Hydropower Reform Coalition - South

Morgan Falls licensed for 30 years

Rupak Thapaliya — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:33:09 -0500

Last week FERC issued a new license for operation of the 16.8 MW project in Cobb and Fulton counties in Georgia. This project occupies 14.4 acres of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

The Coalition and its members- American Rivers and Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper had sent in comments on the Environmental Assessment prepared by FERC for the project.

New License Issued for Tapoco Project

John Seebach — Wed, 19 Jan 2005 06:00:00 -0600

Project: Tapoco : P-2169

Tennessee's only licensed hydropower project was granted another license today. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a new license for ALCOA's Tapoco project on the Little Tennessee River in North Carolina and Tennessee.

Coalition members American Rivers and Tennessee Clean Water Network (TCWN) were signatories to the settlement. Coalition member American Whitewater's concerns were never properly addressed, and they did not sign.

From the FERC press release (scroll to page 2):

"[T]oday, the Commission issued a new license and approved a settlement agreement for the Tapoco Project on the Little Tennessee and Cheoah Rivers in Graham and Swain counties in North Carolina. "

A key aspect of this case was a land exchange negotiated between the licensee, Alcoa Power Generating Inc. (APGI), and the National Park Service. The exchange resulted in land, originally located within the project boundary and in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, being removed from the park and exchanged for other lands. Congress enacted legislation in 2004 authorizing the exchange, which would eliminate issues raised by the fact that a portion of the project is currently located in a national park.

"The project will provide 380 megawatts of electricity generated from a renewable resource while protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife, recreation and aquatic resources near the project."

Tennessee's Tapoco Project earns Low Impact certification

John Seebach — Wed, 12 Jan 2005 06:00:00 -0600

Project: Tapoco : P-2169

The Tapoco hydropower project lies on the Little Tennessee and Cheoah rivers in Tennessee and North Carolina. Under a comprehensive settlement agreement and license, owner Alcoa will preserve virgin tracts of forest lands and restore flows to these Smoky Mountain streams. Now the project has earned Low Impact Certification from our partners at the Low Impact Hydropower Institute.

The press release from the Low Impact Hydropower Institute:

December 1, 2005

Tapoco Becomes Largest Eastern Project to Earn Certification as Low Impact

Tapoco Is First Project to Earn an 8-Year Certification For Meeting Special Watershed Management Criteria

PORTLAND, ME – (DECEMBER 1, 2005) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that Alcoa' s Tapoco Hydroelectric Project has earned LIHI' s Low Impact Certification. The Tapoco project consists of four powerhouses and four dams in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina totaling 350 megawatts (MW) of electric generation capacity, which power Alcoa Tennessee Operations near Knoxville. The project is located on the Little Tennessee and Cheoah Rivers and is owned and operated by Alcoa Power Generating Inc.

Earlier this year, the project was relicensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a 40-year period. Alcoa is the world's leading producer and manager of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina facilities, and is active in all major aspects of the industry. Alcoa has 131,000 employees in 43 countries and has been named one of the top three most sustainable corporations in the world at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. More information can be found at http://www.alcoa.com/

Tapoco is the largest hydropower project to be certified by LIHI on the east coast and is the first to receive an eight-year certification in recognition of meeting special watershed management criteria.

“ We take great pleasure in certifying this facility and congratulate Alcoa ,” said Richard Roos-Collins, chair of LIHI' s Governing Board. “ This decision should send a clear message that even large hydropower facilities can operate with low impacts to key natural resources, and offer enhanced value to shareholders and customers alike.”

The LIHI certification program is relatively new, having certified its first plant in March 2001. The Institute' s voluntary certification program is designed to help consumers identify environmentally sound, low impact hydropower facilities for emerging “ green” energy markets.

The Tapoco project meets LIHI' s eight environmentally rigorous low impact criteria addressing river flows, water quality, fish passage and protection, watershed health, endangered species protection, cultural resources, recreation use and access, and whether or not the dam itself has been recommended for removal.

Tapoco successfully completed LIHI' s formal review process, which includes a public comment period, review by an independent technical consultant, consultations with state and federal natural resource agencies, and evaluation by the LIHI Governing Board, including leaders in the river conservation and renewable energy fields. The Board' s vote to certify the Tapoco project was unanimous.

With the certification of the Tapoco project, the Institute has certified low impact hydro projects in 14 states with an installed capacity of over 1450 MW.

