The hugely popular dameffects website (www.dameffects.org) is now available in Spanish.

The end of Washington's 2009 legislative session saw constituent based Initiative 937 protected and still in effect -- but not without almost daily changes to both energy and river impacts.  

It is clear that America needs to act quickly to replace fossil fuel energy technologies with renewable energy.  But we will not solve our energy problems by building new dams -- especially inefficient low-power dams where the energy benefits fail to outweigh the environmental impacts.

Hydropower and Washington’s Renewable
Energy Goals

In support of Washington's citizen based Initiative 937 (promoting development of renewable energy and the new jobs, investment, science and economy this would mean for the state), the Hydropower Reform Coalition developed this Hydropower FAQ to offset the call to build new dams and to allow these dams to be eligible to review renewable energy credits. 

LOW POWER, BIG PROBLEMS

Hydopower Reform Coalition's paper on how Low-Power Hydropower Dams Hurt Rivers.

Whether it is in response to the environmental crisis of climate change or our overreliance on imported fuels, it is clear that America needs to act quickly to replace fossil fuel energy technologies with renewable energy. It is equally imperative, however, that we do not destroy the environment we are trying to save by blindly rushing to develop low-emissions energy sources that will result in serious environmental harm. We will not solve our energy problems by building new dams – especially inefficient low-power dams where the energy benefits fail to outweigh the environmental impacts – but we will cause irreparable harm to our rivers.

Proposed dams move forward on Washington's Similkameen River.  Enloe Dam announces scoping meetings, preliminary permit issued for Shankers Bend Project.

On Halloween, American Rivers, American Whitewater, the Center for Environmental Law and Policy, the North Cascades Conservation Council, and the Columbia River BioRegionalal Education Project requested that FERC require the PUD#1 of Okanogan County to perform additional studies before the application for a new Enloe Dam License (Project No. 12569).  Studies included:

Fish Passage, Historical Range of Anadromous Fish
and Habitat Suitability

Aquatic Resources and Habitat Flow

Aesthetic Flow Evaluation

Recreation Needs Analysis

Value of Generation

The PG&E report changes the equation regarding Canadian hydroelectric power being sold to US markets, as IPP’s (independent power producers) have long argued that the power produced from local resources would remain in BC. It also affects US Consumers in two ways: 1. in our need to be involved and educated about BC river issues, and 2. Potential future changes to California’s existing Renewable Portfolio Standard, and to new National Portfolio Standards which may be established after the upcoming election.

American Whitewater/Washington State Agencies file petitions for rehearing of an August decision of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission finding that the licensee for the Sullivan Creek Project has no need to relicense the project.