CSPA is engaged on as many hydroelectric projects in California as any other non-governmental organization. On the Merced and the McCloud, the Tuolumne and Butte Creek, the Mokelumne and the American, the Yuba and the Feather, CSPA is active in relicensings, license implementation, and special proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
We have gained considerable expertise through this extensive and diverse experience. We have become strategists not only of improving fisheries affected by each project, but also of the process.
The FERC licensing process needs to be improved. In February, 2010, the Hydropower Reform Coalition, including CSPA, wrote a letter to senior managers at FERC seeking policy guidance on FERC’s study decisions and its application of the National Environmental Policy Act. In response, FERC initiated a formal review of its seven-year-old Integrated Licensing Process.
CSPA used the opportunity to make numerous recommendations to FERC during this review, in two conference calls and then during a September meeting in Sacramento. Based on these contributions, CSPA’s Chris Shutes was invited to be a member of a twelve-person panel at a technical conference at FERC headquarters in Washington D.C. This November conference was the culmination of FERC’s review of its Integrated Licensing Process.
The transcript from the November conference was published by FERC. In addition, the Hydropower Reform Coalition filed extensive comments with FERC on December 3, synthesizing our recommendations elaborated through the course of the review, and also stating in general terms comments made in several California relicensings. Transcript. Comments.