Klamath Facilities Removal Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report

This Klamath Facilities Removal Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) evaluates the potential impacts of the removal of the four PacifiCorp1 dams on the Klamath River as contemplated in the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA). The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA), as well as the transfer of Keno Dam, will be treated and analyzed as a connected action. Together, these two agreements attempt to resolve long-standing conflicts in the Klamath River Basin, located in southern Oregon and northern California. The KHSA and KBRA provide for the restoration of native fisheries and sustainable water supplies throughout the Klamath River Basin. Specifically, the KHSA established a process for a Secretarial Determination. This process includes studies, environmental review, and a decision by the Secretary of the Interior regarding whether removal of J.C. Boyle, Copco 1, Copco 2, and Iron Gate Dams (1) will advance restoration of salmonid (salmon, steelhead, and trout) fisheries of the Klamath Basin, and (2) is in the public interest, which includes but is not limited to, consideration of potential impacts on affected local communities and Tribes.

This EIS/EIR has been prepared according to requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts resulting from the project alternatives on the physical, natural, and socioeconomic environment of the region are addressed.