Statement by Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers
Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145
The effort to restore a free-flowing Klamath River is taking a major step forward this week. The three remaining dams are being decommissioned and the drawdown of the reservoirs is beginning. Removal of the first dam, Copco 2, was completed this fall. The Klamath is the largest dam removal and river restoration project in history. It will have far-reaching benefits for the river’s tribes, water quality, salmon, and communities up and down the river.
Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers, made the following statement:
“This is a historic moment for the Klamath River. The water is flowing and the river can finally begin healing. A new chapter for the Klamath, its people, and salmon is beginning.”
“At a time when our politics are polarized and the reality of climate change is daunting, the Klamath presents an important lesson: we can overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges and make incredible progress by working together.”
“This success is thanks to the leadership of Tribal Nations and the collaboration of communities along the river. We applaud the decades of effort and bipartisan support that made this moment possible.”
“We celebrate today, and recommit ourselves to the ongoing work of restoration on the Klamath, and on rivers nationwide. Our nation is facing an urgent freshwater crisis. Accelerating the removal of outdated, harmful dams is vital to protecting community health and safety, addressing longstanding injustices, and protecting the rivers on which all life depends.”
Contact: Kayeloni Scott | kscott@americanrivers.org | 208.790.1815
Today’s announcement from the Biden Administration details a package of commitments to the Northwest, representing a critical step towards restoring the Snake River and saving the basin’s salmon and steelhead from extinction in a manner that ensures communities thrive in the transition. Past decisions have endangered keystone species and created services that communities came to rely upon. These commitments illustrate the dedication to building a stronger, more resilient region.
American Rivers applauds this path toward reciprocity for rivers, salmon, and all that depend on them. Just as Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID) outlined through his Columbia Basin Initiative, the lower four Snake River dams cannot be removed without first replacing the transportation, energy, and irrigation services they provide. This settlement package establishes a foundation for doing just that and puts us on a course toward restoring a healthy, free-flowing lower Snake River.
“The only way we will get to success is if we start working together to solve each other’s problems,” said Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers. “We applaud the Biden Administration, the Six-Sovereigns1, and all other parties for coming together in an historic agreement to advance solutions for the Northwest salmon and people. American Rivers will continue to stand with our partners and Tribal Nations across the Northwest to advocate for restoration of the Snake River, ensuring the survival of salmon and steelhead, and upholding Tribal Treaty Rights.”
1. The Six Sovereigns include Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation, Nez Perce Tribe, State of Oregon, and State of Washington.
Additional Resources:
White House Fact Sheet
Brent Blackwelder was a lifelong advocate for environmental protection and a true champion for rivers. As one of the founders of American Rivers, and our first board chair, he built the foundation for our organization’s 50 years of success.
In the early days of American Rivers, Brent fought the construction of massive dams, advocating for economic sensibility and conservation. In the late 1970s and early ‘80s, he organized the annual National Dam Fighters Conference, drawing advocates from across the country. As Brent described it, “We had to move fast or we would lose our best rivers. It was the golden age of dam building and we needed to fight back.”
For example, in 1975 on North Carolina’s New River, Brent was instrumental in stopping a dam and reservoir that would have swallowed farmland and devastated river health. Brent and colleagues not only killed the dam, they also succeeded in securing Wild and Scenic designation for the river. This precedent-setting success proved river conservationists could beat harmful water projects and score big wins on a national level.
Brent later served for many years as President of Friends of the Earth. He testified before Congress more than 100 times on environmental issues and was instrumental in instituting reforms to make the World Bank more conscious of environmental concerns.
All of us at American Rivers are grateful for Brent’s vision and leadership. His legacy lives on in the many rivers he protected that remain clean and free-flowing, and in the diverse and powerful movement of river advocates that continues to grow across our country.
About American Rivers
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visit www.AmericanRivers.org
Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145
California Senator Dianne Feinstein, the longest-serving female senator in history, has died at age 90. Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers, made the following statement:
“Dianne Feinstein was a champion for rivers. She was at the center of western water decisions since her first day in the Senate. She was the sponsor of the 21st Century Dams Act, which aims to provide billions in funding for dam removal and river restoration, and she supported many other pieces of river and dam safety legislation. We are grateful for her leadership and will honor her memory as we continue to fight for clean water and healthy, free-flowing rivers in California and nationwide.”
