The Wild Cascades
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THE WILD CASCADES FALL - 1989 2 Tae W ild Cascades PRESIDENTS MESSAGE RELICENSING THE SKAGIT DAMS DAVE FLUHARTY If Seattle City Light were to be long hours in meetings and research to proposing to construct the three dams develop studies and proposals for (Gorge, Diablo and Ross) on the Skagit enhancing, mitigating, and protecting River today, the environmental furor the environment that continues to be they would set off would make the Exxon impacted by the Skagit dams and Valdez disaster seem a mere skirmish. associated power production and However, when the dam projects on the transmission facilities. Skagit were licensed by the Federal Power Commission more than sixty years One consequence of the licensing ago only a few voices mourned the loss process, albeit unlikely, is that FERC of this area and many praised the could deny Seattle City Light's developers for their foresight. Through application and require that the dams be the years, those served by Seattle City taken out. Beyond that monumental Light have benefitted from low cost, decision, the potential outcome of the reliable power supplied by these FERC proceedings is fuzzy, but there are projects. Floods on the Skagit have indications that comprehensive been considerably reduced for farms and mitigation packages, worked out in other communities downstream. But these relicensings, can be substantial and benefits have come at considerable cost provide many positive benefits - even to the environment of the Skagit for power production as well as the River. Fortunately, the 50-year license environment. There is not much of the projects has expired and Seattle experience from which to draw, City Light, in applying for a new concerning the type of protection, license, must comply with a new set of mitigation, and enhancement that is laws and a new set of political, required of utilities for relicensing. economic and social conditions. Should it be the same as would be required if the proposal were being made The scenic and wilderness quality of the today on a natural environment? Should North Cascades has been recognized by it be to compensate for the original Congress. The demand for recreation on impacts of the project? Or, should it free-flowing rivers has exploded. The be - from the hard line utility manager's perspective - minimal legal protection accorded the mitigation because the damage if any is environment has increased the ability of already done? From the hardliner's preservation groups to protect natural perspective it is imprudent to do ecosystems and processes. Historic, anything that would raise the cost of cultural and archaeological resources providing power even if this means that must be protected. Fish and wildlife low cost power continues to get a free damages of projects must be taken into ride on the environment. account and compensation provided. And this is where the North Cascades Conservation Council (NCCC) comes in. NCCC proposals for compensatory measures Remember our intervention in the late range from purchase of land to mitigate 1970's to block the licensing of the for wildlife habitat and wilderness High Ross Dam. This provided the time recreation lands inundated by the dams needed and the impetus for an to educational programs on the North international agreement between Canada Cascades ecosystem. We have been and the United States which substituted assisted in developing these proposals for the High Ross Dam. Now, after more by The Nature Conservancy and North than a decade of operating these dams on Cascades Institute and other annual licenses, the Federal Energy environmental preservation groups. Do Regulatory Commission (FERC) has ordered you have ideas we could incorporate into Seattle City Light to complete its this process? We need your input on application. NCCC officers and measures to mitigate/protect/enhance the interested members have been spending impact of the reservoirs, production and Fall - lb 69 3 trasmission facilities and townsites on, deciding to pay a bit more for wildlife, fisheries (downstream and in electricity to allow mitigation of reservoir) recreation (all types), environmental costs of production and cultural historical archeological transmission rather than the 60+ years resources (including consultations with of paying with the environment for lower Native Americans), visual quality, cost power. erosion and slope stability, etc. Please pass your ideas on to NCCC. Over the next six months to a year meetings between Seattle City Light, Preliminary results of studies on the intervenors (NCCC, Upper Skagit Tribes, origins of users of the Skagit River U.S. Forest Service, National Park area show that residents of tne Puget Service, National Marine Fisheries Sound lowland (many of whom are served Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, by Seattle City Light) predominate. Department of Ecology, Department of Your President is writing this with a Wildlife, and potentially others) and word processor powered by Seattle City FERC will result in a revised