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Independent regulatory commissions

Environmental Impact Statement for Anderson Dam Project

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Office of Energy Projects has issued a notice for a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Anderson Dam Project, submitted by the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The proposed project involves retrofitting the Anderson Dam, decommissioning the hydroelectric facility, and implementing conservation measures on Coyote Creek. The EIS document will be available for public review and comment until November 3, 2025.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Anderson Dam Project consists of a 240-foot-high, 1,385-foot-long dam, a 54-inch diameter, 2,800-foot-long penstock, a powerhouse with a total installed capacity of 800 kilowatts, and a 100-foot-long transmission line.
  • The project is located on Coyote Creek in Santa Clara County, California, and does not occupy any federal lands.
  • The draft EIS exceeds the final page limits set forth in NEPA 107(e)(1) due to the project's scope and complexity.
  • Interested individuals and entities are invited to attend a public comment session to provide oral comments on the draft EIS.
  • The comment sessions will be held on October 15 and 16, 2025, at the Hiram Morgan Hill Room in the Community and Cultural Center in Morgan Hill, California.
  • Written comments must be filed on or before November 3, 2025.
  • The Commission provides equal consideration to all comments received, whether filed in writing or provided orally at a public comment session.

Statistics:

  • The Anderson Dam has a maximum surface area of 1,240 acres and a storage capacity of 89,278 acre-feet at a spillway elevation of 627.8 feet (North American Vertical Datum 1988).
  • The project has a proposed drawdown of the Anderson Reservoir to perform a seismic retrofit of the dam.
  • The public has until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 3, 2025, to file comments on the draft EIS.
  • The comment sessions will be recorded by a court reporter and become part of the public record for this proceeding.

Sources:

  • 18 CFR part 380, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's regulations
  • National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, amended (Pub. L. 91-190, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347)
  • U.S. Code, 42 U.S.C. 4336a(e)(1)
  • Federal Register, [FR Doc. 2025-17995, Filed 9-16-25]

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