– Tom Kiernan, President and CEO, American Rivers
About American Rivers
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visitwww.AmericanRivers.org
Washington, DC (September 28, 2023) – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced legislation to advance hydropower, dam safety, and healthy rivers nationwide. This legislation is cosponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers that includes Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Angus King (I-ME), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
The Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act of 2023 creates a new 30% investment tax credit to encourage environmental enhancements and dam safety improvements. Eligible investments include adding fish-friendly turbines and fish passage infrastructure, managing river sediments to improve habitat, upgrading or replacing floodgates and spillways, and improving public use of and access to public waterways impacted by existing dams. The bill also establishes a new federal cost-share to encourage the removal of obsolete river obstructions, restoring river health and improving public safety.
“Our nation’s efforts to transition to a clean energy grid have stopped just short of the finish line, as it failed to recognize the importance of hydropower’s existing fleet,” said Malcolm Woolf, President and CEO of the National Hydropower Association. “Hydro powers 30 million American homes with zero-carbon electricity. With the right tools, our industry can make environmental enhancements, bolster dam safety and prevent the hydropower fleet from retiring – outcomes that will lead to healthier rivers and a more reliable grid. Simply put, today’s hydropower fleet complements other renewables by providing power when the sun isn’t shining and wind isn’t blowing. We applaud the bipartisan leadership of Sens. Cantwell, Murkowski, Stabenow, Sullivan, King, Tillis, Gillibrand and Shaheen for recognizing that we can’t ensure a reliable grid without the nation’s second largest renewable electricity resource.”
“We applaud the bipartisan leadership for this bill that would incentivize dam safety, environmental improvements for healthy rivers, and dam removal. Conservation advocates and the hydropower industry have worked hard to collaborate on these measures that support healthy rivers and hydropower generation,” said Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers. Sens. Cantwell, Murkowski, Stabenow, Sullivan, King, Tillis, Gillibrand and Shaheen should be commended for advancing solutions for healthy rivers and climate resilience.”
For more information, please contact Copeland Tucker with NHA at copeland@hydro.org or Amy Souers Kober with American Rivers at akober@americanrivers.org.
Statement from Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers
Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145
Read the White House memo and factsheet
President Biden today released a memorandum directing federal agencies to use all of their authorities to restore healthy and abundant wild salmon and steelhead populations in the Columbia-Snake basin. Earlier this year, American Rivers named the Snake River among America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2023, spotlighting the need for urgent action.
Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers, made the following statement:
“For decades, Tribal Nations, businesses, and communities across the Columbia-Snake basin have called for the restoration of abundant, harvestable salmon runs. We applaud today’s order by the Biden administration clearly directing federal agencies and the Bonneville Power Administration to change the status quo to achieve this objective. The science is clear that we can restore salmon abundance, but only through removal of the four lower Snake River dams, as well as significant increases in habitat restoration in other tributaries in the Basin.”
“We look forward to working with the Administration, Tribes, members of Congress, and stakeholders around the region to provide necessary funding and authorities to get the job done. American Rivers is committed to collaborative salmon recovery actions that honor treaties, build climate resilience, support agriculture, and advance clean, affordable energy solutions.”
About American Rivers
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visit www.AmericanRivers.org
Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145
American Rivers announced today that Adam Schellhammer is joining the organization as its new Mid-Atlantic Regional Director. Schellhammer has more than a decade of experience in regional and international conservation, with a focus on managing and implementing programs to improve environmental health and climate resilience.
“Rivers are vital to the Mid-Atlantic region’s health, environment, and economy. Yet the region’s rivers and clean water face unprecedented threats. Adam has what it takes to advance our vision and secure lasting solutions for clean water, abundant wildlife, and safe, healthy communities. We are thrilled to welcome him to the American Rivers team,” said Heather Taylor-Miesle, Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Regional Conservation.
Schellhammer is Associate Board Director of the Augusta County Soil and Water Conservation District. Most recently, he served as executive director of Valley Conservation Council, based in Staunton, Virginia. Previous roles included District Manager of the Monroe County Conservation District in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and Healthy Waters Team Manager with the Wai Ora Partnerships, Auckland Council, in New Zealand.
