colorado River Compact and <br />Aspinall Pool losses into high, off-rjver storage from the Bureau of Reclamation's <br />existing Taylor Park and Blue Mesa collection reservoirs during heavy runoff years. <br />These conserved high quality flood waters will then be available for guaranteed <br />deliveries by gravity, when and where needed, throughout five Southwestern river <br />basins (Gunnison, Colorado, Platte, Arkansas, RfO Grande) during variable drought <br />conditions. <br /> <br />2. Benefit-Cost Advantages of Hiah Altitude Reservoirs As a pilot high artitude <br />storage project, that protects multiple basins, Union Park has major environmental and <br />socia-economic advantages of national significance~ In fact, this advanced pumped- <br />storage drought insurance concept can be applied to substantially rncrease the <br />productivity and quality of water and power resources from any high mountain western <br />area that has glacier-carved reservoir sites and heavy snovvfalls~ <br /> <br />Low value surplus power can be used to fill highf off-channel storage s"ites during heavy <br />spring flood monthsl Valuable peaking power revenues from reversible pump- <br />generators during high demand summer, fall: and winter months will off-set sprjng filling <br />costSI Pumped-storage can also increase the efficiency and safety of traditionar river <br />dams throughout the West~ Union Park~s unprecedented 10 to 1 benefit-cost <br />expectations will be especially valuable for protecting and enhancing Western farms, <br />environments~ and recreation interests that are threatened by explosive urban growth. <br />