SAVE THE DATES
State Clean Water Hearings on Klamath Dams
October 20, 21, 29 and November 3

Dear Friends,

Below I've pasted the dates for upcoming hearings on PacifiCorp's clean water permit application to the California Water Resources Control Board. Yesterday the Board released its Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report on the Klamath Hydroelectric Project.

I can't emphasize enough how important these hearings are. In order for PacifiCorp to receive a new license for four mainstem, fish-killing Klamath dams, the company, under the federal Clean Water Act, must receive "section 401" clean water certificates from the states of California and Oregon.

As many of your know, the reservoirs behind the dams are prime breeding grounds for a highly toxic form of blue-green algae that produces the potent liver toxin microcystin at levels that reach 4,000 times higher than what the World Health Organizations considers a "moderate" risk to human health. I've attached a couple of photos I took of Iron Gate Reservoir two weeks ago. (With all due respect, the guys in the boat must be nuts.) These are not isolated regions of the lake; the entire reservoir looks like this.

It's difficult to imagine water this bad being certified by the state. We have to make sure it is not.

(Media: Photos are available in high res. Please contact me for use.)

If PacifiCorp is unable to secure the clean water permit then its dams will stand in violation of state law. What then? According to the EIR notice, if the state chooses this "no project" alternative it would basically mandate "the removal of Iron Gate, Copco No. 1 and Copco No. 2" dams. J.C. Boyle dam, which is in Oregon, may only be regulated by California with regard to its impacts on water that flows into California.

Interestingly, the state Water Resources Control Board will not evaluate the dam relicensing proposals recommended by both PacifiCorp and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission because the Board considers these proposals "not legally feasible."

The Water Board has not yet posted the EIR notice on its web site. If you would like a pdf of the notice email me back and I'll send it.

Please attend a hearing. If you can't, you may send written comments c/o Jennifer Watts at:

jwatts [at] waterboards.ca.gov

or

State Water Resources Control Board
P.O. Box 2000
Sacramento, CA 95812-2000

Please send the NEC a copy as well. If you like, you may send your comments to us and we will forward them to the state.

Also, please forward this message to friends and colleagues.


Date, Time and Locations of Klamath 401 hearings:

October 20, 2008
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Eureka Public Six Rivers National Forest
1330 Bayshore Way
Eureka, CA
(707) 442-1721

October 20, 2008
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Klamath Public Yurok Tribe Headquarters
190 Klamath Blvd.
Klamath, CA 95548

October 21, 2008
noon – 2 p.m. Orleans Public Karuk Community Center 39051 State Hwy. 96
Orleans, CA 95556
(530) 627-3446

October 21, 2008
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Yreka Public Union High School
Student Union
431 Knapp Street
Yreka, CA
(530) 842-2521

October 29, 2008
3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Sacramento Public California EPA Bldg.
Byron Sher Auditorium
1001 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

November 3, 2008
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Sacramento Agency California EPA Bldg.
Sierra Hearing Room
1001 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

--
Greg King
Executive Director
Northcoast Environmental Center
1465 G Street
Arcata, CA 95521
(707) 822-6918
greg [at] yournec.org
http://www.yournec.org