Liz Writes Life: State Water Resources Control Board wants corrections from Liz Bowen

On, Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, the below letter was published by the Siskiyou Daily News. Editor Skye Kincade sent it to be in an email and is below -- with no changes.

I addressed his concerns and made corrections in my Jan. 29, 2019 Liz Writes Life.

-- Liz Bowen

Hello Skye –

We would like to request a correction to several assertions in Liz Bowen’s column posted on Jan. 22, which contained inaccuracies about the State Water Resources Control Board’s water quality certification for the Klamath Dams removal project.

Ms. Bowen’s column incorrectly states that the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board “announced continued support of removal of the four hydro-electric dams…in its draft Environmental Impact Report”. The CEQA document for the water quality certification is not from the North Coast Regional Water Board. It was prepared by staff at the State Water Resources Control Board. The State Water Board has not expressed “continued support” for the project, and is not a party to the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement, which forms the basis for the project. The role of the State Water Board is to evaluate the application for water quality certification, prepare an environmental review document (the draft EIR) and issue appropriate conditions to address water quality issues that may result from the proposed project. The draft EIR looks at potential impacts associated with the proposed project and measures that may be implemented to avoid, minimize, and mitigate for impacts. The draft EIR also looks at a range of alternatives, and identified the Proposed Project as the environmentally superior alternative. Also contrary to the column, the water quality certification is a required step in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission process, and therefore, not premature.

A public comment period on the draft EIR is open and runs until Feb. 26. Several public meetings are scheduled in February to provide information and take oral comments on the draft EIR. For more information:

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/water_quality_cert/docs/lower_klamath_ferc14803_deir/noa.pdf

We appreciate your consideration on this issue.

Tim Moran

Public Information Officer

State Water Resources Control Board

Timothy.moran@waterboards.ca.gov

(916) 327-8239

Skye Kinkade

Editor

Siskiyou Daily News

skinkade@siskiyoudaily.com

www.siskiyoudaily.com