SierraScape April-May 2005
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information courtesy of Christine Favilla

The Department of the Interior (Interior) has proposed a new rule that would limit public participation in hydropower licensing proceedings. It would give private dam owners special status in determining their dams are regulated to protect the environment and recreational uses on public rivers.

Because their licenses to operate last 30 to 50 years, many hydropower dams have operated for decades on licenses that do not reflect today's environmental standards. The re-licensing process allows state and federal agencies to bring these dam operators' licenses up to modern standards for protecting river health and public uses. These new licenses dictate the health of the river for the next 30 to 50 years.

Under Interior's new rule, dam owners will be able to contest environmental, cultural, and recreational protections such as: fish ladders to allow fish access to habitat above and below dams; flow requirements to enhance habitat, recreation, and water quality; public campgrounds, boat ramps and swimming areas; and protection of cultural resources and treaty rights.

Yet members of the public will not be able to make similar challenges to inadequate protection of these public values. All interested parties, including the public, should receive open and careful appeals of license conditions that protect our rivers. An appeals process limited to dam owners and their lobbyists will be biased toward dam operators. It will create unequal access to decision-makers and politicize what should be science-based decisions.

How You Can Help: Please visit our action center at www.americanrivers.org/ and add your own personal comments to the sample letter urging the Interior to reconsider the hydropower appeals process available only to dam owners.