The Legal Planet blog published a short article about the Klamath Dam Removal legislation focusing on the economic benefits to Siskiyou County:
The Department of Interior, along with other state and local agencies, have released a variety of studies, including a draft EIS on the proposed dam removal. PacifiCorp would pay for the removal. The federal government would contribute an estimated $536 million for environmental restoration. According to studies to date, dam removal would increase median adult Chinook production in the Klamath basin by 81%. Removal would improve water quality, reduce fish disease and create thousands of jobs (see L.A. Times summary), including fishing and agricultural jobs.
The Department of Interior, along with other state and local agencies, have released a variety of studies, including a draft EIS on the proposed dam removal. PacifiCorp would pay for the removal. The federal government would contribute an estimated $536 million for environmental restoration. According to studies to date, dam removal would increase median adult Chinook production in the Klamath basin by 81%. Removal would improve water quality, reduce fish disease and create thousands of jobs (see L.A. Times summary), including fishing and agricultural jobs.
The reaction of media sites to the Draft EIS/EIR studies has been overwhelmingly positive, though each acknowledges the difficult balancing act whenever disparate groups come together and attempt to forge an agreement.
The four lower Klamath Dams will come out because the health of the river demands it — and because it’s far cheaper to remove them than retrofit them to modern standards, after which they’d operate at a $20 million annual loss.
