CSPA and the Foothills Water Network coalition filed 100 pages of comments on the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the FERC relicensing of the Yuba-Bear and Drum-Spaulding hydroelectric projects. The comments, filed August 22, 2013, culminate 5 years of work in seeking flow and other improvements in upper Yuba, Bear River, and West Placer watersheds.
The conservation coalition has reached agreement with licensees PG&E and Nevada Irrigation District on a multitude of measures. However, water temperature management on the Middle Yuba and South Yuba rivers, and flows on Auburn Ravine, remain unresolved. Also unresolved is the role of FERC in analyzing reintroduction of anadromous fish in the upper Yuba watershed.
CSPA’s Chris Shutes was the lead author of the coalition’s comments on the DEIS. Chris also presented oral comments on the DEIS on August 14.