Feds Undermine Clean Water Act Protections: American River Project Center Stage of National Precedent
Submitted by Colleen McNally... on Tue, 2019-11-12 10:59The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) recently ruled that California does not need to provide water quality certification for the Middle Fork American Hydroelectric Project (Middle Fork Project) in Placer and El Dorado counties, operated by Placer County Water Agency (PCWA). This order effectively waives California’s authority to ensure water quality and environmental protections for hydropower operations. Conservationists decried the loss of protection for local rivers and claim the precedent will limit the authority of states to implement and enforce the Clean Water Act nati