Plans To Remove Klamath River Dams Moves Forward

Plans to remove four Pacific Corps hydro-electric dams in the lower Klamath River made a big step Friday.  Pacific Powers’ Tom Gauntt said the environmental impact statement released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission provides guidance for the future.

“It specifies what the various parties need to do; what they call the mitigation measures. Before, we just kind of had the idea and the knowledge of the various things that had to be done. But this really makes it a roadmap, and you build detailed plans off that.”

While that is an important step that needed to take place, Gauntt said there’s still a lot of work to be done by the states of Oregon and California, local tribes as well as the Klamath River Renewal Corporation which is in charge of restoring the free-flowing river, and PacifiCorp, which owns the four hydro-power dams.

“These facilities will continue to be producing power for some time, and so obviously that’s our concern and that’s our responsibility is to keep that power operating as long as is feasible under the plans that exist.”

Gauntt added this has been a more than two-decade process working with all parties involved.  PacifiCorp and the Oregon DEQ expect final approval from FERC this fall.

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