Trump Administration Enters Fight Over Potter Valley Project, Eel River Water
Cape Horn Dam in Potter Valley [Photo by Sarah Reith]
Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins filed a notice to intervene in the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project proceedings currently being considered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This action will allow USDA to ensure that the interests of the National Forest Service, local farmers, ranchers, agricultural producers, communities, and other stakeholders are represented.
“If this plan goes through as proposed, it will devastate hundreds of family farms and wipe out more than a century of agricultural tradition in Potter Valley,” said Secretary Rollins. “Water is the lifeblood of farming. Without it, crops fail, businesses close, and rural communities crumble. For generations, farmers here have put this water to good, productive use. But under California’s radical leadership, the needs of hardworking families are being ignored while the needs of fish are treated as more important. That’s simply wrong. This plan would put countless USDA investments at risk and leave families even more vulnerable to drought and wildfire. This is why I’m intervening in the FERC proceedings and urging them to reject the pending application.”
Secretary Rollins also filed comments urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to reject Pacific Gas and Electric’s (PG&E) current application to surrender its FERC license for Potter Valley Project Hydroelectric Project. Secretary Rollins’ comments urge FERC to reject PG&E’s application unless significant deficiencies are addressed. Her notice of intervention guarantees USDA’s ability to actively participate in the proceedings, protect its programs, and advocate for the farmers and communities who depend on the project’s reliable water flows. You may read the full comments (PDF, 610 KB).
Background:
The Department has serious concerns with Pacific Gas and Electric’s (PG&E) current application to surrender its FERC license for Potter Valley Project Hydroelectric Project because of the profoundly negative and irreversible impact on local farmers, ranchers, agricultural producers, communities, and USDA equities. USDA maintains a large number of programs across different mission areas that will be negatively impacted; namely, the National Forest System (NFS), the Risk Management Agency, the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Rural Development, and the Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS).
For perspective, according to the last census of agriculture the counties of Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Humboldt, and Marin have a combined total of over $1.4 billion in sales of agricultural products. That’s well over $4.2 billion in extra economic activity due to agriculture if you assume a standard multiplier of $3 to $1 which is standard in the nearby Central Valley.
Recently the Secretary received a letter (PDF, 1.9 MB) from over 920 residents with grave concerns about the proposed surrender and decommissioning plan for the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project.
The Secretary also penned an op-ed, highlighting concerns.
Earlier:
- An Expired License, a Mysterious Applicant, and a Threat to Sue: What Else Can We Expect as the Fight to Control the Waters of the Eel River Continues?
- ‘Everyone knew it was coming’: Eel River Waters Continue to Be Diverted as PG&E Granted Annual License for the Potter Valley Project
- Fish Fight: Two New Developments in the Ongoing Damming of the Eel Via the Potter Valley Hydropower Project
- Two New Decisions on the Potter Valley Diversion from the Eel River
- PG&E Signals That It Will Speed Up Removing Dam Which Helps Divert Water From the Eel River to the Russian River
- PG&E Plans to Remove Both Potter Valley Project Dams—Mendo, Humboldt, Lake and Sonoma Fight
- PG&E Proposes Reducing Russian River Flow and Transferring Potter Valley Project to Subsidiary
- New Proposal Over Eel River Water Diversion Plan Leaves Some Stakeholders Out
- Final Draft Surrender Application and Decommissioning Plan for the Potter Valley Project Available for Viewing
- Humboldt Approves Agreement as End of Potter Valley Project Nears
- Dam, a Deal! Humboldt Approves Historic Potter Valley Project Pact
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are there even a hundred farms in Potter Valley? it looks more like 50 with a rough count and most of their farm ponds are tied to the creek drainages from the surrounding hills and not the Russia River or the Eel diversion. typical BS from the most inept admin in history.
Yes its a small place.
Inept? Boy you certainly have your wires crossed or you’re talking about the last administration. This administration is unwinding all the damage that was done by the previous administration. To put even 50 farmers out of business and ruin their property values is despicable. Hopefully the new administration puts a hard stop to anymore damage Democrats can do to any part of this country.
How many families of fishermen do you think are out of business because of the way these waters have been handled?
Your preference for robbing generations to come for the sake of profit today is absolutely disgusting.
