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Hi Friends,
The latest news from PG&E is that they plan to drag their feet the entire way down the path to Eel River dam removal. I've got a toddler, I know how to handle this kind of behavior, and Friends of the Eel River isn't backing down now.
Last week the company published their schedule for license surrender activities. While we appreciate their apparent enthusiasm for consultation with agencies, Tribes, and stakeholders, proposing to take 30 months is just too long. The Two Basin Partnership already spent five years trying to reach an agreement among stakeholders and with PG&E - the company was unwilling to engage in meaningful negotiations. And while FERC regulations do require consultation, PG&E is only legally required to provide a 30-day comment period. Somewhere between 30-days and 30-months is a more reasonable timeline for developing their license surrender plan. Stay tuned for an action alert to tell FERC what a reasonable plan should look like.
PG&E also submitted a response to a letter from the National Marine Fisheries Service, in which they boldly challenge the authority of the agency responsible for managing harms to endangered species. PG&E has made it clear that they are fine with continuing to kill endangered species and do not believe anyone has authority to make them stop. As Round Valley Indian Tribes put it in their recent letter, implementing the Interim Protective Measures proposed by NMFS "will help ensure protection and improvement of the Eel River fishery while PG&E proceeds with the License Surrender and Decommissioning process".
We're working hard to hold PG&E accountable. We are working with allies to engage the California Public Utilities Commission to ensure that PG&E allocates sufficient funds for decommissioning; we're supporting on-going genetic research on the Endangered Northern California summer steelhead - the fish with the most to gain from dam removal on the Eel; and we're preparing to file a federal Endangered Species Act lawsuit against PG&E for their continued operation of a project that harms, harasses, and kills endangered species.
Please consider a generous donation today to support this critically important work. With your help, the Eel River will soon be the longest free-flowing river in the entire state!
See below to meet our new intern, sign up to volunteer with us at the North Country Fair in Arcata, attend Salmonid Restoration Federation's Coho Confab on the South Fork Eel, or work with our colleagues at CalWild!
For the fish,
Alicia Hamann
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Meet our Outreach Intern
Clary is a third-year student at Western Washington University’s College of the Environment, studying Environmental Education and Eco-Social Justice. She is passionate about using both photography and writing as tools for public outreach and education. While interning with Friends of the Eel, Clary is writing for our Sifting Through the Studies blog series, and developing educational social media content.
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WHAT: Volunteer in our booth at the North Country Fair. Help us raise awareness about our work and sell merchandise.
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, September 17 &18. Volunteer shifts between 11am - 5pm
WHERE: Arcata Plaza
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Salmonid Restoration Federation's Coho Confab
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WHAT: 24th Annual Coho Confab
WHEN: September 9 -11, 2022
WHERE: Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Buddhist Retreat Center, 66000 Drive Thru Tree Rd 95585 Leggett, CA
The Coho Confab is a field symposium to learn about watershed restoration and techniques to restore and recover coho salmon populations. The Confab provides an ideal opportunity to network with other fish-centric people and to participate in field tours that highlight innovative salmon restoration practices. This year, SRF is collaborating with several groups to produce this educational event including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Cal Trout, NOAA Fisheries, Stillwater Sciences, Eel River Watershed Improvement Group, Trout Unlimited, Pacific Watershed Associates, and other restoration partners.
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Work With Our Friends at CalWild
 The California Wilderness Coalition is hiring for an engagement manager to help further their work protecting and restoring the Golden State’s wildest remaining lands and waters for the benefit of present and future generations. Click here for more information and to apply to work with this stellar organization.
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