tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361990989642100421.post9070900799290508267..comments2024-03-12T10:09:34.656-07:00Comments on KlamBlog: Daniel Meyers on Glen Spain's post: "This is so much spin!"Felice Pacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15745833097325147423noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4361990989642100421.post-6259193156227388462010-03-13T16:16:59.818-08:002010-03-13T16:16:59.818-08:00Dear KlamBlog –
This is in response to Daniel Mey...Dear KlamBlog –<br /><br />This is in response to Daniel Meyers comments to a much earlier posting by myself responding to a KlamaBlog posting dated 10/1/09:<br /><br />Daniel apparently believes the KHSA is a bad deal, and that the dams could be taken down in one year, which he wants to see in 2012. Here is why his analysis is incorrect:<br /><br />(1) Dam removal involves FAR more than just taking a wrecking ball to a structure and carting away the debris. This is also the largest and most complex dam removal project in history. It will take some time to figure out how to do it right, and to minimize the environmental impacts on lower river fish and communities. DO IT WRONG AND YOU COULD RUIN THE KLAMATH RIVER FOR SALMON FOR GENERATIONS, NOT TO MENTION FLOOD MANY LOWER RIVER HOMES AND CAUSE MASSIVE EROSION.<br /><br />There are still numerous engineering studies to complete, sediment studies to complete, various mitigation measures to plan and provide funds for, and a host of environmental laws (which presumably Daniel and other Sierra Club folks support complying with), including NEPA, CEQA, ESA, Clean Water Act and various Army Corps of Engineers permits all required, plus many state and local laws, most of which require these engineering and mitigation studies. Nearly all of the “contingencies” and “preconditions” people complain of in this project are, in fact, permits required under various environmental laws.<br /><br />IN ORDER TO GET THE DAMS OUT EARLIER THAN 2020, WHICH OF THESE MANY MAJOR FEDERAL AND STATE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS WOULD DANIEL PROPOSE WAIVING? That is about the only thing you could do to expedite the process.<br /><br />And there will certainly be litigation in the interim. All of this must be dealt with as part of the process, and all takes time and money.<br /><br />Experience with the implementation of the dam removal agreement for another PacifiCorp dam, the Condit Dam in Washington, has shown that a ten year time frame is required to accomplish all of this, even a trifle optimistic. Fortunately, in this case, dam removal planning started five years ago as part of studies submitted for the FERC process. It is aggresively ongoing and currently on schedule for a 2020 removal target date.<br /><br />Once all this is done, and it is LEGAL to remove the dams, then is when the wrecking balls and dump truck do their work. That is what is scheduled to happen throughout 2020. That, under the KHSA, is when the true dam removal process ENDS, not when it begins.<br /><br />(2) Aside from that, the $200 million PacifiCorp is putting toward dam removal is an operating expense that it would normally charge to its customers. As I noted, this is normal operating procedure. However, in order to keep the “rate shock” to 2% (about $1.50 extra per month per customer), PacifiCorp has to collect it gradually over ten years. This is another independent reason why a 10 year time frame makes sense, especially since all these other permitting processes and engineering studies must go on anyway. <br /><br />The only way the dams could come out earlier is if someone else – NOT PACIFICORP – pays for their removal. And even then, it would still take about 10 years to accomplish all the environmental permitting and required studies. <br /><br />IN SHORT, THERE IS NO PRACTICAL OR LEGAL WAY TO TAKE THESE FOUR DAMS OUT SHORT OF 2020. Anything else, including so-called alternative “Klamath River Facilities Removal Act” being proposed by the “Klamath Conservation Partners” for a 2015 removal date, simply will not work and is so much wishful thinking. Daniel and others are welcome to contact me at my email fish1ifr@aol.com to discuss this further. I am also copying this to him as a courtesy.<br /><br />All the final signed Klamath Settlement documents are now available at: www.edsheets.com. <br /><br />--- Glen Spain, for PCFFAGlen Spainnoreply@blogger.com