In a development that could herald the largest dam removal in modern history, 29 parties signed a draft agreement today to destroy four dams on the Klamath River to restore salmon and steelhead runs that have been partially blocked for the better part of the past century on the California-Oregon border.The absolute BEST part of the story is that the rate payers not only have to pay to tear down dams that will no longer be providing them with electricity, but as an added bonus, will have to cut back or rely on more expensive "renewable power" supplies, instead.
The agreement is the product of years of often bitter negotiations among electric utilities, government officials, fishers, farmers, native tribes and environmental groups. It calls for the breaching and removal of four Klamath River hydroelectric plants owned and operated by PacifiCorp....
Translation: PacifiCorp executives appear ready to remove the dams rather than pursue expensive fish-saving modifications that would have cost the utility more than $300 million. A study by the California Energy Commission determined that dam removal would cost about $100 million less than the modifications...
Under the agreement, PacifiCorp's ratepayers in Oregon would foot much of the bill, contributing up to $200 million for dam removal and river restoration. The agreement calls for proceedings at the Oregon and California public utilities commissions to raise money for removal through customer surcharges.
Oregon ratepayers would be responsible for up to $184 million of the project's cost. California ratepayers would be on the hook for far less, at no more than $16 million of the total cost...
Steve Rothert, California director for American Rivers, said today's signing means "the finish line is in sight." The group insists that PacifiCorp will be able to replace the lost power, which serves about 70,000 customers, with efficiency and renewable power.
I hope they at least get a free fishing license.
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