Take Action: Comment on Proposed Bear River Dam (ID)
Posted: 12/12/2014
By: Megan Hooker
The Twin Lakes Canal Company (TLCC) is pushing forward in its 10-year effort to build a new dam
on the Oneida Narrows reach of Idaho's Bear River. The reach is one of the last
freely-flowing reaches of the Bear River, providing outstanding recreation, ecological and fish
and wildlife values–including habitat for the Bonneville Cutthroat Trout and a fun Class II
river run. The river's values have been noted by the Northwest Power and Conservation
Council, which has designated the reach as an area
protected from future hydropower development.
FERC is currently considering TLCC's application for a new hydropower license, and is
receiving public comment until Tuesday, December 16th. You can weigh in with your
opinion about the proposed dam (project number P-12486) by submitting comments to the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC). Earlier this week, American Whitewater joined with Idaho Rivers United in intervening in and protesting TLCC's
hydropower application.
The project makes little sense. Here's why...
- If built, the proposed project would inundate valuable ecological habitat and recreation opportunities under a 4.5-mile long reservoir, and have significant impacts downstream. The area is the site of significant restoration efforts that American Whitewater was party to in 2002.
- The Northwest Power and Conservation Council recently submitted a letter to FERC and TLCC stating that the river reach is protected from hydropower under the Council's Fish and Wildlife Program. The proposed project is clearly inconsistent with the Council's plan for the Bear River.
- In 2012, the Idaho Department of Water Resources denied TLCC's application for a water right for the project.
- A study by Rocky Mountain Econometrics showed that the project doesn't pan out economically (see Attachment 4 of AW and IRU's MOI for a copy).
TAKE ACTION!
The FERC docket is filling with comments from the public, and you can join with others in voicing
your opinion about the proposed project. The deadline for comments is Tuesday, December
16th.
Share your thoughts via FERC's
eComment portal for project number P-12486. Curious about eCommenting, generally? Click
here.
Stay tuned for updates on the process...