On June 17, 2020, the United States District Court for the District of Colorado set aside the Incidental Take Permit granted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) in June of 2019, thereby placing the R-Project on pause.
Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) is utilizing the time during the pause to conduct discussions between NPPD and the Service regarding various matters associated with NPPD’s application for an Incidental Take Permit for the project. Those discussions continue with the Service. Although the project is on pause, NPPD remains committed to completing this important project. The underlying need for the project has not changed.
NPPD’s construction contractor, Forbes Bros. Timberline Construction, Inc. (Forbes), has requested to use the environmental mats, originally brought in for the Project, for other work Forbes has while NPPD continues discussions with the Service. Forbes has assured NPPD they can supply a sufficient quantity of environmental mats when needed to immediately resume field work on the R-Project, therefore NPPD granted the request. In October 2021, personnel and trucks began to remove mats from material storage yards and access routes, a process we anticipate will take several months to complete. NPPD has been contacting landowners prior to removing mats from private property.
