DEQ to hold hearings June 12 on proposed Klamath Falls dam removal
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality will hold two public hearings on the proposed decommissioning of the J.C. Boyle Dam, reservoir, powerhouse and all associated structures with the Lower Klamath Project.
DEQ has completed a draft Clean Water Act section 401 Water Quality Certification for the proposed decommissioning. The J.C. Boyle Development is a hydroelectric facility on the Klamath River downstream of Keno, Oregon and above the Oregon-California border.
The hearings are set for 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on June 12 at the Oregon Institute of Technology's College Union Auditorium. The college is at 3201 Campus Drive, Klamath Falls.
Klamath River Renewal Corporation applied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a license to decommission the J.C. Boyle Development. The federal Clean Water Act and FERC require DEQ to determine if the proposed decommissioning will comply with the state's water quality rules. In September 2017, Klamath River Renewal Corporation filed an application with DEQ for section 401 Water Quality Certification.
The project will result in discharges to the Klamath River and may adversely affect water quality in the short term by reducing dissolved oxygen concentrations and increasing sediment in the Klamath River.
However, DEQ has determined the action will result in a net ecological benefit by increasing access to salmon habitat and improving long-term water quality. To protect fish and other aquatic life, the water quality certification will require Klamath River Renewal Corporation to limit sediment runoff, revegetate the reservoir, and monitor water quality.
In addition to accepting written and oral comments at the hearings, DEQ will accept written comments on the proposal during the public comment period. Send written comments to Chris Stine, Hydroelectric Specialist, DEQ, 165 E. 7th Ave. Suite 100, Eugene, OR, 97401. Comments are due by 5 p.m. Friday July 6, 2018.
DEQ will review all comments before making a decision to approve or deny the certification and may modify the proposal based on comments. View the draft certification and evaluation report at http://www.oregon.gov/deq/wq/wqpermits/Pages/Section-401-Hydropower.aspx
Katherine Benenati, Public Affairs Specialist, Eugene, 541-686-7997, benenati.katherine@deq.state.or.us