“Rivers provide the foundation of our existence, and protecting rivers is fundamental to our ability to survive and thrive as a species,” Schellhammer said. “I am so excited to have the opportunity to join an organization that understands the immense value of America’s waterways, ready to tackle the challenges that lie before us.”
Schellhammer will start at American Rivers on September 18. He will be based in Waynesboro, Virginia.
About American Rivers
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visit www.AmericanRivers.org
New Biden Administration rule is inadequate, constrained by recent Supreme Court ruling
Statement by American Rivers
Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145
Today the Biden Administration released an updated rule on protecting wetlands and small streams. This rule comes in response to the damaging Supreme Court ruling that was issued in May that dramatically narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act, undoing protections that have safeguarded the nation’s waters for over 50 years.
While the Administration’s rule attempts to protect clean water and wetlands, it is severely limited in its ability to do so as a result of the Supreme Court ruling which slashed federal protections for thousands of miles of small streams and wetlands.
This means communities across the U.S. are now more vulnerable to pollution and flooding. Streams and wetlands are not only important sources of drinking water, they are buffers against extreme storms and floodwaters.
Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers, made the following statement:
“With Hurricane Idalia barreling down on the Southeast, and severe storms increasing with climate change, communities need every tool they can get to help protect themselves from flooding. The first line of defense should be a healthy river with wetlands and floodplains that store and absorb floodwaters. By cutting protections for streams and wetlands, we leave communities more vulnerable to disaster.”
“We are grateful for the Administration’s attempt to protect clean water and wetlands with their new rule. They are doing what they can, but they are limited in the face of the flawed Supreme Court ruling. This simply demonstrates that Congress must act now to reinstate science-based safeguards for streams and wetlands to protect the health and safety of our communities.”
Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145
American Rivers announced today that Andrew Fisk is joining the organization as its new Northeast Regional Director. Fisk has worked in natural resource conservation and environmental advocacy throughout New England since 1998.
“In this moment where the Northeast’s rivers and clean water face so many challenges, Andrew has what it takes to advance our bold vision and secure lasting solutions for the region’s rivers and communities. We are thrilled to welcome him to the American Rivers team,” said Heather Taylor-Miesle, Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Regional Conservation.
Most recently, Fisk served as Bureau Chief for Natural Resources at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, overseeing the state’s fisheries, wildlife, and forestry programs. From 2011 to 2022, he led the Connecticut River Conservancy as executive director. With the hard work of a great team and strong board, CRC grew substantially in impact, scale, and reputation in its drive to make New England’s longest river and watershed clean, healthy, and full of life.
Between 1998 and 2011, Fisk served in administrative, planning, and leadership positions in the Departments of Conservation, Marine Resources, and Environmental Protection in the State of Maine, including an appointed position under Governor John Baldacci.
He currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Norcross Wildlife Foundation as well as the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission. He is on the Advisory Board of Estuary Magazine and currently a volunteer on the City of Holyoke’s citizen advisory committee on wastewater infrastructure working to develop an ambitious overhaul of the city’s infrastructure. He also serves on the Community Advisory Board for New England Public Media.
“I am honored to be joining American Rivers, and I am energized by the organization’s ambitions for growth in the Northeast,” Fisk said. “The American Rivers model of generous partnership and collaboration while fighting for a better world is spot on for me. I am confident that together with our partners and supporters, we will make great strides for the region’s rivers, and all of the life they support.”
Fisk will start at American Rivers on September 11. He will be based in Holyoke, MA.
About American Rivers
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visit www.AmericanRivers.org
Contact:
Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy, American Rivers, 412-680-2255
Amy Souers Kober, American Rivers, 503-708-1145
Susquehanna, PA– In a major step forward for public safety and river health, demolition of Oakland Dam on the Susquehanna River begins today. The project is the largest dam removal to date in Pennsylvania.
Oakland Dam, a dangerous and obsolete former hydropower dam, is 755 ft long and 16 ft high. Removal will eliminate a severe safety hazard at #350 on the North Branch Susquehanna River Water Trail, eliminating the need for water trail users to portage around this barrier. The project will also reconnect 250 miles of aquatic habitat for sportfish, iconic freshwater mussels, and other critical fish and wildlife.
