Environmental Impact Statements (EISs)

Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project (P-2106-059)
Issued: July 30, 2010

Commission Staff prepared a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the relicensing of Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) existing 368-megawatt McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project (McCloud-Pit Project). The project analyzed in the document is located on the McCloud and Pit Rivers in Shasta County, California.

PG&E used the Integrated Licensing Process and filed the license application for the McCloud-Pit Project on July 16, 2009. The project occupies a total of 1,622 acres of federal lands administered by the USDA - Forest Service. In its license application, PG&E proposed: (1) higher minimum instream flow releases in two project reaches: Lower McCloud River and Iron Canyon Creek; (2) measures to protect sensitive species; (3) measures to maintain and enhance project recreational opportunities; and (4) development and/or implementation of management plans that cover a range of resources, including: (a) water quality; (b) wildlife habitat and enhancement; (c) vegetation; (d) wildlife; (e) recreation; and (f) cultural resources. Commission staff evaluated PG&E's proposal, and recommendations made by state and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations, in the draft EIS.

In the draft EIS, Commission staff recommended the staff alternative, which consists of measures included in PG&E's proposal, as well as some of the mandatory conditions and recommendations made by state and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations, and some additional measures developed by the staff. The deadline to comment on the draft EIS is September 28, 2010.

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