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Lake County board approves letters opposing PG&E surrender plan, asks state and federal review
Summary
After public comment and staff analysis, the Board of Supervisors approved letters to Pacific Gas & Electric, the governor’s office and federal agencies expressing concern about PG&E’s draft surrender application for the Potter Valley/Scott Dam project and urging full review of impacts on Lake Pillsbury, water storage and downstream communities.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved formal comments to Pacific Gas & Electric Co., and separate letters to California and federal officials, asking for fuller review and a seat at the table as PG&E pursues a surrender of its Potter Valley hydropower license and potential decommissioning of Scott Dam.
The board’s action follows more than an hour of public testimony from residents, tribal representatives and local organizations that argued the county has been excluded from earlier interagency talks and that PG&E’s draft application understates local impacts. Several speakers said Lake Pillsbury provides fire‑suppression water, supports local recreation and helps stabilize downstream flows.
What the county requested: The board approved (a) formal comments to PG&E’s draft surrender application; (b) a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom raising questions about how a removal would mesh with state priorities on water storage and drought resilience; and (c) a letter to federal agencies involved in FERC review urging careful environmental and public‑safety assessment. The board asked county staff and legal counsel to transmit the letters and requested copies be made available to the supervisors traveling to Washington, D.C.
Why the county acted: Supervisor Sabatier said Lake County has repeatedly sought a meaningful participatory role in regional discussions and has sometimes been denied space at technical tables. “We have been denied at the table multiple times,” Sabatier said during board remarks. Several speakers cited potential sediment releases, uncertain restoration plans and the risk that water storage benefits would move elsewhere in the watershed.
Technical and legal context: County consultants identified unresolved technical issues in PG&E’s application, such as slope stability at the dam, sediment and landslide risk during and after removal, and how firefighting and water supply would be replaced or managed. The board’s letters ask that restoration plans detail impacts to Lake County and identify financial assurances and mitigation for affected residents.
Next steps: PG&E’s public comment window for the draft surrender document closed in early March, and the company is expected to file applications with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as part of a multi‑agency review process later in 2025. The county said it will continue to press for detailed restoration plans, compensation for affected residents and a county role in future technical planning.
Ending: County officials said they will continue coordinating with tribal partners and local stakeholders and will advocate in Sacramento and Washington for transparent review and mitigation funding before major permitting or removal actions proceed.
