On May 10, 2006, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) staff issued a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) for the relicensing of the Bryson, East Fork, and West Fork Hydroelectric Projects and for the surrender of the Dillsboro Hydroelectric Project.
Comments on the DEA are due June 9, 2006. The DEA evaluates the environmental consequences of the operation and maintenance of the Tuckasegee Hydroelectric Projects in North Carolina. The DEA also evaluates the environmental effects of implementing the applicant’s proposals, agency and non-governmental organization recommendations, staff’s modifications, and the no-action alternative.
A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 8, 2006, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Jackson County Justice and Administration Building, Courtroom # 2, 401 Grindstaff Cove Road; Sylva, NC 28779.
At this meeting, resource agency personnel and other interested persons will have the opportunity to provide oral and written comments and recommendations regarding the DEA for the Commission’s public record. These meetings will be recorded by an official stenographer.
It is very important for paddlers interested in the fate of the West Fork of the Tuckasegee (Class IV), the main Tuckasegee (Class II), and in Dillsboro Dam to attend this meeting and/or voice your opinions regarding these fantastic public resources in oral or written comments. FERC will be present to take all comments and include them in the formal record for the projects.
American Whitewater signed a settlement agreement with Duke Power, the resource agencies, and many other stakeholders in 2003 that calls for several recreational releases on the West Fork of the Tuckasegee, access trails and parking for the West Fork, a robust schedule of recreational releases on the mainstem of the Tuckasegee, multiple river access areas along the Tuck, the removal of Dillsboro Dam, and much much more. We fully support this agreement and FERC has largely adopted the agreement with several changes and ommissions.
Last week American Whitewater filed written comments on the DEA which can be read at: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/resources/repository/AW%20Tuck%20EA%20Comments.doc. Our primary points are that we:
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Support the Tuckasegee Cooperative Stakeholder Team Settlement Agreement 100%.
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Appreciate FERC endorsing 7 recreational releases and access to the West Fork of the Tuckasegee.
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Appreciate FERC endorsing the removal of Dillsboro Dam, which we feel certain will restore critical ecological connectivity and function in a biologically diverse reach of river. In addition the removal of the dam will restore roughly a mile of river, which will have recreational benefits.
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Appreciate FERC endorsing the mainstem Tuckasegee recreational release schedule developed with anglers, boaters, agencies, and Duke which will provide 186 days of predictable releases each year suitable for angling and boating.
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Encourage FERC to reconsider including the recommended public river access areas on the mainstem of the Tuckasegee in the new license.
While hard to believe, there is significant opposition to the removal of Dillsboro Dam and to the provision of flows and access on the West Fork of the Tuckasegee. We ask that paddlers consider voicing their support for these provisions, and tell FERC how all of the above bulletted measures will benefit them.
For further information from the FERC regarding the meeting, please contact Carolyn Holsopple at (202) 502-6407, or by e-mail at carolyn.holsopple@ferc.gov.
You can read the full FERC DEA at: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/resources/repository/West%20Fork%20FERC%20EA.doc
If you can’t make the meeting, you can file comments directly with the FERC. This is not the easiest process but we have a guide to help: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/toolkit/Hydro/FERC%20procedures/FilingTemplates/Electronicfiling.doc