12/15/2025
๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ญ: ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐
๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐๐ ๐๐
Comment Deadline Extended: Voice Your Support for Dam Removal on the Eel River by December 19
In case you missed our previous Action Alerts about submitting a comment for PG&Eโs License Surrender Application (LSA) for the Potter Valley Project, you now have until December 19 to voice your support for a free flowing Eel River!
Since CalTroutโs inception over 50 years ago, we have been working to recover the incredible Eel River on Californiaโs rugged North Coast. Now, after years of effort, the Eel is on the precipice of becoming Californiaโs longest free-flowing river with PG&E poised to remove two dams that have separated the river from its headwaters for over 100 years.
Today, you have an important opportunity to make your voice heard. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has opened a commenting period for PG&Eโs License Surrender Application (LSA) for the Potter Valley Project. This is an important step in the process and a rare opportunity for the public to speak directly to FERC staff.
Help us free the Eel River! Submit a comment to FERC, following the instructions below, by Friday, December 19 by 2pm PST to make your voice heard.
Submit Comment by December 19
Instructions for filing a comment with FERC:
Navigate to FERC Online and follow on screen instructions.
Check your email for your eComment link.
Draft your comments in a Word or text file, so you can copy and paste them into the text box on FERC Online.
Search for docket number (P-77-332) and select the blue + symbol
Enter your comments in the text box, and select โSend Commentโ.
Submit Comment
What to say in your comment:
You donโt need any special knowledge to advocate for a free-flowing Eel River and restored fisheries. FERC needs to hear from all of us โ from you! Let them know why we care about a restored Eel River, our concerns, and above all, the need for dam removal to happen as soon as possible. Consider including the following points in your comment letter:
PG&E is removing the Eel River dams because they no longer generate electricity and have been uneconomical for several years, resulting in wasted money and resources.
Removing these dams is in the public interest and is the best outcome for Eel River communities and PG&E ratepayers.
The dams need to be removed as soon as possible to reduce costs to PG&E ratepayers, mitigate safety and maintenance issues, and restore the Eel River ecosystem.
The removal of these dams is critical for the recovery of salmon runs in the Eel River. A healthy Eel River fishery is important for Tribal, commercial, and recreational anglers.
The non-project use portion of the application is broadly supported by local water managers as a compromise that resolves longstanding regional tensions over water.
If you have particular expertise or interest in a specific area, you may have a unique opportunity to provide comments that FERC wonโt get elsewhere. The more specific, factual material in the record, the better.
Take Action
To learn more about the Eel River dam removal and the path forward as it becomes the stateโs longest free-flowing river, check out CalTroutโs blog post. Thank you for taking the time to make your voice heard!
A Holistic Approach to Eel River Restoration
CalTrout's science-based Eel River Watershed Restoration and Conservation Program is providing a blueprint for this transformation, taking a holistic approach to achieving watershed health. As we enter Phase 2 of the program in 2025, our vision is clear: diverse and resilient habitats throughout the watershed, self-sustaining native fish populations, and thriving local communities that benefit from a healthy river system. The upcoming removal of Scott and Cape Horn dams, which have blocked the headwaters of the river for over 100 years, represents a crucial piece of this restoration puzzle.
Learn more about our comprehensive approach to Eel River restoration here.
Send a message to learn more
