FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 11, 2020
CONTACT:
Audubon Mississippi – Jill Mastrototaro, (504) 481-3659, jill.mastrototaro@audubon.org
American Rivers – Olivia Dorothy, (217) 390-3658, odorothy@americanrivers.org
Healthy Gulf – Andrew Whitehurst, (601) 954-7236, andrew@healthygulf.org
Mississippi Sierra Club – Louie Miller, (601) 624-3503, louie.miller@sierraclub.org
JACKSON, Miss. – Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) hastily released a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for a massive drainage project in Mississippi’s South Delta commonly known as the Yazoo Pumps.¹
This announcement follows mere days after the close of the public comment period on the draft study, which was heavily criticized due to its many flaws. An antiquated project authorized by Congress in 1941, the Yazoo Pumps are so environmentally destructive that the George W. Bush’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stopped it by issuing a Clean Water Act veto – only one of 13 vetoes ever issued. Last week, however, the EPA Region 4 Office abruptly reversed course and exempted the recent proposal from the veto without any independent environmental analysis or public process.
Statement by Aforementioned Conservation Groups:
“Today’s announcement is further evidence of the Corps’ reckless effort to approve this unlawful project at all costs and without taking the time to address the fatal flaws in its proposal. The Corps’ headlong rush forward demonstrates a blatant, calculated attempt to steamroll the rule of law, ignore science, and disregard public comments and concerns.
Releasing this final study only days after more than 55,000 citizens, scientists, and public interest groups registered their widespread opposition to the incomplete and legally flawed draft proposal demonstrates an appalling breach of trust by a federal agency to expedite a sham process driven by politics rather than due public process and respect for bedrock environmental laws.
This rushed process is a disservice to the public and the agency itself. A key purpose of the public comment is to give the Corps an opportunity to carefully analyze and address the public’s concerns. The Corps has clearly short-circuited that process by intentionally failing to address the many shortcomings identified during the recent public comment period.
The Corps’ latest proposal is virtually identical in purpose, scope, and design to the plan EPA rejected in 2008 because it would cause unacceptable impacts to globally important wetlands, waters, and wildlife.
The current proposal is proof positive the Pumps were never designed to protect communities from flooding. The Corps’ draft study revealed a stunning conclusion that, even with the Pumps installed, 82% to 89% of flooded lands in the Yazoo Backwater would remain underwater, and it would take weeks to months to drawdown floodwaters on the remaining lands.² This reinforces what the Corps made clear in 2007; 80% of project benefits would be for agriculture by draining tens of thousands of acres of wetlands to intensify farming.
Rather than continuing to waste more time and taxpayer money on a long-vetoed project, estimated to cost at least $500 million³, priority should be on providing commonsense natural infrastructure and non-structural approaches that are available today to help protect people’s lives, property and livelihoods, such as elevating homes and roads, and paying farmers to restore cropland back to wetlands.⁴
These more effective, affordable and ecologically sustainable solutions are precisely the alternatives that EPA’s 2008 veto recommended for consideration, yet the Corps ignored federal laws by refusing to consider any other flood relief options except the outdated, ineffective Pumps.
Our groups will hold the Corps and EPA fully accountable for the intentional abdication of their lawful responsibilities to the public and our nation’s treasured natural resources.”
Resources:
2) Corps’ October 16, 2020, Draft SEIS, Appendix C (Tables), Table 5.3
3) Adjusted for inflation. The Corps’ 2007 Final EIS estimated the Yazoo Pumps would cost $440 million dollars to construct. The Corps did not provided an updated cost estimate in the 2020 Draft Supplemental EIS.
4) Conservation Organizations’ Alternative Flood Relief Solutions to the Yazoo Pumps
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Announcement ensures dam removal on Klamath River will proceed
November 17, 2020
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
American Rivers today applauded the Karuk and Yurok tribes, the states of Oregon and California, the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) and Berkshire Hathaway for announcing an agreement that ensures dam removal on the Klamath River will proceed.
