Talking points for comments to
FERC, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regarding dam removal
and Klamath irrigators' power rates:
by Jim Foley, miner 11/13/06,
(Please consider the following points to include
in your letters to FERC
>
Power Rates
Needed for Klamath Project Survival, by KBC)
1. A
vocal and well funded environmental minority is
attempting to make it appear that they represent
the public majority.
2. We cannot systematically
dismantle our society’s infrastructure to appease
environmental extremists.
3. No studies have been done
to assess the damaging affects of dam removal on
this scale.
4. No consideration has been
given for the wetlands, refuges and endangered
species behind these dams.
5. No consideration has been
given to the loss of private property value and
resulting loss of our counties tax base from dam
removal.
6. The dams provide
electricity to 70,000 residents. If the dams are
removed we will have to buy power at a time when
California already has to buy power
from other states.
7. Electrical rates will soar
in the wake of dam removal.
8 In the time since dam
construction, a whole ecosystem has evolved above
the dams. This will be completely destroyed if
radical environmentalists have their way.
9. With dam removal we will be
once again at risk for the major flooding and
drought below the dams that was prevalent
before the dams were built.
10 No provision has been made
for continuing to supply water for irrigation in
the Klamath project. Without water the farms
and ranches will disappear and
families will be bankrupt.
(Note by KBC - these dams do not effect Klamath
Project water storage. Klamath irrigators need
reasonable power rates and water certainty.
Endangered fish swimming into the Project could be
problematic)
11. It is patently wrong to
remove dams on the premise of saving salmon when
there is no scientific proof that dam removal
will accomplish that goal.
12. Dam removal will do more
harm to the salmon and all other species, both
downstream as well as upstream than leaving
them in place.
13. At a time when third world
nations are desperately trying to create this type
of infrastructure, we are considering throwing
away 100 years of progress.
14. The supreme irony and
resulting tragic consequences of removing these
dams would be to find out after the fact that it
really was not the dams, but ocean conditions, confirmed by peer
reviewed science that were causing any salmon
decline. |
