| January 23, 1998
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Marty Douglass
COURT APPEAL REGARDING DAM RELICENSING MAY DELAY IMPROVEMENTS TO LEABURG, WALTERVILLE PROJECTS, FRUSTRATES EWEB Friday's announcement that several environmental groups are challenging the federal approval of a renewed operating license for Eugene Water & Electric Board's Leaburg and Walterville hydroelectric projects disappointed EWEB, and could delay installation of fish protection measures at the two McKenzie River projects. The license, issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last year, survived a rehearing and was recently upheld by the federal agency. At the heart of the license challenge is the amount of water EWEB would divert from the McKenzie River, as well as the impact of the hydroelectric projects on fish and water quality. The license calls for minimum flows in the project areas to be increased to 1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). EWEB has voluntarily observed those flow levels for several years. "The environmental groups question the new minimum flow level, but it was based on thorough study and the best scientific information available," says EWEB Environmental Manager Laurie Power. "We repeatedly asked for data justifying the requested higher flows, yet that data was never brought forward." In addition to the increased river flow, the new license calls for EWEB to install over $12 million in fish protection and recreation improvements in the project area. Those improvements include a new fish screen above the Walterville powerhouse, a new fish diversion below the Walterville powerhouse, and a new fish ladder at Leaburg Dam. "The environmental groups' challenge is extremely disappointing," says EWEB Electric Division Director Garry Kunkel. "It questions the integrity of a very inclusive and open process that we have undertaken and has prompted us to review the financial prudence of continuing this year with the design and construction of fish protection equipment at the projects." EWEB has been in the relicensing process for over 12 years. Part of that process involved a citizens committee, known as the McKenzie Network Group, which assisted EWEB in developing its relicensing proposal. The Walterville and Leaburg projects account for six percent of Eugene's power supply. The Walterville Hydroelectric Project was built almost 90 years ago and the Leaburg Hydroelectric Project was built over 60 years ago. -30-
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