A recent ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) created uncertainty when it required dam owner PacifiCorp, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, to remain as a co-licensee. Now, Oregon and California will submit a request to FERC to join KRRC as co-licensees, allowing PacifiCorp to relinquish its license. KRRC will manage the dam removal project. Pre-construction activities are scheduled to begin in 2022, with dam demolition beginning in early 2023.
Bob Irvin, President and CEO of American Rivers, made the following statement:
“Today’s announcement keeps this critical river restoration effort on track, which will revitalize salmon runs, restore clean water and river health, and begin to heal decades of harm to the basin’s Indigenous Peoples. It will be the biggest dam removal project the world has ever seen.”
“We applaud Governor Gavin Newsom and Governor Kate Brown for their commitment to restoring the Klamath River and we are grateful for the leadership of the Karuk, Yurok and Klamath tribes in getting us to today’s milestone. We are thankful to PacifiCorp and Berkshire Hathaway for working on a solution that benefits all parties.”
“The governors’ action underscores the importance of a healthy, free-flowing Klamath River to the communities, economy and future of Oregon and California. Dam removal is in the best interest of local communities and PacifiCorp ratepayers. It’s time to make it happen and bring this river back to life.”
The four dams – Copco 1, Copco 2, Iron Gate and JC Boyle block habitat and have devastated salmon populations. The reservoirs behind the dams encourage growth of algae that is toxic to people, pets and wildlife. Removing the dams will restore salmon access to more than 400 miles of habitat, improve water quality and strengthen local communities that rely on salmon for their economy and culture.
The dams provide no drinking water supply or irrigation. PacifiCorp agreed to dam removal in 2016 because the dams’ costs outweighed their benefits. Power from the dams will be replaced using renewables and efficiency measures, without contributing to climate change. In 2008, the Public Utilities Commissions in Oregon and California concluded that removing the dams, (instead of spending more than $500 million to bring the dams up to modern standards), would save PacifiCorp customers more than $100 million.
KRRC expects dam deconstruction and river restoration to create several hundred jobs in the Klamath Basin. Klamath salmon support commercial fisheries worth $150 million per year and the recreation industry contributes millions to the local Klamath Basin economy, according to KRRC.
More than 1,700 dams have been removed nationwide, according to the database maintained by American Rivers.
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November 7, 2020
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145, akober@americanrivers.org
Washington — The election of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States presents a historic opportunity to protect and restore the nation’s rivers and ensure clean water for all.
“We congratulate President-elect Biden on his victory and we look forward to working with his administration to repair the damage done to rivers over the past four years. By uniting around healthy rivers, we can improve public health and safety, create jobs, and improve lives in communities nationwide,” said Bob Irvin, President of American Rivers.
“At a time when millions of people in our country lack safe, clean, affordable water, COVID-19 is devastating public health and the economy, and climate change is impacting communities with flooding and drought, investment in healthy rivers must be a top national priority,” Irvin said.
American Rivers pledged to work with the Biden administration and Congress to enact and implement five ambitious policy initiatives. The five priorities in American Rivers’ 2021 Blueprint for Action are:
- Invest in rivers and clean water to recover from COVID-19
- Reverse regulatory rollbacks and restore strong, effective federal protection for rivers and clean water
- Improve protection and management of the nation’s floodplains
- Launch a national initiative to prioritize and fund dam removals
- Increase protection of Wild and Scenic rivers
Rivers and their clean, free-flowing waters nourish our bodies, spirits and communities. Their lush habitats safeguard wildlife. They connect us to our history, to our future and to each other. Yet, rivers and freshwater ecosystems are among the most imperiled on earth. Millions of people in the U.S. lack access to clean, safe, affordable water with Black, Latino and Indigenous communities disproportionately impacted. Forty-four percent of assessed waterways in the U.S. are too polluted for fishing and swimming, and forty percent of North America’s freshwater species are at risk of extinction. Climate change is bringing more severe droughts and floods, putting increasing pressure on water resources across the country.
“The nearly three million miles of rivers running across our country are a source of great strength and opportunity,” Irvin said. “We are eager to work with the new Biden administration to ensure a future of clean water and healthy rivers everywhere, for everyone.”
