This week on the EcoNews Report, host Alicia Hamann from Friends of the Eel River talks about the flurry of recent developments on Eel River dam removal. On January 31 PG&E released its final draft license surrender application, a document that outlines some of the logistics of how it plans to remove the two Eel River dams. PG&E is accepting comments on this document until March 3. You can find more information at eelriver.org.

On a separate but parallel track is the publication just last week of a deal for wet-season diversions from the Eel to the Russian after the dams are removed, in exchange for a number of benefits for the Eel. This includes agreement from all parties to support timely dam removal, $1 million annual payments to Round Valley Indian Tribes for lease of the water right they will take ownership of, and between $750,000 and $1 million annual payments into an Eel restoration fund.

Our guests include Hank Seeman, Humboldt County Public Works Deputy Director; Darren Mireau, North Coast Director for California Trout; Charlie Schneider, Senior Project Manager for California Trout; and Scott Greacen, Conservation Director for Friends of the Eel River.

Learn more:

• Eelriver.org
• Freetheeel.org
• Eel River restoration and conservation plan
• Eel River Expo