From a conservative perspective it doesn’t matter. It’s simply about economics over environment, every single fucking time.
Fish needs Trump interbasin water diversion.
Yeah you wouldn’t want to see the millionaire wine g rowers go without
This is why critics are concerned about federal intervention to keep the project operating while also cutting or freezing infrastructure and environmental funding.
The king has spoken, crack me up. I see fuel here in California is dropping , haven’t seen that in awhile. No green policy equals cheap fuel.
Yep. $2.99 per gallon at one station near here and $3.45 at another.
In CA ? I highly doubt it, but go ahead Miss Katy where is near here ?
Just got gas in redding ca $3.19
Here you go, Skitty! OLDsters really should get out of their self imposed exile behind the second growth curtain! 🤡
Katy you are from Effn Texas please post your BS on a texas website. $4,36 reg unleaded @ bear river. Like right now 11pm fri dec 19. If anyone knows if indianola is cheaper I maybe could plan a trip to the cash n carry!
$3.19 in redding ca
Ain’t from Texas, but been there, and God DID bless Texas. You get 100 miles north, south or east of the second growth curtain, and you can afford to go even farther. Where the smoke is just as good, if not better, than old Humboldt ragweed. We got world class bass fishing, affordable housing and a positive business environment in the area near the gas station in the image below and the image slapped on Skitty, above.
Can I get an effin apology?
gas is $2.17 in Texas as of last week.
Yep 3.19 in redding this evening.
$2.99 at Big Valley in Lakeport yesterday…
Typical, wave the left hand and pick your pocket with the right…
See’s Candy, $33/lb? Thanks Warren Buffett…
Kill the tariffs, Trump you asshole, you are not from CA…
How unlike the Trump administration to butt in on something without actually understanding what it is they’re butting in on.
He only knows about it because some crony whispered in is ear. Without actually understanding what he even is interfering with.
Same with Rollins…who complained to them? With enough money for them to pay attention to it.
Did you read the article that states who complained to Rollins? 920 residents who’s way of life and livelihoods will be impacted if the dams come down. There’s a link to the letter they wrote in the article. Would you like me to provide the link in another post?
I’d like to see the dams removed and not replaced.
Environmental extremists rub thier hands in maniacal glee as they destroy critical infrastructure.
#savelakepillsbury
Fiscal pragmatists rub their hands in glee as outdated money pits are slated to be torn down.
Environmentalists are pretty happy about the reopening of hundreds of miles of salmon habitat.
Tribes are excited about the restoration of thousands of acres and the return of traditional food sources.
And local communities are excited at the prospects of hundreds of millions of dollars in economic output from the dams’ removal.
Poor Trump– once again on the wrong side of… well, pretty much everything.
Pragmatists, environmentalists, tribes and communities outside of Lake Pillsbury and Potter Valley had best curb their enthusiasm. I think someone told the President that Newsom’s vineyards will benefit if the dams come down. Wrong watershed, I know that and you know that… but Mr. Trump doesn’t need to know that!
Being on the wrong side of some things isn’t that big of a deal when one can force others to accept one’s side… in one way or another.
It’s tragically amazing. Republicans gave us our greatest president, Lincoln, to save us and end slavery, and now the absolute worst possible reprobate to destroy American Democracy, Donald Trump, just in time for our 250th birthday. Wow. Proud, so proud. Nice try, America. Participation trophy. Flash in the pan. DREAMERS, LMAO! (Actually weeping)
The “needs” of those fish are directly connected to human beings. Whone somewhere else.
Thank GOD for the intervention of the TRUMP administration. When those dams were built 100 years ago, maybe it was indeed a mistake. But you CANNOT put the genie back in the bottle now. 600,000 people and countless industries have ARRIVED in those 100 years and now DEPEND on that reliable source of water Its COMMON SENSE. Removing the dams would be like removing Highway 101 “for environmental reasons”. Jarod Huffman should pay the penalty at the polls for his foolish support of this stupid and asinine venture.
Except that 600,000 people don’t rely upon those dams.
Other water supplies- especially if supplemented with the proposed diversion, will provide ample water for the people of Sonoma and Southern Mendocino.
And the successes of the removal of the Klamath River dams do show that damage can be reversed.
Your common sense (no need to shout) really doesn’t make much sense at all.