October 27, 2020
Contact: Scott Bosse, (406) 570-0455
Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) today announced his plans to introduce legislation to safeguard 336 miles of rivers vital to Montana’s economy and way of life. American Rivers and its partners conducted extensive outreach in local communities over the past nine years to identify which rivers flowing across federal public lands are cherished most by Montanans for their outstanding scenic, recreational, fish and wildlife and cultural values.
The Montana Headwaters Legacy Act will protect many of the most pristine headwaters of the upper Missouri and Yellowstone river systems by designating segments of 17 streams as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Included in these designations are well-loved and iconic rivers such as the Madison, Gallatin, Upper Yellowstone and Smith.
Scott Bosse, Northern Rockies Director for American Rivers, made the following statement:
“The idea for a national system of protected rivers was born in Montana, and Senator Tester is building on that legacy with this visionary legislation. Clean, free-flowing rivers are critical to Montana’s economy and way of life, providing much of our drinking water and sustaining the state’s multi-billion dollar agriculture and outdoor recreation economies. We applaud Senator Tester for his leadership and we encourage Senator Daines and Congressman Gianforte to make this a bipartisan effort.”
Dam removal benefits river health, brook trout in White Mountain National Forest
Media Advisory: Journalists are invited to join project partners on October 28 starting at 11AM to view and discuss the completed project. A brief program will include partner remarks and site viewing. RSVP: Amy Singler, asingler@americanrivers.org.
Contact: Amy Singler, American Rivers, 617-448-3219
October 26, 2020
American Rivers and its partners have completed the removal of a dam on the South Branch Gale River in White Mountain National Forest, to restore habitat for fish and wildlife. It is one of the first dam removal projects in northern New Hampshire.
The dam, owned by Littleton Water and Light was built as part of the water supply system in the 1950s, no longer served a purpose or provided benefits. Removal eliminated a safety and maintenance burden and improves recreational fishing opportunities and access to high quality aquatic habitat.
“This was an outdated, obsolete structure, degrading our public lands and harming river health. Tearing down the dam and restoring the river revitalizes the entire ecosystem, including brook trout and other wildlife,” said Amy Singler with American Rivers.
Littleton Water and Light managed the project with American Rivers, with support from NH Department of Environmental Services, NH Fish and Game Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, and the U.S. Forest Service, and funding from the NH Charitable Foundation’s Upper Connecticut River Mitigation and Enhancement Fund and The Bingham Trust. Earlier project design phases were funded by NH Charitable Foundation’s Upper Connecticut River Mitigation and Enhancement Fund, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and The Nature Conservancy. Project engineering design by Stantec Consulting Services, Inc, and construction by C & C Bunnell Excavating LLC.
“This project is the culmination of several years of hard work by our team. Without great partners, projects like this would not be possible. This year’s drought conditions, throughout the State, highlights that we must continue to support projects like this that restore and protect our most valuable resource,” said Bill Thomas with NH Department of Environmental Services.
“We are thankful to the many partners involved in creating the largest stream connectivity for habitat on the White Mountain National Forest”, said Pemigewasset District Ranger, Brooke Brown, of the White Mountain National Forest.
“The removal of this dam reconnects important habitats for wild brook trout and other aquatic animals in the Gale River watershed,” said Dianne Timmins from NH Fish and Game Department. “We have found brook trout throughout the watershed. Reconnecting those populations is vital for genetic diversity and sustainability.”
Dam removal is increasing nationwide, as communities grapple with the environmental, economic and safety challenges of aging dams. More than 1,700 dams have been removed in the U.S. Removing a dam can restore river health and water quality, bring back fish and wildlife, eliminate public safety and flooding hazards, and create new recreation opportunities. American Rivers’ report, Rivers as Economic Engines, details the jobs and other economic and community benefits that come from dam removal and watershed restoration.
The Gale River is a tributary of the Ammonoosuc River, which flows into the Connecticut River.
