New deal advances dam removal
Tribal leaders are one step closer to Klamath River restoration and dam removal after reaching a new agreement with government officials and the owner of the K lamath dams.
Karuk and Yurok tribal leaders joined California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, and Greg Abel, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, in a meeting Tuesday to announce an agreement to provide additional resources for the removal of four Klamath dams.
After years of negotiations, the amended Klamath Hydroelectr ic Settlement Agreement was signed by 23 parties in 2016.
T he KHSA specif ied that ownership of the four Klamath dams would be transferred from PacifiCorp to the newly established Klamath River Renewal Corporation.
However, the KHSA hit a snag in July 2020 after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission only approved a partial transfer of ownership to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, requiring Pacificorp to stay a co-licensee.
The new agreement is intended to address the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s concerns.
“With this agreement, we are closer than ever to restoring access to 400 miles of salmon habitat which will be a boom to the local economy,” Newsom said. “I am grateful for the partnership between California and Oregon, the Yurok and Karuk tribes and Berkshire Hathaway that proves when we work together, we can build a better, more inclusive future for all.”
Critically, the agreement asks FERC to remove Pacificorp from the license agreement and add the states of California and Oregon as well as the Klamath River Renewal Corporation. It also doubles the contingency fund held by KRRC and contractors.
Yurok Tr ibal Chairman Joseph James said today’s agreement represents “more than a concrete project coming down.”
“It’s a new day and a new era for California tribes,” James said. “At its heart, dam removal is about healing and restoration for the river, for the salmon, and for our people. We have never wavered from this obligation and we are pleased to see dam removal come closer to reality through this agreement.”
“The Karuk people have been dependent on Klamath River salmon, steelhead, eels and sturgeon from the beginning of time,” said Karuk Tribal Chairman Russell “Buster” Attebery.
“We are more confident than ever that future generations of Karuk will enjoy the benefits of a healthy Klamath River just as their ancestors did dating back to the beginning of time. Most importantly, this moment is a testament to years of devotion and hard work by the community of activists representing all tribes on the river who have never tired of demanding justice for their communities.”
Speaking on behalf of Berkshire Hathaway-owned Pacificorp, Abel expressed his appreciation for the new agreement.
“We know removal of these dams is incredibly important to these tribes and is a matter of social, economic and racial justice,” Abel said.
“There were challenges, but it delivers so many positive outcomes. Every time we hit a roadblock there was an understanding that we needed to overcome it, and I believe that mutual recognition and respect for each other’s core needs have helped this partnership lead to a very successful outcome.”
North Coast U. S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-san Rafael) lauded the move in a news release.
“I’ve been warning for months that a failure to keep Klamath dam removal on track would not only imperil the cultural and economically vital salmon fisheries on the river, but would irreparably damage Berkshire Hathaway and Pacificorp’s reputations,” Huffman said. “It appears that message was received, and (Berkshire Hathaway CEO) Warren Buffett has done the right thing to work with the Yurok and Karuk tribes and the states to get it done. The states’ efforts and willingness to take this on have been nothing short of remarkable.”
There was some skepticism expressed by longtime advocates of dam removal.