Nov. 5, 2021

NISP Permitting Process Advances

An enterprise as complex as the Northern Integrated Supply Project requires a variety of federal, state, county and local permits, and NISP managers have made significant progress to obtain all necessary approvals.

In September, the Larimer County Planning Commission approved an application to move U.S. Highway 287 from its current location to a new route located a few miles to the east. The highway’s current location in a hogback valley is the future site of Glade Reservoir.

The county approval is just one of many received in recent years as NISP continues to advance. Earlier in 2021, NISP completed the Fort Collins Site Plan Advisory Review process for the placement of water conveyance pipelines and the Poudre River diversion inside city limits. That followed successful completion of Larimer County’s 1041 permit and regulatory process, as well as the fulfillment of state water quality permit requirements under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act in 2020.

Valley for Glade Reservoir showing Highway 287

One additional necessary permit is the federal Clean Water Act Section 404 permit from the Army Corps of Engineers. That permit will address the large-scale elements of the project, as well as potential impacts the project might cause. The Section 404 permitting process began in 2004, and after several reviews through the National Environmental Policy Act, could be completed soon.

Upon the release of the 404 permit, NISP participants and project managers will work to implement the mitigation measures associated with the federal permit to continue advancing the project.