About American Rivers
American Rivers believes a future of clean water and healthy rivers for everyone, everywhere is essential. Since 1973, we have protected wild rivers, restored damaged rivers and conserved clean water for people and nature. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., and 300,000 supporters, members and volunteers across the country, we are the most trusted and influential river conservation organization in the United States, delivering solutions for a better future. Because life needs rivers. www.AmericanRivers.org
Statement from American Rivers
October 9, 2020
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
The governors of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana today released a letter stating their intent to work together to recover Columbia-Snake river salmon. Wendy McDermott, Northwest Director for American Rivers, made the following statement:
“We appreciate the commitment of Northwest governors to recover Columbia and Snake river salmon and the communities that rely on them. There is no time to lose. Much of what we value in this region is at stake and the costs of decades of half-measures continue to mount. Salmon are facing extinction. Indigenous communities are living with a legacy of broken promises. River-dependent businesses are suffering. Communities need certainty. We need bold, urgent and moral leadership now.”
“It’s critical that this new effort deliver clear steps and a timetable for achieving healthy, harvestable salmon runs, honoring commitments to Northwest tribes, strengthening our economy, and ensuring a future of reliable, affordable clean energy. A regional solution for salmon and river-dependent communities is within our grasp, and the Governors’ announcement is an essential first step.”
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Wild and Scenic designation would forever protect America’s Most Endangered River® of 2019
September 16, 2020
Contact: David Moryc, 503-307-1137
Silver City, N.M. – The Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining held a hearing today on the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act(S. 3670). The legislation was introduced this summer by New Mexico Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich. It would protect over 440 miles of the Gila and San Francisco Rivers and their tributaries, ensuring traditional and current use of the rivers, while protecting critical wildlife habitat and growing New Mexico’s sustainable outdoor recreation economy.
In 2019 American Rivers named the Gila America’s Most Endangered River, highlighting the threat that a water diversion posed to the river’s ecosystem and communities. The Gila and San Francisco rivers and their tributaries make up one of the largest undammed watersheds in the lower 48 states. Today, just 124.3 miles (.1 percent) of the 108,104 miles of these rivers are designated as Wild and Scenic.
“The Gila is vital to New Mexico’s heritage and its future. Protecting these outstanding rivers as Wild and Scenic would leave a lasting legacy at a time when communities need healthy, free-flowing rivers more than ever,” said Bob Irvin, President and CEO of American Rivers. “We are grateful to Senators Udall and Heinrich for their vision and leadership, and we urge the Senate to pass this important legislation.”
For nearly a decade, Indigenous people, including the Mimbres and Apache, as well as sportsmen and women, veterans, small business owners, faith and civic organizations, local municipalities and governments, landowners, ranchers, and outdoor recreation and conservation organizations have spoken up for the need to protect the Gila River. Senators Udall and Heinrich developed the legislation based on extensive local input from town halls, roundtables, and individual discussions with stakeholders from across the region.
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September 9, 2020
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
The American Rivers Board of Directors announced today that it has retained Koya Leadership Partners to lead the search for a new President and CEO. American Rivers is the nation’s premier river conservation organization, dedicated to achieving clean water and healthy rivers for everyone, everywhere. Bob Irvin, who has served as President and CEO of American Rivers since 2011, announced in July that he will be retiring in January 2021.
Koya Leadership Partners is a national executive search firm with a demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion, and deep experience in the conservation and outdoor sectors.
American Rivers is the voice and guardian of the nearly three million miles of rivers across our nation. It has built a track record of success over its nearly 50-year history, standing up for clean water, thriving communities and healthy ecosystems. American Rivers partners with communities to revolutionize how urban and rural areas protect and use clean water. The organization removes dams and restores floodplains to revitalize habitat and safeguard people and property. To achieve its goals, American Rivers is motivating a new wave of river advocates to demand action for healthy rivers, from local neighborhoods to the halls of Congress.
The new President and CEO will be taking the helm of the organization at a pivotal moment, as clean water and healthy rivers flow through the intersection of public health, environmental justice and climate resilience.
