Will Parrish wrote an article in the Bohemian about the 1,100 unpermitted draws on the Russian River. What would do without Eel River water?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: North Coast County Supervisors Plotting Russian River Water Grab
North Coast Supervisors plotting Russian River water grab.
This is a very important uncovering of an initiative so far being conducted mostly behind closed doors, with multiple governments, agencies and organizations regarding the future of PG&E’s Potter Valley Project.
It is critical that any proposals for public ownership, partnership, management, public-private partnerships, or other relationship with a proposed future for PG&E’s Potter Valley Project be fully conducted in public. To date, the Eel Russian River Commission and other public agencies have dismally failed to do that.
It is vital that any such discussions and proposals allow the public and ratepayers to be fully aware of the high costs, financial liabilities and risks to the public, to our North Coast salmon and steelhead, to the future reliability of water supplies, and to our environment that are intrinsically connected to the Potter Valley Project. These costs and liabilities are easily well above $100M, and much greater with dam failure, as evidenced in the avoidable tragedies of Oroville Dam.
As PG&E continues their quest to divest themselves of the liabilities, obligations and costs of the Potter Valley Project, public understanding and informed participation is of the essence for our ratepayers and our government.