U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has moved to block the planned removal of the Potter Valley Project dams on Northern California's Eel River. The intervention has disrupted a compromise between local farmers, the Round Valley Indian Tribe and utility Pacific Gas and Electric. The dams, which are in poor condition, have been slated for demolition after years of negotiation.
The project once generated hydroelectric power but has not operated in years due to sediment buildup and drought. PG&E secured an agreement last year to remove the dams after the tribe accepted reduced water flows in exchange for payments toward ecosystem restoration. Rollins has held meetings with local opponents and filed comments with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requesting suspension of the license surrender. She warned that removal would devastate family farms and put USDA investments at risk. Tribal President Joseph Parker said the tribe would assert its senior water rights if the deal is blocked. An unrelated Southern California water district has expressed interest in taking over the dams, though no formal proposal has been submitted. FERC has begun its environmental assessment and described retention as infeasible. Opponents and supporters continue to exchange public records requests amid the dispute.