This is a rare opportunity for the right individual to take a successful, respected organization to the next level and make a lasting impact on the future of river conservation. The President and CEO will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for American Rivers staff, program expansion, and mission and vision execution.
The ideal candidate will be a leader with the proven ability to drive organizational growth, build strategic partnerships, advance diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and serve as an effective conservation advocate with policy makers, community leaders and supporters.
The American Rivers Board of Directors is committed to a thorough and inclusive search, ensuring a deep and diverse pool of outstanding candidates. The search committee is engaging stakeholders including donors, non-profit partners and staff to provide input into the President and CEO role and guidance regarding potential candidates. American Rivers anticipates hiring and onboarding the new President and CEO this winter.
To recommend potential candidates, please email the Koya team at americanrivers@koyapartners.com.
About American Rivers
American Rivers believes a future of clean water and healthy rivers for everyone, everywhere is essential. Since 1973, we have protected wild rivers, restored damaged rivers and conserved clean water for people and nature. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., and 300,000 supporters, members and volunteers across the country, we are the most trusted and influential river conservation organization in the United States, delivering solutions for a better future. Because life needs rivers. www.AmericanRivers.org
August 24, 2020
Contact: Sinjin Eberle, American Rivers, 720-373-0864
(Washington, DC) – Statement of American Rivers’ President Bob Irvin:
“We welcome today’s announcement by the Corps of Engineers to hit the pause button on deciding whether to permit Pebble Mine in the headwaters of Bristol Bay. While we would prefer that the Corps had simply denied the permit given the existential threat that Pebble Mine poses to the greatest wild salmon fishery left on the planet, requiring the company to provide further information on how it plans to mitigate the serious threat posed by the mine to the irreplaceable fishery is a step in the right direction. One cannot put a price on how important the Bristol Bay fishery is to Alaskan Native communities, commercial fishers, sport fishers, and every American who treasures wild rivers and thriving ecosystems. Hopefully today’s announcement will mark the beginning of the end of a mining project that should have been killed years ago. We will continue to support our colleagues in the conservation, fishing, and Alaskan Native communities who have worked tirelessly to fight this devastating project until we are confident that the Pebble Mine is dead for once and for all.”
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
August 4, 2020
Contact:
Olivia Dorothy, American Rivers, (217) 390-3658 (East Moline, IL)
David Stokes, Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, (314) 918-1007 (St. Louis, MO)
Ryan Grosso, Prairie Rivers Network, (815) 954-7920 (Champaign, IL)
Jim Karpowicz, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, (573) 424-0077 (St. Louis, MO)
Barry Drazkowski, Izaak Walton League, (507) 458-6642 (Fountain City, WI)
Trevor Russell, Friends of the Mississippi River, (612) 388-8856 (Minneapolis, MN)
Kelly McGinnis, Mississippi River Network, (708) 305-3524 (Chicago, IL)
Christine Favilla, Piasa Palisades Group of the Sierra Club, (618) 401-7870 (Alton, IL)
LaCrosse, WI – Earlier this year, American Rivers named the Upper Mississippi River America’s Most Endangered River® of 2020, citing the grave threat that climate change and poor river and watershed management pose to public safety. The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives takes important steps to address these threats on the Upper Mississippi River. Environmental groups throughout the Upper Midwest commend the House version of WRDA, and strongly encourage the U.S. Senate to maintain these important conservation measures in the final version to be passed by Congress and signed by the President.
“The House version of the Water Resources Development Act includes many provisions that will improve river ecosystems and prioritize natural infrastructure,” said Olivia Dorothy, Upper Mississippi River Director for American Rivers. “There are two provisions that will really help the Upper Mississippi River and Upper Midwest Region in the face of climate change. Those provisions include Sections 211 and 308 that would authorize a Watershed Study on flooding in the basin and increase available funding for restoration, science and monitoring on the Upper Mississippi.”
“We thank Chairman Peter DeFazio, Ranking Member Sam Graves, and all of the members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their work on this bill,” said David Stokes with Great Rivers Habitat Alliance in St. Louis. “Ranking Member Graves’ efforts to include the Upper Mississippi River Watershed Study are greatly appreciated.”
