Raising money for the work of the Defend Lake Almanor Task Force
The Defend Lake Almanor Task Force represents the interests of Lake Almanor businesses and residents in the ongoing relicensing of Pacific Gas and Electric’s Upper North Fork Feather River Hydroelectric Project (the Project) before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
The conditions of a new license for the Project, which will be in effect for a period of 40 to 50 years, will have serious impacts on businesses and residents of Lake Almanor. Of greatest concern is that the California Water Resources Control Board (Board) is seeking to require increased cold water releases, beyond those under the provisions of the April 22, 2004, negotiated Settlement Agreement, as a condition of the new license purportedly to reduce downstream water temperatures for aquatic habitat and to reserve its authority to require the installation of thermal curtains during the new license term. The Defend Lake Almanor Task Force is working with its partner organizations to call for license conditions that will not require increased cold-water releases from Lake Almanor or installation of thermal curtains at the water intakes that would have devastating impacts to the pristine environment and local economy of the Lake Almanor basin. Damage to existing ecosystems of the Lake Almanor basin will be far greater than the unproven and unquantified gains in downstream aquatic habitat from increased cold-water releases. The Defend Lake Almanor Task Force and its partners are urging FERC not to consider, nor incorporate conditions advanced by the Board into the new license.
Specifically, the Defend Lake Almanor Task Force and its partners take the position that incorporation of increased cold-water releases and installation of thermal curtains would result in the following:
- Significant impacts on water quality and the thriving fishery in Lake Almanor, with indirect effects on birds, fish, and mammalian wildlife in existing ecosystem of the basin.
- Increased water temperatures resulting in algae blooms that are toxic to wildlife and humans, are unsightly, and will harm property values and the local economy. As a trophy fishing lake and ecotourism destination, we call for the cold water to remain in Lake Almanor to provide recreational opportunities that are critical for the economic health of the local community and Plumas County.
- Adverse impacts to the local recreation and tourism industry, which has already been devastated by recent wildfires in the area.
- Arbitrary mandates including the imposition of thermal curtains at the Board’s discretion.
- No improvement to freshwater habitat for fish downstream, based on the results of environmental studies conducted by PG&E during the relicensing (insert reference).
- Wasteful use of water that could otherwise be used to generate much-needed electricity and lower Californians’ energy costs.
- Benefit non-local whitewater rafters and rafting companies at the expense of an entire local community dependent on the lake for their economic well-being.
- Call for FERC to immediately issue a new license with conditions that are consistent with the provisions of the April 22, 2004, negotiated Settlement Agreement among the relicensing parties and not to include additional cold-water releases or thermal curtains.
- Call for Plumas County Board of Supervisors to release public statements and urge FERC not to require supplemental cold-water releases or thermal curtains in the new license.
- Call for Plumas County—through its role on the Ecological Resource Committee for the Rock Creek-Cresta Project No. 1962—to discontinue cold-water releases from Butt Valley Reservoir (which must be refilled from Lake Almanor) for whitewater recreation.
- Call for elected federal and state officials to urge FERC not to require increased cold-water releases or thermal curtains in the new license.
- Encourage the local community to participate in the FERC relicensing process and voice their concerns regarding the potential impact of the Board’s proposed conditions.
- Preserve its rights in the event FERC incorporates increased cold-water releases and/or thermal curtains into the new license, including appealing the new license order in federal court.
The Defend Lake Almanor Task Force strives to accomplish the following objectives:
- Call for FERC to immediately issue a new license with conditions that are consistent with the provisions of the April 22, 2004, negotiated Settlement Agreement among the relicensing parties and not to include additional cold-water releases or thermal curtains.
- Call for Plumas County Board of Supervisors to release public statements and urge FERC not to require supplemental cold-water releases or thermal curtains in the new license.
- Call for Plumas County—through its role on the Ecological Resource Committee for the Rock Creek-Cresta Project No. 1962—to discontinue cold-water releases from Butt Valley Reservoir (which must be refilled from Lake Almanor) for whitewater recreation.
- Call for elected federal and state officials to urge FERC not to require increased cold-water releases or thermal curtains in the new license.
- Encourage the local community to participate in the FERC relicensing process and voice their concerns regarding the potential impact of the Board’s proposed conditions.
- Preserve its rights in the event FERC incorporates increased cold-water releases and/or thermal curtains into the new license, including appealing the new license order in federal court.