LaMalfa
Congressmen LaMalfa and Bentz Oppose the Decommission of the Lower Klamath Hydroelectric Project
For Immediate Release – November 18, 2022 Contact: Alexandra Lavy 202-680-0174
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congressmen Doug LaMalfa (R – Calif.) and Cliff Bentz (R – Ore.) released the following statement in response to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Order on the conditional approval of the license transfer from PacifiCorp and surrender of the four Lower Klamath Hydroelectric Project dams. The Order outlines the specific conditions for surrender of the license and decommissioning of the Project.
“We are outraged by FERC’s decision to allow surrender of the PacifiCorp Klamath hydroelectric license to a shell corporation, thus allowing PacifiCorp to avoid responsibility for the consequences of removing its Klamath River dams. Such consequences include reducing power generation, eliminating recreational assets, decimating the local community’s economy, destroying firefighting resources, and damaging the Klamath river’s ecosystems. The politicization of this process is apparent in Oregon and California’s stampede to issue the Clean Water Act Section 401 certifications required to remove the dams. The release of massive amounts of accumulated silt from behind the dams will be devastating to water quality, will cover spawning beds, and will choke fish. Obviously, when politically expedient, the governors of California and Oregon will turn a blind eye to dramatic and substantial environmental damages.
Many of the residents of the Klamath Basin have been outspoken in their opposition to dam removal. Siskiyou county has overwhelmingly voted against decommissioning, and Congress has refused to fund dam removal. Instead of respecting the voice of the people, unelected bureaucrats are providing a blank check, payable by tax and rate payers of Oregon and California, to cover the unknown costs associated with dam removal. No plan exists to ensure that proper river flows will be available following dam removal. FERC’s decision, and Oregon and California’s complicity in steamrolling the environmental protections under by the Clean Water Act, will not adequately protect to the health and prosperity of the community or the environment.
We are exploring legislative options to properly address this politicized and environmentally destructive decision. Additionally, in the upcoming 118th Congress, we Republicans will use our majority to aggressively conduct oversight of this flawed decision-making process,” wrote the lawmakers.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
Congressmen Bentz and LaMalfa Letter to FERC
June 16, 2022
Re: Proposed Hydropower License Surrender and Decommissioning of the Lower Klamath Project No. 14803-001 and Klamath Hydroelectric Project No. 2082-063
Dear Governor Brown, Governor Newsom, Secretary Haaland, Chainnan Glick, Mr. Branson, and Mr. Bird,
As representatives of the Congressional Districts that include the Upper Klamath Basin, we have serious concerns regarding the proposed surrender of license and decommissioning related to four renewable energy resources on the Klamath River, all of which lie in our districts. Although we have individually communicated on our opinions about dam removal as a policy, we believe it is critical that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Congress, states, and our constituents, be informed of known and unknown costs and liabilities concerning the currently proposed dam removal project. By all appearances, these issues are being sidestepped or swept under the rug by policy directives that dam removal, for its own sake, is the only thing that matters in the Klamath Basin.
California Sees Water Cuts - Congressman Doug Lamalfa
June 7, 2022
Last week, the California State Water Resources Control Board voted to adopt emergency drought regulations while acting on orders from Governor Newsom. These regulations ban watering non-residential decorative landscapes and require water suppliers to activate their local drought plans and prepare for shortages of up to 20%. These measures will vary for each area across our state. While discussing solutions to our state’s water shortage, it is important to consider that only 10% of our state’s total water goes to household ‘urban use’, such as dishes, laundry, bathing, or what landscape watering people still have left after previous restrictions. Cutting 20% of this type of water use will only save us about 2% of the total water resource in the state.
Meanwhile, the area that has yet to see any kind of meaningful reduction in usage is the one that has the largest allocation and uses 50% of our state’s total water: the environment. Fresh water is one of our most precious natural resources. It is essential to our lives, and that’s why we shouldn’t be flushing it out into the ocean. This limited resource would be far better served running through a hydroelectric power plant to produce affordable renewable energy and then used to grow food that is essential for human needs. Instead of utilizing our limited resources for good it’s being wasted and sent out to sea.
Traditionally, agriculture uses about 40% of our state’s water supply, although it is usually cut to less. This water goes far beyond the farm. Water allocated to agriculture travels throughout our state while providing wetland habitat and recreation use. The irrigated water is used to grow crops to feed and sustain our nation. Farmers employ workers to help them plant and harvest, and most operations work with financial institutions through their local bankers and lenders. The engineers, mechanics, and manufactures who build and maintain their equipment relies on their business. Truckers move the product across the country, filling up grocery store shelves, and are then purchased by consumers. This cycle is the foundation of our entire economy. A nation with food security thrives and allows other industries to grow and prosper. Without a steady food supply, we would be endlessly dependent on and indebted to other nations. Our technology, manufacturing, defense, financial, and trade industries would not look like they do now.