projects

Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a new 30-year license for the Nantahala Hydroelectric Project in Western North Carolina.  The new license confirms many elements of a 2003 collaborative settlement agreement developed by Duke Energy, American Whitewater, state and federal resource agencies, and many other stakeholders.  Included in the new license are flow releases that treat over 250,000 people each year to whitewater paddling on the Nantahala River.

We are pleased to announce that Duke Energy recently received their new state water quality certificates for their dams on the Tuckasegee and Nantahala rivers.  These certificates were the final remaining documents that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission needs to issue new federal licenses for the dams.  The dams are expected to be licensed before the end of 2010. 

The media has recently reported that one of the counties opposed to the removal of Dillsboro Dam, Macon County, has backed out of the lawsuit over the issue. In addition, Duke Power has filed a lawsuit themselves against Jackson County over their failure to issue Duke permits needed for removing sediment from behind the dam.  Both actions are consistent with the ongoing trend towards removing Dillsboro Dam, and starting new releases in the Tuckasegee and Nantahala rivers.