Project partners include American Rivers, the Boroughs of Susquehanna and Oakland, Endless Mountains Heritage Region, Upper Susquehanna Coalition via Tioga County Soil & Water Conservation District, PA Department of Environmental Protection, PA Fish & Boat Commission, and the US Army Corps of Engineers. This river restoration project is funded by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PA Department of Community & Economic Development, River Bounty, and Susquehanna County.
Oakland Dam once provided electricity to Barnes Kasson Hospital and to Susquehanna Depot, a major railroad hub for the northeastern US, located on the banks of the Susquehanna River in what is now Ira Reynolds Riverfront Park. Hydropower generation was abandoned in the early 2000’s due to an accidental breach in the center of the dam.
“Susquehanna Borough is extremely happy this project has come to the point of work beginning on July 25th, 2023. Boaters will be able to utilize this section of the North Branch of the Susquehanna River safely. A big thank you to all for making this project happen,” said Roy Williams, President of Susquehanna Borough.
Valerie Senese, President of Oakland Borough Council said, “I am thrilled to celebrate the inspiring display of cooperation and progress between Oakland Borough and Susquehanna Depot Borough in our joint effort towards ensuring the safety, environmental sustainability, and economic growth of both of our communities. The breached dam, which has been a longstanding concern for both towns, will soon undergo demolition and removal thanks to the collaborative efforts of American Rivers and Beran Environmental Services.”
“Rivers are essential to our health and the health of the natural world. Removing a dam is the fastest, most efficient way to bring a river back to life,” said Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers. “We applaud our partners for their dedication to restoring the Susquehanna River and we are thrilled to watch the revival and healing of this vital waterway.”
Caution tape and construction fencing will be installed in Ira Reynolds Riverfront Park to indicate areas that are unsafe for the public during dam removal construction activities. Visitors to the park should observe these safety markings and stay out of the construction zone. Boaters should observe the warning signs and buoys, and Water Trail users should avoid the construction zone during the construction period by taking out at the Exchange St Access (#351 on the Water Trail map) and portaging around the construction zone to put back in the river at #348 PFBC Great Bend Access.
More than 2,000 dams have been removed across the United States. Dam removal is a proven tool to restore river health, improve public safety, revitalize fish and wildlife populations, safeguard cultural values, and reconnect communities to their rivers. River restoration also benefits the economy: every $1 million invested in restoring watersheds generates 16 jobs and up to $2.5 million in economic benefits. Pennsylvania has been a leader in dam removal and river restoration, removing more dams than any other state with benefits for communities, the economy, and environment.
“There are tens of thousands of unsafe, outdated dams across our country. The removal of Oakland Dam is a great example of the action we need to see in more communities nationwide, improving public safety and river health. We urge Congress and the Biden administration to continue funding and prioritizing these critical river restoration efforts,” said Kiernan.
ABOUT AMERICAN RIVERS
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visit AMERICANRIVERS.ORG.
U.S. Senators Daines and Cantwell’s Community and Hydropower Improvement Act included in today’s subcommittee hearing on pending legislation
Washington, D.C. (July 19, 2023) – The National Hydropower Association (NHA) and American Rivers applaud the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources’ Water and Power Subcommittee for holding a hearing today on the bipartisan S. 1521 Community and Hydropower Improvement Act, jointly introduced in May of this year by U.S. Senators Steve Daines (MT) and Maria Cantwell (WA).
The Community and Hydropower Improvement Act proposes amendments to the Federal Power Act (FPA), which would streamline and modernize the hydropower licensing and re-licensing process. The Federal Power Act, originally enacted in 1920, authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue licenses to build, operate, and maintain hydropower facilities. The proposed updates would improve cooperation among FERC and resource agencies, coordinate federal decision-making, and add transparency to the hydropower licensing process.
