On Thursday, February 24, 2011, American Whitewater’s California Stewardship Director Dave Steindorf presented at the Northwest Hydroelectric Association’s annual conference in Portland, Oregon. The theme of the conference was “Hydropower: Generating a Clean Future.” Dave was a member of a panel that discussed the lessons learned from addressing conflicting expectations while negotiating and implementing 30 to 50 year FERC licenses ("Long Licenses, Short Memories"). He and other panelists from NOAA Fisheries, the Forest Service and a local county PUD outlined recommendations for making the FERC relicensing process run more smoothly. Dave spoke to the importance of having clear language in the license and keeping a record of the rationale behind licensing decisions. Initial license implementation often occurs years after a settlement is reached, and clarity is essential for making the process move forward smoothly.
Other panelists spoke to the importance of being open to change throughout the process, and addressing issues head on as they arise. These lessons have proven true for American Whitewater’s experiences in California, where license amendments on the Feather, Pit and Kern Rivers impacted whitewater recreation. Our participation throughout the relicensing and implementation process has been critical in protecting the gains we made during the initial relicensing of these projects.
American Whitewater is committed to representing the interests of the river and of whitewater recreation in dam relicensing proceedings throughout the country. Dam relicensing is a long and difficult process that requires patience, consistency and persistence. The lessons we’ve learned from the licenses that we have negotiated have made us recognized as experts in the field of relicensing and long-term license implementation. Our participation in conferences such as this one can help to educate both agencies and utilities, and will hopefully improve the process in the future.
To view the presentations from the conference, including the "Long Licenses, Short Memories" panel, click on the "2011 Speakers" tab on the NWHA Annual Conference page.