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NPS and America's Energy Future:  Why It Matters

The National Park Service has a surprising role to play in the Obama administration's plan to generate 25% of America's energy from renewable sources by 2025.  That's because the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requires all applicants for hydropower licenses -- whether inside or outside of national parks -- to consult with the National Park Service. 

Traditionally, the Park Service has reviewed and commented on proposals for new dams and for the relicensing of existing dams, many of which pre-date the era of environmental protection.  NPS provides comments on matters of conservation and outdoor recreation, as well as the preservation of cultural resources.  "Hydropower projects are often licensed for 30-50 years," says NPS Hydropower Program Manager Joan Harn. "The dams being relicensed now were initially approved and built long before there were environmental protections in place, and long before we understood their impacts on the environment.  There is a huge opportunity now to take a fresh look with our current understanding of the ecological, cultural, and recreational impacts.  We're a voice at the table to speak up for the public interest."

"But today's hot hydro issue is the development of new hydrokinetics technologies that use currents, tides, or waves to generate electricity, without dams or water diversions," says Harn.  The current surge of activity and innovation in renewable power generation provides a window of opportunity to foresee new environmental protections that will be needed before these technologies are rolled out at large scale.  "Over 100 projects have been proposed thus far, employing more than 100,000 units, and some are near or actually within our National Parks.  Since these technologies are still in early testing, measuring their impacts on resources and visitor experiences is largely uncharted territory.  So we are collaborating with the Hydropower Reform Coalition to develop new guidance on how to evaluate recreation impacts from these projects.  The Hydropower Assistance Program is ensuring that the National Park Service's interest, and the broader public recreation interest, are addressed."

Falls View Park
Learning from the Field:
Cohoes Falls, New York
        Cohoes, New York: Falls View Park
 
With its dramatic 65-foot-high waterfall, Cohoes Falls has an impressive history.  This is the site where the Iroquois Confederacy was formed; the power source for America's largest textile manufacturing company at the time; a major fish habitat; and, of course, a scenic wonder.  But at the dam just upstream, the old operating license required no minimum water flow over the falls.  In effect, the power company could divert the river's entire flow to make electricity, leaving nothing for nature, animals and fish, or recreation. 

So when the dam above these remarkable falls applied for relicensing, "all these resources had to be balanced with the power company's interest in making electricity," says Duncan Hay of the National Park Service.  Two efforts ensured a successful, win-win process.  First, through a series of tests in different seasons, NPS staff and the power company found optimal flow levels that satisfied each party's interests. Next, a working group decided to reposition security fencing that had blocked off an area overlooking the falls for the past 100 years.  By also installing a pedestrian bridge across the canal, the company was able to bring viewers to the edge of the falls.  "The power company really took this on as their cause and went above and beyond to provide access," reports Hay.
 
The results are already showing, according to Cohoes' Mayor John T. McDonald III.  In the first 75 days after the opening of the pedestrian bridge, over 20,000 visitors viewed the falls.  "This truly has been a magnificent benefit to our community," said the mayor.  "It shows that with a strong partner like Brookfield Power -- and the support of the National Park Service, who played a huge role in the development of this project -- a true community benefit can result."


Learning from the Field: Priest Rapids Dam, WashingtonKlamath River, California
     Grant County, Washington: Fishing near Priest Rapids Dam

Priest Rapids Dam on Washington State's Columbia River is one of the largest power producers in the country.  Its relicensing, which was completed in April of 2008, resulted in $21 million in public recreational enhancements, including 11 miles of land trails, six miles of water trails, two new parks, and two fishing piers.  Says Susan Rosebrough of the National Park Service, "there are now significantly improved recreational opportunities here, from the perspective of both trails and access."


Learning from the Field: Congaree National Park, South CarolinaCongaree Swamp
     South Carolina: Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park in South Carolina boasts old-growth forests, featuring trees that reach record sizes.  But this impressive preserve is intimately affected by the Saluda Hydroelectric Project (also known as the Lake Murray Dam), thirty miles upstream.  In partnership with American Rivers and The Nature Conservancy, among others, the National Park Service worked with the University of South Carolina to model the ecological impact of various possible water flows that could be released from the dam. 

The National Park Service's Jeff Duncan notes that "the 'Ecologically Sustainable Water Management' process resulted in the development of a final report that includes recommendations for balancing hydropower production, lake levels, and downstream ecological needs."  It was the first time this process was used within the context of hydropower relicensing.  Negotiations with the power company are underway and a settlement agreement, including provisions for ecologically sustainable flows, is expected in early 2009.


Who?

Catalysts: Getting Involved

Learn more about the NPS Hydropower Assistance Program, see a list of sample projects, or dig deeper with "Flows and Recreation: A Guide to Studies for River Professionals."





Let's Work Together

boat launch

     Grant County, Washington: Boat Launch near Priest Rapids Dam


Could your project benefit from 1-2 years' staff time from a National Park Service specialist?

If you're working on restoring a river, building a community trail, or making an urban park flourish, we'd love to talk with you about ways we could work together.  Please call or email your regional representative today. The next program application deadline is August 1, 2009.

NPS Conservation and Recreation Links

Challenge Cost Share Program | Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers | Federal Lands to Parks

Hydropower Assistance Program | National Trails System |  Urban Park and Recreation Recovery

Land and Water Conservation Fund | Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program

The Update informs Department of the Interior staff, organizational partners, and friends about successes and activities of the National Park Service Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Programs.  For more details, please contact the staff person involved with each project.

This e-newsletter may be copied or redirected.  Our staff would be pleased to assist your editor in adapting each story for your publication; for more information, please call (202) 354-6918 or e-mail [email protected].   All images courtesy of National Park Service.

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