Government Affairs
Current Issue
Restoration of the Klamath River Salmon Populations—Decommission and remove the four most seaward dams on the Klamath River
How You Can Help
Please send a letter to Berkshire-Hathaway, owner of PacificCorp, as well as your Members of Congress asking them to support an equitable settlement that removes the four dams and restores the salmon fishery.
The Issue
For the first time in fifty years, this nation has the opportunity to restore the Klamath River salmon populations. By decommissioning and removing the four most seaward dams on the Klamath River, it will be possible to restore the salmon populations which are now in a state of collapse. PacifiCorp, which owns the four dams, must renew its 50-year Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licenses for Iron Gate, Copco 1 and 2, and J.C. Boyle dams. This presents an opportunity for our state and federal governments to reach a settlement that will restore many miles of this river system while at the same time protecting PacifiCorp and its ratepayers.
For more information, please read the Restoration of the Klamath River Salmon Populations briefing paper.
Our Goal
To have the dams removed so that the river can once again support healthy and sustainable salmon populations.
Our Position
The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) supports the efforts of the California and Oregon state governments, the federal government and other affected parties to reach an equitable settlement that will both restore the river and protect the interests of PacifiCorp and its ratepayers.
Although agricultural interests withdraw water further upstream of these dams, these four dams are not used for agricultural withdrawals.
ASA is actively participating in this effort, in coordination with other agencies and organizations. ASA garnered support from 11 other national conservation and sportfishing groups and sent letters to the editors of major newspapers as well as to outdoor journalists and sportfishing trade publications. These same organizations signed a letter to Warren Buffett, CEO, whose firm Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. owns the controlling interest in MidAmerican, PacifiCorp's parent corporation, asking for his support in decommissioning and removing the dams. Representatives from these organizations also met with Mr. William J. Fehrman, President of PacifiCorp Energy, to discuss removal of the dams. As of December 2007, PacifiCorp had not made its final decision.
ASA will continue to work with national and local groups to take advantage of this historic opportunity.
Background
The Klamath River extends from Upper Klamath Lake in Oregon to the Pacific Ocean in California. It is the third largest river in the western United States and was once the third most productive river for Pacific salmon.
PacifiCorp, an electric company, owns the four most seaward Klamath River dams. The 50-year Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licenses for these dams—ron Gate, Copco 1 and 2, and J.C. Boyle—have expired and PacifiCorp has applied for renewal of all four. During this application process, California, Oregon and the federal government have worked with PacifiCorp and other settlement partners to try to come to an agreement that would allow for the decommissioning and eventual removal of the dams while fairly accommodating the needs of PacifiCorp and its rate payers. Decommissioning and removal is the best option for the future of this river system and its fisheries.
The dams completely block access to over three hundred miles of salmon spawning grounds in the Klamath River. As a result, the Klamath Coho salmon is listed as threatened and the Chinook salmon is subject to very severe harvest restrictions. These restrictions have had severe economic and social repercussions along the coastal areas and for the tribes that have treaty rights to a portion of the fishery. In 2006, the commercial salmon harvest in California and Oregon was so severely restricted that the resulting economic hardship prompted U. S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gutierrez to declare a Commercial Fishery Failure. Unless measures are taken to allow more fish spawning access, the remaining salmon populations will continue to struggle to survive.
The most recent development came in November 2007 when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) showing that the removal of the lower four Klamath River dams would save ratepayers $7 million dollars a year. Despite this finding, FERC still recommended keeping PacifiCorp's four hydroelectric dams. The final EIS from FERC chose trapping and hauling fish around the dams rather than building fish ladders and reducing power production to help salmon. FERC’s statement described the decision as the best economic choice while allowing for evaluation of restoring fish to the upper Klamath Basin. This decision ignores calls from fisheries agencies to build fish ladders. However, the recommendation is not legally feasible, since NOAA Fisheries requires that fish passage provisions be included in dam licenses.
Agriculture and Hydropower Take Their Toll
Agriculture and hydropower play key roles in the current decline of the river and the salmon habitat.
Beginning in the early 1900s, agriculture expanded in the Klamath Basin, with support from the Bureau of Reclamation, diverting more and more water for irrigation. In 1917, Copco, the predecessor to PacifiCorp, sought to build hydropower dams in the Klamath. The upstream agricultural interests claimed the rights to the water, and approval of the dams was based on the provision of discounted power to the farmers.
The four hydropower dams were built between 1917 and 1962. In addition to providing discounted power to agricultural interests, they generate additional power for sale. The income generated by the dams is only one percent of PacifiCorp's power generation and an even smaller part of its parent corporation, MidAmerican Electric Holding Company.
Since 1956, when the dam licenses were last renewed, laws have been passed to protect our natural resources. Environmental protection is now a central tenet of American public policy. In order to meet the requirements of the law, extensive mitigation measures at the dams will be required as a condition of license renewal. Accomplishing modifications of these dams will require a substantial commitment of resources, and yet will not restore the free run of the river that would provide the greatest benefit to the resource.