Proposed changes include:
- Expediting the licensing process by directing FERC to establish a two-year process to grant licenses for hydropower additions to non-powered dams and a three-year process for lower-impact closed-loop and off-stream pumped storage projects
- Improving coordination between FERC, federally recognized tribes, and resource agencies in the hydropower licensing, relicensing and license surrender processes
- Shifts Federal Power Act (FPA) § 4(e) mandatory conditioning authority from the U.S. Department of the Interior to a Federally Recognized Tribe for any project located on land held in trust within the exterior boundaries of a Tribal reservation
- Clarifying the scope of environmental effects that may be considered in hydropower relicensing and ensuring that mandatory conditions submitted by certain federal agencies under sections 4(e) and 18 of the Federal Power Act address effects of the licensed project
- Improving the processes for surrendering licenses and removing non-operating dams
- Coordinating federal decision-making by directing FERC to convene a conference between agencies with conditioning authority and establish a joint schedule, allowing for the timely completion of all federal authorization decisions
“The Community and Hydropower Improvement Act is a landmark bipartisan bill that will protect and expand critical hydropower resources by streamlining and expediting the FERC licensing process and improving inter-agency coordination,” said Malcolm Woolf, CEO & President of the National Hydropower Association. “The current permitting process is bogged down with high costs and delays, leading to uncertainty and threatening 17 gigawatts of carbon-free, flexible energy currently on our grid. This strategic package proposes practical improvements to the hydropower permitting process, and with nearly half of the non-federal fleet coming up for relicensing, today’s hearing is a step in the right direction to protecting these vital hydropower resources and ensuring a clean energy future.”
“This is a package of smart, strategic updates to make the process work better for everyone,” said Tom Kiernan, President of American Rivers. “Healthy rivers are essential to all life. By improving the process for licensing, relicensing and decommissioning dams, and by restoring autonomy and self-determination to tribes, we will improve outcomes for rivers, the electric grid, and communities nationwide.”
Background
This legislation was informed by years of negotiations across a wide range of stakeholders convened under Stanford University’s Uncommon Dialogue on Hydropower, River Restoration and Public Safety, administered by the Woods Institute for the Environment and led by Dan W. Reicher. Members of the hydropower industry, environmental organizations, conservation groups, and Tribes came together to develop a legislative package to address and reform hydropower licensing.
In May, the White House expressed support for hydropower permitting reform, including it on the Administration’s priority sheet for clean energy. “We’ve got to fix the cost and delays that are bogging down the licensing process for hydropower projects. Hydro supplies 37 percent of zero-carbon power in the United States—and more than thirty percent of all the nonfederal hydropower licenses in the United States are set to expire by 2030,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. “It’s time to reform the process so we can keep this crucial energy source online.”
The hearing will be webcast live on the committee’s website, and an archived video will be available shortly after the hearing concludes.
For more information, please contact Kelly Rogers with NHA at kelly@hydro.org or Amy Souers Kober with American Rivers at akober@americanrivers.org.
Statement by American Rivers
Contact: Amy Souers Kober, 503-708-1145
In today’s ruling on Sackett v. EPA, the Supreme Court dramatically narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act, undoing protections that have safeguarded the nation’s waters for over 50 years. Because it erases critical protections for tens of millions of acres of wetlands, the court’s ruling threatens the clean drinking water sources for millions of Americans.
Overturning federal protections for wetlands makes them vulnerable to pollution and harmful development, which impacts water quality, groundwater supplies, flood protection, and habitat for plants, fish, and wildlife. It will also make it more expensive to treat our water, driving up costs for millions of people. The court’s ruling will allow further destruction of wetlands, which will increase the rate and severity of flooding and flood damages in many places.
Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of American Rivers, made the following statement:
“The court’s ruling is a serious blow to wetlands, which are essential to clean, affordable drinking water, public health, and flood protection. Today’s ruling puts rivers and people at greater risk from pollution and harm. We urge state officials, the Biden Administration, and Congress to act quickly to safeguard rivers, wetlands, and streams that are so vital to our health and safety, environment, and economy. Rivers should unite us, not divide us.”
“Without strong, science-based protections, the rivers and wetlands that are the lifeblood of our nation will suffer irreparable harm. We risk going backwards to a time of beach closures and rivers choked with pollution. This ruling will exacerbate environmental injustices as the worst impacts harm communities of color. American Rivers will continue to stand with local partners and frontline communities to secure equitable protections for rivers and clean water nationwide. ”
About American Rivers
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visit AMERICANRIVERS.ORG.