For more information about projects certified as low impact, contact Fred Ayer, LIHI Executive Director, at (207) 773-8190, or visit the LIHI Web site at www.lowimpacthydro.org LIHI is a nonprofit organization that certifies environmentally low impact hydropower facilities nationwide to help energy consumers and to support market incentives for reducing the effects of hydropower dams on the nation' s rivers and streams.

The press release from Alcoa Industries:

Alcoa Obtains Low-Impact Hydropower Certification; New Upgrades Increase Generating Capacity

PITTSBURGH and ALCOA, Tenn.--(CCNMatthews - Dec 1, 2005) -

Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that the independent, non-profit Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) has certified Alcoa Power Generating Inc.'s (APGI) Tapoco hydroelectric project as an environmentally-responsible, low-impact hydropower project that meets and exceeds the most stringent operating requirements recommended by expert state and federal resource agencies.

APGI's Tapoco project is the largest hydropower project to be certified by LIHI on the east coast and is the first to receive an eight-year certification in recognition of meeting special watershed management criteria. The project consists of four powerhouses and four dams in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina totaling 350 megawatts (MW) of electric generation capacity, which power Alcoa Tennessee Operations near Knoxville.

The certification comes on the heels of APGI's recent completion of its second turbine upgrade at the Calderwood powerhouse in eastern Tennessee, which resulted in 14 MW of additional peak generation capacity. When the third and last turbine at Calderwood is upgraded in mid-2006, Calderwood's total demonstrated capacity will increase by 42 MW.

" This project is part of Alcoa's commitment to increase the use of natural, renewable energy sources such as hydropower that help lower emissions and reduce contributions to global warming," said Kevin Anton, president, Alcoa Materials Management. " In addition to increasing Calderwood's capacity by 37 percent, the new turbines improve efficiency and generate up to 6 percent more energy with the same water flow. By increasing the capacity and efficiency at Calderwood without constructing new dams, Alcoa is bringing additional renewable energy to the region while reducing dependence on electricity generated by fossil fuels."

The Calderwood powerhouse is currently undergoing upgrades as part of Alcoa's overall $187 million program to improve the Tapoco hydroelectric system. The program began in 2002 and involves upgrading a total of 13 hydroelectric generating units and other system infrastructure over a 15-year period.

As one of the founding members of the Green Power Market Development Group convened by the World Resources Institute (WRI) in 2000, Alcoa is one of 13 leading corporations seeking to develop corporate markets for 1,000 MW of new green power. The incremental 42 MW at Calderwood is part of nearly 360 MW of green power resources the group has caused to bring about to date. Earlier this year, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted a 40-year relicense for the Tapoco project.

LIHI certification is a voluntary program designed to help identify and reward hydropower dams that meet LIHI's strict criteria that measures water quality, watershed protection, fish passage and protection, threatened and endangered species protection, river flows, recreation and cultural resource protection.

The evaluation process includes a public comment period, review by an independent technical consultant, consultations with state and federal natural resource agencies, evaluations, and a decision by the LIHI governing board, which is comprised of leaders from a number of environmental organizations including the National Resources Defense Council, American Rivers, and Union of Concerned Scientists.

Whitewater Boating Tests a Great Success at Catawba's Great Falls

John Seebach — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 07:00:00 -0500

Project: Catawba-Wateree : P-2232

Located just one hour from the Charlotte, NC and Columbia, SC metropolitan areas, the Great Falls of the Catawba River has potential as a whitewater boating hotspot for the area. On October 23 and 24, a flow study conducted by Duke Power and attended by kayakers from throughout the region confirmed that Great Falls holds great promise as a highly coveted recreational boating stretch.

The Catawba River, dammed since the early part of the century for hydropower development, is almost dry through the Great Falls channel due to diversion dams that shunt the river's flow to a powerhouse. Duke Power Company, seeking a new license for their operations on the Catawba, conducted the study to determine the recreational potential of this two-mile stretch. Recommended instream flows, for both recreational and ecosystem benefits, are taken into consideration by FERC while determining license conditions for hydropower operations. Duke is negotiating with environmental and outdoor groups on how much water should be put back into the channel, and how often whitewater releases would occur.

