On July 23, 2019 the Boulder County Commissioners joined hundreds of local, state and national leaders in declaring a climate emergency. Human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases are impacting Earth’s climactic system, causing unprecedented, large-scale, adverse health, social, economic, financial, security, and ecological effects. Restoring a safe and stable climate requires an emergency to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors. The official release of this news, including the full proclamation, can be found on the Boulder County website. 

The construction of a larger Gross Dam will require approximately 850,000 cubic yards of concrete.  Note that according to the Earth Institute at Columbia University, cement, the primary ingredient in concrete, is the second most consumed substance on Earth after water. Cement manufacturing is highly energy - and emissions-intensive because of the extreme heat required to produce it. The production of cement releases green house gas emissions, both directly and indirectly, and accounts for around 5 percent of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. 

Clearly the expansion of Gross Dam and Reservoir is out of sync with the county's determination to fight climate change. This project is not a done deal and MUST BE STOPPED!