Congressman John Garamendi Submits Formal Comments to FERC Demanding a Delay in the Relicensing of the Oroville Dam

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, Davis, Yuba City, CA), whose constituents were forced to evacuate during the Oroville Dam crisis in February 2017, submitted formal comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requesting a delay in the relicensing of the Oroville Facilities Project. The full letter is available here.

"All available evidence demands a delay in the relicensing of the Oroville Dam," said Garamendi. "First, both the emergency and auxiliary spillways at the dam have undergone significant structural changes since the last environmental review was completed nearly a decade ago. Second, the Independent Forensic Team has said that there has been a long-term systematic failure to recognize and address inherent design and construction weaknesses in the dam. It would be the height of irresponsibility to relicense the dam without requiring DWR to develop a comprehensive plan to address every issue raised in the report."

In November, Congressmembers Garamendi and Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) introduced a bipartisan amendment to H.R. 3043 that would require FERC to conduct a supplemental environmental review. Unfortunately, this amendment was not even given a vote in the full House.