December 18, 2003
Contacts:
Steve Wald, CHRC 510-644-2900 ext. 105,
Chuck Bonham, Trout Unlimited 510-528-4164
John Gangemi, American Whitewater 406-837-3155
CPUC Approves PG&E Bankruptcy Settlement
Protects 140,000 Acres of Watershed Land
BERKELEY, CA -The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a plan today that allows Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to exit bankruptcy. The plan contains an unprecedented commitment to protect 140,000 acres of the utility’s watershed lands, primarily located in California’s Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountains. This historic measure ensures the habitat, recreation, and other public values of these treasured lands will be protected forever.
At today’s hearing, Commissioner Peevey concluded his remarks with reference to the Lands Conservation Commitment. “Long after today’s events are forgotten, the people of California will have a priceless asset – 140,000 acres of Sierra lands in perpetuity, for their use.”
PG&E’s watershed lands surround its vast hydropower system, and encompass rivers, lakes, forests, and wetlands. The lands have historically been managed to buffer hydropower reservoirs from erosion, but with deregulation and then PG&E’s bankruptcy, the lands came under increased logging and development pressure. State agencies and conservation groups have been working to protect the lands for years.
“The PG&E holdings are a remarkable assemblage of ecologically and recreationally significant lands,” said Reed Holderman, Vice President and Regional Director of the Trust for Public Land. “Long term protection for wildlife and public recreation is a tremendous legacy for future generations and one of the largest land conservation accomplishments in California since the early 20th century.”
In June, negotiators for the CPUC and PG&E included the Lands Conservation Commitment as part of a proposed settlement agreement to PG&E’s bankruptcy. This fall, the proposed settlement was reviewed at the CPUC. A broad coalition of conservation groups, resource agencies, local governments, and industry associations agreed on a wide range of issues related to the governance and implementation of land conservation commitment. That stipulation is reflected in the final plan approved by the CPUC.
A diverse Stewardship Council will work with PG&E to identify the beneficial public values of each parcel and strategies to protect those values. PG&E will then apply to the CPUC for its permission to either donate the land or enter into a binding conservation easement. Each transaction is subject to public notice, comment, and review under the California Environmental Quality Act.
“We thank the Commission for this historic decision,” said Steve Wald, director of the California Hydropower Reform Coalition, a coalition of river conservation and recreation groups that helped craft the final agreement. “Now we look forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting to the business of collaboratively protecting and enhancing these lands.”
The Lands Conservation Commitment, maps, and descriptions of PG&E landholdings can be found at: www.calhrc.org
The California Hydropower Reform Coalition was formed by conservation, sportfishing, and river recreation organizations in 1997 to restore and enhance California rivers adversely affected by hydropower. The CHRC Steering Committee consists of American Rivers, American Whitewater, California Outdoors, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Trout, Foothill Conservancy, Friends of the River, Natural Heritage Institute, and Trout Unlimited.
Photo of Kings Canyon: https://images.americanwhitewater.org/photo/5345.jpg