Providing a continuous stretch of Class II-III whitewater, kayakers participating in the recreational flow study praised the stretch as having opportunities to do tricks on waves, as well as providing a chance to practice technical maneuvers while running the river. The kayakers tested both channels of the whitewater stretch at three different flows that were comparable to flow levels of the Catawba before construction of Duke's dams.

The results of the flow study are encouraging for whitewater enthusiasts in the region. River advocates continue to push for flows to restore aquatic habitats and create recreational opportunities as conditions of a new operating license. Settlement negotiations are scheduled for completion by August 2006.

Thirsty For More: Augusta Shoals Appeals Water Quality Certification

John Seebach — Mon, 05 Jul 2004 07:00:00 -0500

Project: High Shoals : P-3102 | Enterprise Mill : P-2935 | John P. King Mill : P-9988

The Coastal Conservation League and American Rivers appealed Georgia's water quality certification for the City of Augusta's operation on the Augusta Canal and Diversion Dam. Lack of terms and conditions for any stream flow to be maintained in the four-mile long Augusta Shoals, a stretch of river whose flow is diverted at the dam, served as the basis for January' s appeal.

The certification also did not include conditions to protect federally and state endangered species that occur in the shoals, nor did it require construction of a fish passage facility to allow migrating fish access to upstream waters.

Complicating matters, the dam is located in both South Carolina and Georgia since it spans the Savannah River, the border between the states. Because the Augusta dam and canal project's main point of discharge originates in Georgia, the water quality certification was initially deemed Georgia's responsibility.

As of May 7, 2004, FERC issued a notice requiring the project to obtain water quality certification from South Carolina due to a determination that a discharge originates in South Carolina. This issuance resulted in pressure from the Coastal Conservation League, Natural Heritage Institute, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health and Environmental Quality (the water quality regulatory agency for South Carolina) on FERC to coordinate interstate water quality certifications for projects of this nature. This bodes well for Augusta Shoals because South Carolina's water quality standards are noticeably more strict than Georgia's requirements.

A properly conditioned 401 certification is critical to the goals of enhancing riverine and coastal resource values of the Savannah River. The term of the new license is likely to be 40 years, making operating requirements of the license and effects on riverine and coastal resources important well into the future.

Contact Gerrit Jobsis (gerrit@scccl.org) of the Coastal Conservation League for more information on the Augusta Shoals project.

Environmental Groups Advocate for improved Saluda River Water Quality

John Seebach — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 06:00:00 -0600

Project: Saluda : P-516

On December 11, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) approved new standards for dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the Saluda River in South Carolina. These standards are supported by environmental groups - including the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League (SCCCL) - that are currently engaged in hydropower relicensing on the Saluda River. These standards await final approval from the DHEC Board, followed by a legislative process that will allow the South Carolina Legislature time to act on the proposed change. Other groups in favor of the standards include American Rivers and the Saluda Scenic River Advisory Council.

Currently, the only regulation of DO levels is a 5-day average. Should the DHEC Board approve the new standards, minimum DO levels will be established. There will be a minimum requirement of 4 milligrams/liter, a minimum daily requirement of 5 milligrams/liter, and a 5.5 milligrams/liter standard for a running 30-day average.

Gerrit Jobsis of SCCCL expressed concern that monitoring the river will be needed to ensure the standards are implemented. Environmental groups are optimistic, however, that these new standards will help contribute to minimizing conditions leading to fish kills and enhanced angling opportunities on the river.

Have a look at the article in the Sarasota Herald Tribune: http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031212/APN/312120569

For more information, email Gerrit Jobsis, Rivers Director at the League.

Victory in the Courts for Alabama's Tallapoosa River!

John Seebach — Tue, 04 Nov 2003 06:00:00 -0600

Project: Martin Dam : P-349

On April 11, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of American Rivers, Alabama Rivers Alliance, and Lake Watch Lake Martin on the question of what action triggers the need for a Clean Water Act section 401 water quality certification.

In November, a three-judge panel in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments on whether the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission can amend a hydropower license to allow a power company to modify dam operations without requiring a water quality permit from the state water quality agency.

Alabama Power Company applied to FERC for a turbine upgrade that would change the hydraulic capacity and generating capacity of the dam's facilities. The proposed amendment to its hydropower license included a change in the amount of water and duration of water level for the dam's daily flow cycle. However, Alabama Power did not request water quality certification under the Clean Water Act and FERC did not require one prior to taking action on the amendment.

