Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project Relicensing

What is relicensing?

The Federal Power Act of 1920 provides the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) with exclusive authority to license all non-federal hydroelectric projects that are located on navigable waterways or federal lands.

Licenses are normally issued for a period of 30 to 50 years and contain conditions that regulate project operations. In order to continue to operate project facilities, a licensee must obtain a new license for its project when the existing license expires. This process is called "re-licensing."

Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) submitted a an application to FERC for a new license for the Carmen-Smith hydroelectric project (November 2006). As licensee, EWEB is the lead agency in the relicensing process. But because the project is located on National Forest land, the Willamette National Forest must ensure that the new license complies with our Forest Plan.

FERC has started developing the Environmental Assessement with the issuance of the Scoping Document (August 2007).

If you'd like to be involved in the process, see our Contact Us page for information on sending an email or a note. We'll keep you updated and let you know how you can help us do the best job of stewardship for these lands.

Note: A detailed description of the relicensing application process may be found at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission website at
http://www.ferc.gov/help/processes/hydro-proj.asp

About the Project

As lead agency, EWEB has provided comprehensive information about the Carmen-Smith Project and the relicensing process on their website. (http://www.eweb.org/news/carmensmith/index.htm)

From the EWEB website, you can access information about the project, read or download important public documents, keep track of the relicensing progress, view summaries of meetings and meeting schedule, and gain access to other information as it becomes available.

The EWEB website also includes the following general information about Carmen-Smith and the relicensing process.

• EWEB mission, goals and objectives
• About the Carmen-Smith Project
• What is relicensing?
• Relicensing timetable
• Documents
• Your rights as a citizen
• Helping the environment

Why are we involved?

• The Willamette National Forest is involved because the dams and reservoirs are on National Forest System land.
• Any project on Willamette National Forest lands must comply with the 1990 Forest Plan as amended by the Northwest Forest Plan.
• The Carmen-Smith complex also offers recreation facilities and opportunities that are maintained by the Willamette National Forest.
• The relicensing process is very complicated and detailed. The Forest is willing to help facilitate public participation in the process.

Find out more about Willamette National Forest involvement in the Carmen-Smith project.