On September 25, 2006, FERC released a draft environmental impact statement for the Klamath River Project. FERC's draft does not analyze removing the lower four dams, as many stakeholders have called for in the licensing process. The statement does acknowledge removal of two dams, but does not call for removal in its preferred alternative.
Below is a statement from several Coalition members on a preliminary review of the DEIS:
NEWS: FERC's Klamath Draft EIS Falls Short
September 25, 2006
Contact:
- Steve Rothert, American Rivers, 530-277-0448
- Curtis Knight, California Trout, 530-859-1872
- Glen Spain, PCFFA, 541-521-8655
- Chuck Bonham, Trout Unlimited, 510-917-8572
- Jim McCarthy, Oregon Natural Resources Council, 541-201-1058
- Kelly Catlett, Friends of the River, 916-442-3155 x223
Washington, D.C. -- The proposed license provisions for PacifiCorp’s Klamath hydro project contained in FERC’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement released today fall far short of what agencies, tribes and conservation groups believe is necessary to restore the Klamath River.
“PacifiCorp and its predecessors have received cheap power for over 90 years at the expense of the river and the people who depend on it. FERC’s proposal extends PacifiCorp’s sweetheart deal and would result in 50 more years of conflict over PacifiCorp’s dams,” said Steve Rothert of American Rivers.
“Throughout, FERC unduly defers to PacifiCorp’s wishes and recommends measures that will do little to mitigate the impacts of the dams or restore damaged west coast salmon fisheries,” said Glen Spain, of Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA). “Today most of that salmon fishery is closed down, in large part because of these dams. There is no stronger case for decommissioning dams than in the Klamath.”
The five dam complex blocks salmon from reaching 350 miles of historic river habitat above the dams. The National Marine Fisheries Service’s preliminary prescriptions would require PacifiCorp to provide fish ladders, screens and other measures at all project dams. However, FERC, in clear contradiction of federal law, reduced the agency’s comprehensive passage plan down to possibly reintroducing fish to only a single river reach after a trial period.
“Klamath salmon are in real danger; they need real solutions. FERC’s paltry fish passage recommendation is both legally insupportable and biologically ineffective,” said Steve Rothert of American Rivers.
The PacifiCorp dams produce only 2 percent of PacifiCorp’s electricity, but severely damage water quality and have become reservoirs for toxic algae and fish diseases, killing many juvenile salmon before they can migrate out to sea. Salmon survival rates in the Klamath River in recent years have been so poor that fewer adult salmon have returned this year than can support a fishery. This has triggered widespread coastal fishing closures over 700 miles of coastline, and on August 10th, Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez declared a “fishery failure” disaster in California and Oregon because of the Klamath declines.
In the summer, the dams reduce flows by as much as 90 percent along more than 20 river miles below their dams. Resource agencies required PacifiCorp to limit its diversions to only 60 percent of the river flow. However, FERC slashed the agencies’ requirement by 75 percent, requiring PacifiCorp to increase flows by only 100 cfs in dewatered reaches. “Once again, FERC is throwing sound science to the wind by ignoring overwhelming evidence from agency, tribal and NGO experts that indicates the river needs more water,” said Curtis Knight of California Trout.
FERC analyzed the possibility of removing Iron Gate Dam and Copco 1 Dam and concluded the removal of one or more dam would have a “substantial” benefit on water quality and would enhance the prospects of restoring anadromous fish populations. As for cost, if FERC had not reduced the agency salmon reintroduction prescription to a small trial effort, the cost of dam removal would be greater than keeping the dams and installing fish passage facilities. For example, FERC estimated the annual cost of removing Iron Gate and Copco 1 at approximately $14.4 million, including power losses. The annual cost of installing fish ladders, screens and other passage measures as required by fishery agencies is estimated to be $16.6 million - $2.2 million more expensive than dam removal. “If FERC stayed within its authority and left the agency prescription intact, it would have identified dam removal as the cheaper option,” said Kelly Catlett of Friends of the River.
"PacifiCorp's dams have blocked Klamath salmon from returning to Oregon for nearly 100 years, but we will continue to fight to remove the dams and bring the salmon home," said Jim McCarthy, Klamath Basin Wildlife Advocate.
In a related proceeding, Klamath relicensing stakeholders await the results of a hearing on the recommended terms and conditions issued by the resource agencies. In a new proceeding created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, PacifiCorp requested the hearing held in August to challenge the scientific underpinnings of the agency provisions. The Coast Guard Administrative Law Judge’s ruling, which is expected by the end of September, could affect the what license terms FERC ultimately includes in PacifiCorp’s license.