Lake County supervisors approve formal comments to PG&E, seek state and federal review of Scott Dam decommissioning

The Lake County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously March 1 to approve written comments to Pacific Gas and Electric Company and to send letters to California and federal officials raising concerns about the proposed decommissioning of Scott Dam and related effects on Lake Pillsbury and surrounding communities.

The board approved three separate actions: submitting county comments on PG&E’s draft application for surrender of the Potter Valley project license and for non‑project uses of project lands; sending a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom concerning the project in light of Executive Order N‑16‑25; and sending a letter to federal agencies about the decommissioning in relation to recent federal executive orders. Each motion included authorization for the board chair to sign the documents. The motions were made, seconded and carried on voice votes with no recorded roll‑call in the public transcript.

County staff and contracted experts told the board the county’s technical review raises multiple concerns that were not fully addressed in PG&E’s draft. "These comments recognize the significance of water supply, recreation, wildfire suppression, and other benefits of Lake Pillsbury and the Potter Valley project," said Matthew Rothstein, chief deputy county administrative officer, summarizing findings from the…