“We also want to thank Congressman Ron Kind and Congresswoman Angie Craig” said Barry Drazkowski, Mississippi River Specialist for the Izaak Walton League. “Their work to expand the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program will improve habitat rehabilitation, science and monitoring on the Upper Mississippi River.”
“The bipartisan support for this important bill is truly inspiring “ said Jim Karpowicz, River Advocate for the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. “It proves that even in these difficult times, it is possible to work together to solve problems, problems that affect us all. We are looking forward to watching the programs roll out on the ground, particularly on the Upper Mississippi, an area of great significance for our Missouri members.”
House WRDA Increases Available Funding for the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program
The Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program was the first environmental restoration and monitoring program undertaken on a large river system in the United States; authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 1986.
The UMRR Program has come to be recognized as the single most important effort committed to ensuring the viability and vitality of the Upper Mississippi River System’s (UMRS) diverse and significant fish and wildlife resources since establishment of the National Wildlife Refuges on that system in the 1920’s. The UMRR Program has improved critical fish and wildlife habitat on 106,000 acres through 56 projects, accounting for more than 50 percent of the Corps’ reported wetland acres restored nationally between 2005 and 2015.
“For the first time in a long time, the UMRR Program is getting a much-needed boost,” said Ryan Grosso of Prairie Rivers Network. “It has a great record of success, and we hope these changes will continue that pattern and open doors to more critical habitat restoration projects. In the midst of a changing climate, a healthy River and scientific research are crucial to the safety of the environment and communities along the Upper Mississippi.”
Since the UMRR Program’s last appropriation adjustment in 1999 to $33 million annually, the spending power of the Program has diminished significantly. If Section 308 of the House version is adopted, it will authorize an additional $22 million for the program annually.
House WRDA Authorizes a Watershed Study to evaluate flooding on the Upper Mississippi River
To adequately offset the flood risk impacts of climate change and development, the Upper Mississippi River needs a water management plan that will provide more predictability and security during disasters.
“The ‘everyone for themselves’ flood management approach along the Upper Mississippi River has left us vulnerable,” said Christine Favilla of the Sierra Club. “Climate disruption is driving extreme weather patterns that will lead to more frequent and prolonged flood events along the Upper Mississippi River, like what the Midwest experienced in 2019, and the region is unprepared for this new reality.”
“The pandemic is already shining a grim light on our over-reliance on resource intensive flood control infrastructure,” said Kelly McGinnis of the Mississippi River Network. “Instead of fighting nature, let’s get people out of harm’s way and build out nature’s defenses, like wetlands and floodplains.”
“The Upper Mississippi River Watershed Study will help provide the resources we need to address flooding at its source,” said Trevor Russell of Friends of the Mississippi River. “This includes advancements in on-farm solutions that hold more water back on the land and protect those who live downstream.”
In American Rivers’ Most Endangered River© listing, environmental and conservation groups asked state and federal management agencies to create a planning framework that
- Coordinates river and watershed management actions. Most Upper Mississippi River floods start in the uplands. Agriculture, natural resource and civil works agencies must start working together to develop effective solutions for farmers to slow the flow of water coming off the land.
- Ensures all river communities are involved in the decision-making process. Everyone needs to be part of the solution. We need to stop pitting neighbor against neighbor and make sure our most vulnerable citizens have a voice in the process.
- Accounts for climate change. Not only is climate disruption causing more frequent flood events, but it is also driving flood events that are longer duration, like the unprecedented 2019 Flood.
- Gives rivers room to flood safely. The most effective flood risk reduction strategy is to move people and infrastructure out of the floodplain and prohibit future development.
- Restores lost habitat. Floodplains do not just convey flood water; they are a critical component of river habitat. River habitat continues to degrade faster than restoration projects can be implemented and any development activities along the Mississippi must mitigate past environmental harms and rehabilitate habitat.
