It’s official: FERC approves removal of Klamath dams

November 17, 2022

It’s been 20 years in the making, but the last hurdle in the path of dam removal in the Klamath River has been cleared.

“The Klamath salmon are coming home,” Yurok Chairman Joseph James said in a statement. “The people have earned this victory and with it, we carry on our sacred duty to the fish that have sustained our people since the beginning of time.”

On Thursday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the license surrender order for the Lower Klamath River Hydroelectric Project, which includes the J.C. Boyle, Copco No. 1, Copco No. 2 and Iron Gate dams on the Klamath River. That means dam removal can start once PacifiCorp transfers the license to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, a nonprofit established to oversee dam removal and river restoration, and the states of Oregon and California.

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“Poor conditions on the Klamath River have caused substantial harm to tribal communities, commercial and sport fishermen, and the economies of California and Oregon,” Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) said in a statement. “We know other dam removal projects in the West have seen dramatic beneficial responses for fisheries and wildlife, and the Klamath River has tremendous potential to recover and rebuild as this work is done.”

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By:  Sonia Waraich
Source: Eureka Times-Standard