The Colorado Water Quality Control Commission voted unanimously today to appeal a ruling made by Pueblo County District Court Judge Victor Reyes against the state of Colorado’s 401-water quality certification for the Southern Delivery System project. 

The water quality certification was issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in 2010 and was unanimously confirmed by the state Commission that same year.

The judicial review of the Commission’s confirmation in Pueblo County District Court was done at the request of The Rocky Mountain Environmental Labor Coalition and Pueblo County District Attorney, Bill Thiebaut.

At today’s meeting, Commissioner John Klomp made the motion to appeal the ruling.  Colorado Springs Utilities will join the state in the appeal. 

Construction of the SDS project is proceeding - providing hundreds of regional jobs and infusing tens of millions of dollars in the southern Colorado economy - while the issue is resolved in the courts.