Light-provided electricity (about 30% of application for a license that should the total energy supply comes from the address these issues. NCCC is making a Skagit). The editors will rework these good-faith effort to provide comment and lines into readable English on another advice on studies to be done and on word processor and produce a final copy measures to compensate for damage to the which will be printed in Seattle for environment. However, we are prepared delivery to you where ever you are. to appeal to FERC and the courts if the Thus, it is not the case of a "them" relicensing package proposed falls short versus "us". It is a case of "us" of adequate mitigation of impacts. Diablo dam 4 The V ild Cascades SEVENTH IRVING CLARK AWARD At the Northwest Wilderness and Parks Conference in Seattle, Daniel J. Evans gave the dinner address "Wilderness as it Relates to "World Needs" on September 9, 1989. Following this, appreciation for Dan Evans' contributions to conservation causes was expressed by Dave Fluharty, President of North Cascades Conservation Council, Bob Aergeter, past President Mt. Rainier National Park Associates, Polly Dyer, President Olympic Park Associates, and Jean Durning, Western Representative Wilderness Society. As Govenor of Washington State, Dan Evans (1) actively supported the creation of a North Cascades National Park and Lake Chelan and Ross Lake National Recreation Areas along with the Pasayton Wilderness, (2) succeeded in having the North Cascades Highway designated a State Scenic Highway, and (3) successfully promoted the addition to Olympic National Park of the Ocean Shore Wilderness from the Ozette River north to include Point of the Arches and Shi Shi Beach. As Senator, he lead the Washington Congressional Delegation in the promotion and passage of legislation establishing Wilderness units within North Cascades, Mt. Rainier, and Olympic National Parks as well as Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. In appreciation of this dedicated and successful leadership Dan Evans was presented with the seventh Irving M. Clark Award. IN RECOGNITION OF HIS OUTSTANDING VISION. LEADERSHIP AND SUCCESS IN PRESERVING PARK AND WILDERNESS VALUES FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON AND THE NATION FOR THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS Previous recipients of the Irving Clark Award were Irving M. Clark (1958), Harry W. Higman (I960), John Osseward (1965), Karl W. Onthank (1967), Leo Gallegher (1972), and Emily Haig (1977). Fall - 1989 5 SEE YOU IN COURT NGCG CHALLENGES MPS PLftHS As you may have read in local newspapers, the North Cascades Conservation Council has filed suit against the National Park Service over the drafting of plans that allow continued degradation of the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. The policies promulgated in the plans would envision a doubling of year-round population in the Stehekin Valley, would permit use of firewood and other resources to the detriment of the ecosystem, and would result in major changes in the character of the area and community. NCCC members and its officers have worked hard for countless hours in discussing the plans, commenting on them and appealing for stronger measures to protect the Stehekin Valley. These efforts have been ignored in the final plans. Therefore, the Board voted to bring suit. In the pages that follow, you are invited to read excerpts from the suit. This is an action challenging a series Park Complex" establishing of incremental planning decisions for land management policies which the North Cascades National Park Complex impair wilderness resources which have been and are proposed to be and ignore the effects of made without the benefit of any increased development within environmental impact statement ("EIS") Lake Chelan NRA. addressing their individual and cumulative effects. Plaintiff North Since the National Park Service assumed Cascades Conservation Council (N3C) jurisdiction over the North Cascades seeks judicial review of the following National Park Complex in 1968, the major federal actions significantly visual and ecologic values of the lands affecting the environment of the North and waters within the Lake Chelan NRA Cascades National Park Complex: have suffered a steady decline. The once pristine Stehekin Valley and a. a "Firewood Management Plan spectacular head of Lake Chelan have for Lake Chelan National been cluttered with satellite dishes, Recreation Area" allowing aluminum-roofed stucco houses on land unprecedented clearcutting of fills, and dense pockets of urban live trees within the Lake development. The stream banks and Chelan National Recreation wetlands of the majestic Stehekin River Area. have been fouled by placement of "rip rap" and removal of trees. Some of the b. a "General Management Plan for best specimens of the Stehekin Valley's the North Cascades National primeval forest have been, and others Park Complex" allowing are now scheduled to be, cut down for increased development within firewood for the Stehekin Valley's North Cascades National Park, growing year-round population.