Section 211 in the House Water Resources Development Act authorizes a watershed study for the Upper Mississippi River that can accomplish these goals.
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American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 200,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Friends of the Mississippi River is a Minnesota-based environmental organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the Mississippi River and its watershed through land conservation, river corridor stewardship, community education, and clean water advocacy.
Great Rivers Habitat Alliance is a Missouri-based floodplain and wetlands conservation organization dedicated to preserving the Confluence floodplain of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois rivers.
Izaak Walton League is one of America’s oldest and most successful conservation organizations – and we are the only organization training, equipping, and coordinating volunteer water quality monitors on a national scale. These volunteers are the heart and soul of our common-sense conservation mission. Through member-driven bottom-up governance, the Izaak Walton League is protecting outdoor America in communities across the country, while working strategically at the national level to win critical conservation battles.
Mississippi River Network is a coalition of over 50 nonprofit organizations and businesses from the headwaters to the Gulf all working together to protect the land, water, wildlife, and people of our greatest River – the Mississippi. The Network implements a national public program for the River, called “1Mississippi” that is designed to educate, engage, and inspire people to take action to protect the Mississippi River. Since 2009, 1Mississippi has recruited 20,000 River Citizens and inspired thousands of actions.
Missouri Coalition for the Environment is Missouri’s independent, citizens’ environmental organization for clean water, clean air, clean energy, and a healthy environment. We are a trusted, non-partisan, 501(c)(3) state-level environmental advocacy organization, an informed educator, a passionate advocate, and a state-wide partner supporting allied organizations and initiatives around the state. We deliver vital information to thousands of Missourians on issues that affect our water, air, food, health, and the environment.
Prairie Rivers Network is an Illinois-based river conservation and clean water advocacy organization. Our mission is to protect water, heal land, and inspire change. With the support of over 1,200 members throughout Illinois and the country, Prairie Rivers Network strives to use science and collective action to protect and restore the health of lands and waters throughout the state.
Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. We amplify the power of our 3.8 million members and supporters to defend everyone’s right to a healthy world. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action.
July 31, 2020
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145
Wendy McDermott, 970-275-2057
The Trump administration today released the biological opinion and final environmental impact statement for dam operations on the Columbia-Snake rivers. Wendy McDermott, Puget Sound and Columbia River Basin director for American Rivers, made the following statement:
“The Trump administration rushed to roll out yet another scientifically deficient plan that fails salmon, fails to honor treaties and commitments to tribes, and fails our region. Following a long line of attacks from this administration on rivers, clean water and communities, this plan proves that any real, lasting solution must come from us here in the region. We need our Northwest governors and our federal congressional delegation to lead a comprehensive solution that recovers salmon and retains reliable and affordable energy.
“Restoring 140 miles of the lower Snake River to a free-flowing state and improving access to more than 5,000 miles of excellent habitat must be part of any scientifically-sound plan to achieve abundant, healthy and harvestable numbers of salmon. With the necessary investments to replace the benefits of the dams, we can strengthen the economy, address longstanding injustices and build a better future.”
“Since the early 1990s when Snake River salmon became protected under the Endangered Species Act, the agencies have yet to develop a successful salmon recovery plan. It is unfortunate that the courts have had to reject at least five previous plans as illegal and inadequate; and therefore, committing salmon on their trajectory toward extinction. It is time for new solutions. We need to move beyond historic logjams. It is time to focus on what connects us and commit to honoring tribal treaty rights and meeting the region’s clean energy, agricultural and conservation challenges together.”
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Tribes, Fishermen, Conservationists Applaud Newsom’s Letter to Business Mogul
Karuk Tribe ● Yurok Tribe ● Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations ● Trout Unlimited ● California Trout ● Sustainable Northwest ● American Rivers ● Save California Salmon ● Klamath Riverkeeper
July 30, 2020
For more information:
Craig Tucker, Karuk Tribe Natural Resources Consultant, 916-207-8294
Nina Erlich-Williams, Public Good PR, 415-577-1153
Link to letter:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0ndz8ncdzvv0sny/Governor%27s%20Letter%20on%20Klamath%20River_07-29-2020.pdf?dl=0
Sacramento, Calif. — On July 29th, California Governor Gavin Newsom sent a letter Warren Buffett and leaders at Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) urging the company to stick to an agreement to remove four aging Klamath River hydroelectric dams along the California-Oregon border. Berkshire Hathaway is the parent company of PacifiCorp, which owns and operates the dams. PacifiCorp is now threatening to walk away from the agreement and instead pursue the much riskier process of relicensing the dams.
