On July 16 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) made the decision to partially transfer the Klamath River dams to a dam removal entity with conditions that PacifiCorp remained a co-licensee. PacifiCorp might not remove the dams despite having collected $450 million from ratepayers and taxpayers for dam removal.
Please follow the link above to sign the petition encouraging Warren Buffett, majority shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway and PacifiCorp to move forward with the removal of the Klamath River Dams. Here are a few reasons in which dam removal is important to this historic watershed:
- Shallow, stagnant reservoirs breed toxic algae and decimate water quality, pushing Klamath salmon, especially Spring Chinook salmon, to the brink of extinction.
- Anadromous species have lost access to over 420 miles of spawning grounds and habitat. The Klamath Tribes have not had access to salmon in over 100 years.
- A lack of salmon and clean water directly contributes to ongoing health issues in the region, including high rates of diabetes and heart disease for native people.
- Dwindling salmon populations make it so fishermen and communities can not subsist from salmon fisheries, contributing to poverty and a loss of livelihood in Oregon and California.
- Financially, dam removal is cheaper than retrofitting improvements in the form of fish ladders.
If you have any questions about this campaign, please visit the Wild & Free Klamath River campaign page or reach out to our Southern Oregon Regional Coordinator Kirk Blaine kirk@nativefishsociety.org.