HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.3.19 Letter to Governor Newsom re Hydropower as a Renewable Energy Source Waugh, Melanie
From: McCracken, Shari
Sent: Thursday, October 3, 2019 4:10 PM
To: BOS
Cc: Clerk of the Board; Gosselin, Paul; Hatcher, Casey
Subject: Letter to Governor Newsom re: hydropower as a renewable energy source
Board Members,
Attached is a copy of the letter you requested I send to the Governor relating to the Miocene Canal and requesting
hydropower be considered a renewable energy source.
Shari
10,3.19 Governor
Newsom- hydr...
$floizA
Chief Administrative Officer
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965
T: 530.552.3305 M: 530,990.5029
***please note this is a new phone number and, update your records accordingly*"
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Butte County Administration Shari McCracken
0080010,140 Chief Administrative Officer
400,411.10,
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200 T: 530.5523300
buttecount .net administration
Butte County Oroville, California 95965 F: 530.538.7120
CALIFORNIA *
Members of the Board
Bill Connelly I Debra Luceto I Tami Ritter I Steve Lambert I Doug Teeter
October 3, 2019
Governor Gavin Newsom
1303 10th Street, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: California Renewables Portfolio Standards- Hydropower
Dear Governor Newsom:
Butte County appreciates the efforts on the part of your Administration to advance renewable
energy and zero-carbon resources for California. Through the Public Utilities Commission,the
California Renewable Portfolio Standards provide the utility industry with the acceptable
renewal energy sources to meet state mandated requirements. Unfortunately,the California
Renewable Portfolio Standard does not include hydropower from hydroelectric generation
facilities. We find the exclusion of hydropower, including small hydropower, short-sighted and
detrimental.
Every energy source, including renewables, has risks and impacts. The failure to include
hydropower as an eligible renewable or zero emission energy source is counter-productive to
advancing California's renewable energy portfolio. Additionally,the elimination of many
economically viable hydroelectric facilities is causing unintended consequences on local water
supplies, ecosystems, and the local economy. Butte County has direct experience on the
devastation that resulted from this policy. PG&E's hydroelectric facilities include canals such as
the Miocene and Upper Centerville, For over a century, these canals have been integral to the
water supply for homes, farms and the wetland corridor. The hydroelectric facility that includes
the aforementioned canals is being abandoned after damage sustained during the Camp Fire,
with one reason given by PG&E that it is an unsustainable business model for local facilities if
hydropower is not considered a renewable power source. Without water from these canals,
the homes, agricultural businesses and wetlands dependent upon the water have been
devastated. If hydropower is returned as a viable part of California's power portfolio,the
beneficial uses could continue.
Given the profound energy and natural resource challenges facing California, Butte County
requests that the Administration revisit the policy of not supporting hydropower. The loss of
hydropower should be evaluated in the development of the Administration's Water Resilience
Portfolio (Executive Order N-1049). Additionally,the Legislature is considering a number of
legislative options to include hydropower as part of California's Renewable Portfolio. We
support these efforts and strongly urge your Administration to include hydroelectric generation
as part of the California Renewable Portfolio.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Shari McCracken
Chief Administrative Officer
cc: Butte County Board of Supervisors
Senator Jim Nielsen
Senator Brian Dahle
Assemblymember James Gallagher
California Public Utilities Commission
Paul Yoder,Shaw/Yoder/Antwih, Inc,