The city of Portland is located in the state of Oregon. Federal regulators issued a final environmental impact statement on Friday in support of the demolition of four massive dams on the Klamath River.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is expected to vote on the project later this year.
The removal of the four hydroelectric dams on the lower Klamath River would be the biggest dam demolition project in US history.
The dam built near the Oregon-California border cut the river in half for salmon migration. Warming waters and low river flows have hit migratory salmon hard.
As the structures age and become less viable economically and as concerns grow about their environmental impact, the project on California's second- largest river would be at the forefront of a push to demolish them in the U.S.
The tribes of Northern California have been trying to remove the dams for a long time. They appreciated the newest news.
The light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. Everyone in the river communities has worked so hard to realize the vision of river restoration.
The population of coho salmon from the river has fallen by as much as 98%. The largest run of spring chinook salmon in the basin has dwindled.
The Yurok Tribe canceled fishing last year for the first time in history due to a lack of fall chinook. They purchased fish at a grocery store for their festival.
As many as 90% of juvenile salmon have tested positive for a disease when the river flows are low.
It would take hundreds of millions of dollars to retrofit the structures if the dams remained. The electricity generated by the dams no longer makes up a large part of the power portfolio.
Regulators initially refused to allow PacifiCorp to completely leave the project.
In 2020 there was a historic deal that made Oregon and California equal partners in the demolition. There were concerns that the available funds weren't enough to cover any overruns, so the deal added 45 million dollars to the budget.
One-third of the additional funds were provided by the three states that operate the hydroelectric dams.
Critics say governors in Oregon and California were irresponsible to assume financial responsibility for cost overruns and that part of the project is financed by a voter approved California water bond.
Some local and state officials worry about flood control and residents who live around a large dam have tried to stop the project.
The Iron Gate dam is located in Oregon and is one of the dams that would be demolished.
That's right.
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