by Ruth Atkins, Eel River Project Manager
CalWild held a second visioning workshop with representatives from Tribes, non-governmental organizations, the US Forest Service, County of Lake, various homeowners’ associations, conservationists and recreation enthusiasts on the 15th of November 2024 in Nice, CA at the Robinson Rancheria and Casino. Conversation continued from the initial workshop and followed a robust itinerary of topics including fire resiliency and sustainable recreation. The group worked to continue to improve a list of initiatives to achieve for the future of the region.
At the request of tribal representatives at the previous two workshops, in January of this year, a workshop was held for only tribal participants to discuss the unique needs and perspectives of indigenous peoples in the area. Again, robust conversation and initiatives were proposed and improved. A second tribal only workshop is being held in May of this year to follow up and build on these efforts. CalWild has been deeply honored to serve our indigenous communities through this process and are grateful for their participation.
At the end of January PG&E submitted their Final Draft Surrender Application and Decommissioning Plan and the deadline for comments closed at the beginning of March. During the public comment period, PG&E held an informational session regarding their timeline and process and CalWild was sure to attend. CalWild worked to synthesize the various one-on-one interviews, robust discussions and workshops we have conducted, and other voluminous methods of feedback, idea generation and comparative initiative suggestions into a succinct document for PG&E’s review and comment period. CalWild stressed the three main topics of recreation opportunities, terrestrial restoration and fire resilience, which we have consistently heard as part of our listening and outreach process.
It is important to note that this isn’t the stage where the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is going to weigh in on the management plans or how PG&E would proceed in measurable detail if the decommissioning plan were approved. PG&E states that their timeline for that will be the end of July. So, between now and then, CalWild still has some work to do. We will be hosting another tribal only session in May of this year. We will continue our effort to identify measurable outcomes for the decommissioning process, if it were approved, to maximize the benefit to the community. CalWild plans to release the vision from this outreach and organizing effort to best capture the over 100 individual interviews, four workshops, countless phone calls, zoom calls, engagement campaigns and solicited feedback from community members in July, and plans to share this vision and help support the community holding this vision and moving it forward into the next chapter of the Upper Eel Watershed.
