[env-trinity] Bureau extends public comment period for Shasta Dam raise proposal

[Dan Bacher]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/09/1168576/-Bureau-extends- 
public-comment-period-for-Shasta-Dam-raise-proposal

"An 18.5 foot dam raise would damage or flood about 40 of our sacred  
sites, and permanently submerge our Coming of Age ceremony site,"  
said Caleen Sisk, Chief and Spiritual Leader of the Winnemem Wintu  
Tribe. "Help our efforts to protecting sacred sites, clean rivers and  
healthy salmon runs! Tell them you support the protection of Winnemem  
sacred sites and our freedom of religion!"

Photo of Shasta Dam courtesy of Bureau of Reclamation.



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original image ( 1280x1600)

Bureau extends public comment period for Shasta Dam raise proposal

by Dan Bacher

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday an extension of the  
comment period for the Draft Feasibility Report on the "Shasta Lake  
Water Resources Investigation," the controversial plan to raise  
Shasta Dam to increase the reservoir's capacity, to Monday, January  
28. The public comment period was originally scheduled to end on  
Friday, December 28.

"Reclamation initially released the Draft Feasibility Report in  
February 2012," according to Pete Lucero, Bureau spokesman. "Any  
additional comments from interested individuals, agencies and  
organizations will be accepted through January 28. All comments  
received will be considered as we complete the remaining engineering,  
environmental, economic, and financial studies and related reports."

The raising of Shasta Dam is opposed by the Winnemem Wintu Tribe,  
fishing organizations, conservation groups and environmental justice  
advocates for a multitude of reasons. It would flood many of the  
Tribe's remaining sacred ceremonial sites on the McCloud River that  
weren't already flooded by Shasta Dam.

The dam expansion project, in tandem with the Bay Delta Conservation  
Plan (BDCP) to build to build the peripheral tunnels, would also  
hasten the extinction of Central Valley salmon, steelhead, Delta  
smelt, longfin smelt, green sturgeon and other fish species.

The announcement took place just one day after it was revealed that  
the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California will  
vote December 11 on a proposal including the raising of Shasta Dam as  
a "state legislative action priority." (http://www.dailykos.com/story/ 
2012/12/05/1167557/--MWD-to-vote-on-support-for-legislative-action-to- 
raise-Shasta-Dam)

The MWD staff recommends support for "administrative/legislative  
actions to remove existing prohibition for state funding to raise  
Shasta Dam."

See page 3 of the MWD document at: http://mwdh2o.granicus.com/ 
MetaViewer.php?view_id=12&event_id=208&meta_id=66253

"An 18.5 foot dam raise would damage or flood about 40 of our sacred  
sites, and permanently submerge our Coming of Age ceremony site,"  
said Caleen Sisk, Chief and Spiritual Leader of the Winnemem Wintu  
Tribe. "Help our efforts to protecting sacred sites, clean rivers and  
healthy salmon runs! Tell them you support the protection of Winnemem  
sacred sites and our freedom of religion!"

What can you do?

First, contact MWD Executive Officer Jeff Kightlinger, (213) 217-6139  
and OfficeoftheGeneralManager2 [at] mwdh2o.com, indicating your  
opposition to the Shasta Dam expansion.

Second, send your written comments regarding the Bureau's proposal to  
raise Shasta Dam via email to BOR-MPR-SLWRI [at] usbr.gov or by mail  
to the address below. The Draft Feasibility Report is available on  
Reclamation’s website at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/slwri/index.html.

Katrina Chow, Project Manager
Bureau of Reclamation
2800 Cottage Way, MP-720
Sacramento, CA 95825-1893

For questions, contact Katrina Chow at 916-978-5067 or fax your  
request to 916-978-5094. To request an electronic copy of the draft  
documents, contact Louis Moore at 916-978-5106 (TTY 916-978-5608) or  
by email at wmoore [at] usbr.gov.

Copies of the documents may also be viewed at Reclamation’s Regional  
Library, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, by calling 916-978-5593.

For additional information about the "Shasta Lake Water Resources  
Investigation," please visit http://www.usbr.gov/mp/slwri/index.html.

For more information about the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, go to: http:// 
www.winnememwintu.us 
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