Governor Newsom’s letter reads, in part:
Since time immemorial, the indigenous peoples of the Klamath Basin have stewarded the Klamath River, the second-largest river in California and once the third-biggest salmon producing river on the west coast. It served as a centerpiece of community, culture, and sustenance. Then beginning 100 years ago, construction of dams threatened this way of life, devastated salmon runs and altered the characteristics of the river itself. A century later, the river is sick, and the Klamath Basin tribes are suffering.
We stand at an unprecedented moment of reckoning about our past and, more importantly, our future. In this moment, we have the opportunity and obligation to see ourselves clearly and decide whether we are living up to the values that I firmly believe all Californians stand for: equity, inclusion and accountability.
In response to Governor Newsom’s letter, the Karuk Tribe, Yurok Tribe, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and conservation groups American Rivers, California Trout, Klamath Riverkeeper, Trout Unlimited, Save California Salmon and Sustainable Northwest have issued the following statement of support:
“With every year that passes, Klamath River salmon edge closer to extinction. While we are gratified that PacifiCorp remains willing to talk, we can’t afford any more delays in this process. It’s time for Warren Buffett’s PacifiCorp to do the right thing and allow this dam removal agreement to move forward.
“It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s in the financial interests of PacifiCorp’s ratepayers and Berkshire Hathaway’s shareholders. The agreement offers PacifiCorp unprecedented liability protections and $250 million in public funding. Walking away from the agreement will put PacifiCorp ratepayers on the hook for all the risks and liabilities associated with fish kills, toxic algae blooms, lawsuits, and violations of Tribal rights. We urge Warren Buffet and PacifiCorp to end the delays and move the dam removal process forward immediately.”
Background
A 2016 agreement proposed to transfer the dams from PacifiCorp to the non-profit Klamath River Renewal Corporation for purposes of removal. The agreement allows PacifiCorp to transfer the dams and contribute $200 million to the KRRC in exchange for a clean break from the project. However, earlier this month, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted conditional approval for the project but required PacifiCorp to remain on the license for the dams until they are removed. PacifiCorp is now threatening to back out on the agreement. Parties to the agreement (including Tribes, conservation groups, fishermen, local counties, California and Oregon) view the FERC ruling as PacifiCorp not getting what it wants, but still getting what it needs – the least cost alternative to relicensing the dams.
Klamath communities that depend on salmon fisheries for economic and cultural survival have campaigned for the past two decades to remove the lower four Klamath dams. The dams provide no irrigation diversions, no drinking water diversions and no significant flood control benefit. The dams were built for hydropower but managing the aging structures today costs more than they’re worth.
Declining fish populations have led to burdensome regulations for farmers in the Basin while Tribes have curtailed or cancelled fish harvests for the first time in their histories. Most experts view dam removal as the lynchpin for solving the water crisis that plagues the drought-prone basin almost every year. Commercial salmon fishermen from San Francisco to Coos Bay, Oregon depend on Klamath River stocks, and their industry has been hard hit with restrictions on catch due to declining Klamath River salmon populations.
The plan to implement America’s most ambitious salmon restoration project involves $200 million in financing from PacifiCorp, $250 million that was earmarked in a 2014 California water bond, and creation of the non-profit KRRC to take over the dams and manage the removal effort.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s letter is available in full here. For additional information, or to speak with someone from any of the groups listed in this media statement, please contact Craig Tucker at 916-207-8294 or craig@suitsandsigns.com or Nina Erlich-Williams at 415-577-1153 or nina@publicgoodpr.com.
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