Hello to anyone who still tunes in here despite Facebook siphoning traffic away from all of the "Mom n Pop" social media platforms such as this one.
The ongoing threat of Hydro development proposed by Snohomish County PUD (SnoPUD) at Sunset Falls on the Skykomish River is rearing its ugly head once more like the Seven Headed Hydro it is.
If you are already aware of this issue and want to cut to the chase and take action, jump down to my second post on this thread.
For any newcomers to the area, or newcomers to the sport of whitewater paddling in general, and for those who maybe know of the threat to our beloved Skykomish River but are fuzzy on the details, here is the Nutshell:
SnoPUD is in the process of trying to obtain licensing to construct a hydroelectric facility at Sunset Falls on the S. Fk Skykomish River just upstream of Index, Wa. Not only will this greatly impact Federally listed endangered salmon, but winter Steelhead and Bull Trout as well.
The Skykomish River enjoys numerous Legal Protections all indicating that hydro development at the proposed site is destructive and should be prohibited. Yet we live in an era when facts do not matter to the despots who seem hellbent on pushing their agendas through against the Public Interest despite overwhelming opposition and evidence that this is a bad idea all around. This project would nullify The Skykomish River's eligibility for federally protected Wild And Scenic Status.
The proposal involves blasting a tunnel adjacent to the second largest landslide in Snohomish County (You've heard of Oso, Right?
). This landslide threatens local residents downstream, and blasting can only serve to destabilize it further despite what SnoPUD's PR machine will have you believe.
Another main component of this is the sheer idiocy of the project itself and its numerous flaws. As if the threat to fish and wildlife and the potential threat posed to human life by blasting so close to this landslide isn't enough,
the project simply is not necessary. While hydroelectric may have a valid role to play in a diverse portfolio of energy producing options, this is not the place to do it.
This projects stinks a foul stench of boondoggle and backroom secret deals. It is an expensive project to build and will be expensive to operate and maintain. The power produced by it is expected to cost ratepayers between 10-20 cents per kWh as opposed to the 3-4 cents per kWh if SnoPUD simply buys power from Bonneville. This cost will be passed onto ratepayers by increases in rates, as SnoPUD admitted in their Draft License Application filed last February.
So
It WILL NOT produce power when power is needed most, and when it does it will be expensive power. If you were jonsing to paddle last December or January you know that when these cold snaps arrive, the rivers shut off like a valve and flows are reduced to a trickle. Common sense acknowledges that demand for electricity spikes inversely during these times: with cold weather comes an increase in power demand and this project WILL NOT meet that demand.
I could go on and on about this project because the negatives vastly outweigh any possible gains by building this. It is clearly against the Public Interest.
Please see the next post, and
TAKE ACTION TODAY!!
Edited by jP - 12 Apr 2017 at 4:38pm