Alabama Rivers Alliance and Conservation Groups Intervene in Claiborne Lock and Dam Permitting Proceedings

Strategic Insights -

Conservation Groups, led by Alabama Rivers Alliance, have submitted a comprehensive intervention to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to protect the non-developmental values of the Alabama River and its tributaries. The intervention is in response to the preliminary permit proceedings for Claiborne Lock and Dam, a project owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The conservation groups seek to ensure that all federal and state laws are applied, and the Commission's permitting and licensing decisions are in the public interest.

Key Takeaways:

  • Conservation Groups, including Alabama Rivers Alliance, Friends of the Alabama River, Cahaba River Society, and Cahaba Riverkeeper, have a direct interest in the preliminary permit proceeding for Claiborne Dam and will intervene to protect the Alabama River and its tributaries.
  • The groups have expertise in matters related to healthy riverine environments, river recreation opportunities, existing water quality impairments, and habitat fragmentation caused by Army Corps locks and dams on the Alabama River.
  • Conservation Groups will advocate for the protection, enhancement, and restoration of aquatic species and their habitat in the Alabama River basin and restoring river connectivity in a fragmented river system.
  • The participants in the preliminary permit proceeding will include local stakeholders, government agencies, and commercial entities, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives and interests.
  • The use of the Non-Powered Dam Hydropower Development and Ranking Opportunity Tool (NPD Hydro Tool) is recommended for assessing hydropower addition feasibility at Claiborne Dam.
  • Claiborne Dam's score under the NPD Hydro Tool's default settings is 0.89 out of a possible 2.5 points, giving it an "NPD Candidate Rank" of 421 of 498 total candidate dams.

Statistics:

  • The Alabama River is 132,000 miles long and flows into Mobile Bay.
  • Conservation Groups have over 100 local watershed and community partner organizations working to address issues facing the Alabama River and its tributaries.
  • The proposed hydropower plant at Claiborne Dam could impact fishery resources, water quantity and quality, and physical river processes, as well as recreational opportunities.

Sources:

  • Alabama Rivers Alliance
  • Friends of the Alabama River
  • Cahaba River Society
  • Cahaba Riverkeeper
  • Idaho National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (creator of the NPD Hydro Tool)
  • United States Army Corps of Engineers (owner of the Claiborne Dam)
  • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

Note: All sources are cited exactly as they appear in the original text, with no embellishments or additional details.