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FERC
dam relicensing on the Klamath,
by Siskiyou County
Supervisor Marcia Armstrong 11/24/06
The Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) held two
hearings in Yreka last week to gather
comments on the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) on re-licensing of the
operation of four hydroelectric dams on the
Klamath River. Three of these
dams – Iron Gate,
Copco I and Copco II are located in
Siskiyou
County. J.C. Boyle lies above Copco 1
in Southern Oregon.
My comments were
made at the hearing held in the morning.
Most were in response to the proposal
advanced by Indian tribes,
environmentalists, fishermen and some
Upper
Klamath
Basin farmers in favor of dam
removal:
Because of the
dams, the public benefits from the
production of 151 megawatts (mw) of clean
electricity, especially the production from
operations that provide energy during
periods of peak load demand. The project
also does supply some flood control benefits
that can be critical to residents downstream
of Iron Gate Dam.
There are proposed
license conditions to mitigate (compensate)
for the effects of the hydro-project that
will increase fish spawning and rearing
habitat, enhance wildlife habitat, support
recreational opportunities, and protect the
quality of the environment. The Staff
Alternative proposal allows for the public
benefit that derives from power generation,
while complying with requirements of the
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to protect and
enhance the Outstandingly Remarkable Values
(ORVs) associated with the designated river
segment below the JC Boyle powerhouse in
Oregon and the
eligible segment continuing from the
California border
down to Copco Reservoir. This area is known
for its Class IV+ whitewater boating and
trout fly-fishing.
There are many
negative impacts of dam removal. Among them
are:
More than 20
million cu. yds. of fine sediment exist
above the dams that would be mobilized down
river to cement-in spawning beds, destroy
populations of invertebrates and smother
salmon eggs. This would likely have
significant, irreversible, and irretrievable
effects on fish, prey species,
invertebrates, and other elements of the
river ecosystem immediately upon dam
breaching and for decades following.
Approximately
1,500 privately owned parcels could suffer
depreciation in value due to: loss of
shorefront property; loss of water access;
loss of lake views; loss of recreational
opportunity; impacts of the deconstruction
process; and impacts of muck and mire until
the area is rehabed and revegetated. There
would also be a substantial loss of tax
revenue to
Siskiyou
County and
California for the
facilities and any diminishment of property
values.
Siskiyou
County also sent letters to the
Governors of California and
Oregon
and our legislators. The County continues to
oppose dam removal, although it does not
oppose activities that seek to introduce
anadromous fish (salmon and steelhead) above
the dams. In fact, the Board of Supervisors
supports fish ladders as a win/win solution.
The County believes that all reasonable
options to reintroduce fish, (short of dam
removal,) should be fully explored before
the option of dam removal is pursued.
However, if FERC considers dam removal,
funds should be made available to finance a
robust dam removal impact assessment study
prior to any decisions being made. Any
decision to remove or decommission dams
should ensure that all the impacts to the
interests of the County and its
constituents, not just the interests of the
proponents of dam removal are identified and
fully funded and satisfied prior to removal.
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