Native Tribes Defeat Hydroelectric Power In Pacific North-West

California gets a lot of its Electricity from Dams in Oregon. It Powers, 70,000 Homes. That Energy will End in 2023.

The Four Hydroelectric Dams sitting on the Klamath River Falls, are to be Demolition after Decades of Allegations by Native Tribes, that it Threatens Salmon Runs.

On June 17th, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Granted an Approval to Remove the Dams.

A New Deal, will see Oregon and California Partner with the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, a Nonprofit, to Pay the hefty Price for Demolishing the Structures.

The Dams’ Removal is estimated to cost $493 Million, according to a 2013 Study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. That Number Exceeded the previous $450 Million Limit California and Oregon, agreed to earlier this year.

The Dams Block roughly 420 Miles of potential Salmon Habitats, Federal Researchers wrote, and have some Effect on Fostering Local Algal Toxins Hazardous to Resident Fish.

That Study included a Survey of the 12-County Klamath Area which found that:

- 38.5% of Respondents said they got their ElectricPpower from the Dams.

- 57.9% of Respondents said they used the Klamath River for Boating or Rafting.

- 48.8% said they Swam there.

- About 10.5% said they Conducted Religious Ceremonies there.

Respondents overwhelming agreed that that the River was Important for:

- Electric Power (48%)

- Recreation (73%)

- Fish Habitats (92%)

- Irrigation (92%)

- Provide Native Tribes with Traditional Fishing areas (59%)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Investigators wrote in the Study, that they could Not determine what Effect the Dams’ Removal would have on Native Fish Populations due to Changing Weather and Ocean Conditions.

The Dams are Operated by the Berkshire Hathaway-owned Utility Company, PacifiCorp, which will Split the Demolition Costs Three ways with, California and Oregon.

PacifiCorp will Relinquish the License to Run the Dams to the Two States, and Klamath Renewal, until the Dams are put Out-of-Commission.

PacifiCorp plans to Replace the Hydropower by Increasing Electricity Produced elsewhere. Two-Thirds of PacifiCorp's Generation is Powered by Fossil Fuels, mostly Coal.

The News comes as Dams All over the Pacific Northwest face Scrutiny from Federal Regulators and Environmental Groups regarding their Economic Efficiency and Environmental Impact.










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