The plaintiffs in this case, Alabama Rivers Alliance, American Rivers, and Lake Watch Lake Martin, argued that under the Clean Water Act, the state - not FERC - has authority to determine whether a license amendment has an impact on water quality and to impose conditions in a water quality certificate as a result.

What is the effect of this ruling? It will inevitably lead to greater protection of our rivers by ensuring that project changes are accompanied by measures that protect water quality.

South Carolina' s Saluda River Deserves Water Quality Enforcement

John Seebach — Fri, 31 Oct 2003 06:00:00 -0600

Project: Saluda : P-516

Located near Columbia, the Saluda River project in South Carolina includes the 48,000 acre Lake Murray and affects 10 miles of the Saluda River and 50 miles of the downstream Congaree River.

In April 2002, due to serious safety concerns, FERC directed Saluda project owner South Carolina Energy and Gas Company (SCE&G) to construct a new dam immediately downstream of the existing dam. In August 2002, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) issued a water quality certification for the dam rehabilitation project.

The water quality certification for the Saluda includes a site-specific dissolved oxygen standard requiring a daily average of 5 milligrams per liter of water (mg/l), and directs SCE&G to operate as close to the run-of-river mode as possible.

However, beginning in mid-June, the dissolved oxygen standard regularly has been violated with daily averages lower than 5 mg/1. Using U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge data, Coalition member South Carolina Coastal Conservation League documented 38 violations between June 19, 2003, and August 27, 2003. This violation is a direct result of operations that do not approximate run-of-river operations.

The League has filed complaints with FERC asking for enforcement of the conditions established under the certification, and further stating that if the Commission does not initiate a proceeding, these violations are remediable under law.

Virginia Dam Defines Dereliction in Licensing

John Seebach — Mon, 15 Sep 2003 07:00:00 -0500

Project: Harvell : P-8657 | Battersea : P-8535

After years of directly violating license articles, failing to submit plans or reports on time or at all, not installing fish passage, failing to provide a minimum flow, and generating power despite direct orders from FERC to cease operation, the Commission has threatened to revoke the License for the Harvell project on Virginia's Appomattox River.

In its 1987 license, FERC directed the owner of the Harvell project to construct, maintain, and monitor upstream and downstream fish passage. During the relicensing process agencies determined that fish passage at the Harvell project, the first dam on the Appomattox River, would benefit striped bass, American shad, hickory shad, blueback herring, and alewife.

By 1998, the licensee had constructed half of the upstream passage facilities. A FERC inspection in 2000 demonstrated that the existing upstream passage was not operating properly as a result of low attraction flows. After several letters from FERC, the licensee finally agreed to monitor the migration season of 2001 and provide a report to FERC by spring 2002. That deadline passed and it was not until March 2003 that the licensee finally filed what amounted to an inadequate report with FERC. Further visits by FERC in 2002 revealed that the entrainment barrier component of downstream passage had been improperly installed.

Additionally, in summer 2000, a license violation of a minimum flow-related license article resulted in the death of 500 to 1000 fish, as documented by a residential neighbor to the project. Compliance orders directing the licensee to cease operations had no effect: the licensee generated power and nearly $38,000 in summer 1996. A civil penalty levied against the licensee remains only partially paid.

The order, issued September 15, only proposes to revoke the license. The licensee may respond within 30 days or may request an evidentiary hearing, prolonging proceedings.

Great Flows for Great Falls, North Carolina!

John Seebach — Fri, 18 Apr 2003 07:00:00 -0500

Project: Catawba-Wateree : P-2232

In late 2002, Duke Power applied to FERC to amend its license for the Catawba-Wateree project requesting modification of the project boundary to exclude two bypass reaches – stretches of riverbed where the natural water flow is diverted to generate power. One of these bypassed reaches was once the Great Falls of the Catawba, a series of high rapids neighboring a town which took the name Great Falls in regard for the local scenery.

State and federal agencies and several conservation groups filed motions to intervene, protesting the assertion that a bypass reach is not a part of project works and could be excluded from the project boundary. The interveners also challenged that there was no good reason to amend a license only months before relicensing was set to begin.

FERC agreed, and on April 18th issued a decision dismissing Duke' s application to amend their Catawba-Wateree license to remove the Great Falls of the Catawba from the project boundary. In the meantime, high flows overtopped the diversion dam and sent glorious rushes of water into the Great Falls.