The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced it is stepping into a federal review of the proposed removal of the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project in Mendocino and Lake counties.
According to the USDA, PG&E’s plans to remove the Scott and Cape Horn dams could cut off water used by farmers, residents and firefighters in Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt and Sonoma counties.
To intervene, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins filed paperwork Friday to take part in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s review of the proposed removal. FERC oversees hydroelectric projects across the country.
The review centers on a request by PG&E to give up its federal license for the Potter Valley Project, a move that could lead to the removal of the dams. The project sends water into Potter Valley in unincorporated Mendocino County and supports communities surrounding Lake Pillsbury and Van Arsdale Reservoir, which were created by the dams.
Rollins said the proposal, as written, would cause serious harm to family farms and rural communities that have depended on the water for more than a century. She said losing the water would threaten crops, local businesses and federal investments tied to agriculture and land management.
Water from the system is used for irrigation, household supplies and firefighting in parts of Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma and Humboldt counties.
U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, also opposes the removal of the dams. In a letter he sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in mid-December, he expressed concern that the removal could have “profound, far-reaching, and irreparable adverse consequences for the towns, farms, and natural environment.”
According to LaMalfa, removing the dams could cause wells to dry up, destabilize properties near the reservoirs due to changes in water pressure, and devastate farms that rely on the water for irrigation.
LaMalfa also raised concerns about firefighters losing access to two reservoirs used to collect water during wildfires in Mendocino and Lake counties and the Mendocino National Forest. Without those sources, he said, firefighting crews would need to travel farther to access water. He also warned that a rapid release of water could threaten animal species living in the Russian and Eel rivers.
LaMalfa said shutting down the project without a replacement plan in place would worsen drought conditions and make wildfires harder to fight.
Federal regulators have not yet made a final decision on PG&E’s request. If approved, the removal process would begin in 2028.