On Oct. 17, 2003 Chelan County PUD submitted a Comprehensive Settlement Agreement to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The Comprehensive Settlement Agreement is estimated to cost $53 million over a proposed 50-year license term. The Settlement Agreement was signed by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, NOAA Fisheries, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Colville Confederated Tribes, the city of Chelan and the American Whitewater Affiliation.

After submission of the Comprehensive Settlement Agreement, a major roadblock delayed FERC’s review in 2004.  Though Ecology had issued a state water quality certification for the dam in the spring of 2003, it was challenged before the state Pollution Control Hearing Board (PCHB). Chelan PUD and Ecology successfully defended the certification in March, 2004 and Ecology issued a final certification in June, 2004.

Before it could complete its environmental review, FERC also needed a biological opinion from NOAA Fisheries.  A biological opinion discusses whether issuing the new license would adversely affect endangered endangered species - in this case, salmon and steelhead. NOAA Fisheries issued its final biological opinion in October, 2005.  FERC now has all the materials its needs to analyze the Lake Chelan Project settlement agreement and issue a new license for the Project.  

Status as of November 6, 2006

On November 6, 2006, a new 50-year license was received for the Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project.  The new license is based on the settlement agreement submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on October 17, 2003.  Please visit the Lake Chelan Project license implementation website for further updates. 

This site is an information resource for agencies, organizations and public interest groups, as well as anyone else interested in the relicensing of the Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project.

The index on your left is divided into sections on the relicensing process, meeting schedules and minutes, correspondence logs, study plans, and the Initial Consultation Document. Please note that some sections will appear blank until information is completed and/or published.

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions after reviewing this site, we'd like to hear from you.
Please contact: e-mail: kris.pomianek@chelanpud.org  Thank you.  

Public Utility District No.1 of Chelan County
327 North Wenatchee Avenue
P.O. Box 1231
Wenatchee, Washington 98807-1231
(509) 663-8121
toll-free in Washington State (888) 663-8121

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