Board of County Commissioners

Letters regarding Seattle City Dams FERC relicensing process

The following letters have been sent by the Skagit County Board of Commissioners on Seattle City Light's FERC relicensing process. FERC Licenses are issued to dam operators every 50 years. For more information on the FERC process click here.

Presentations

• Skagit Hydro Project FERC Relicensing Update Powerpoint Presentation, October 17, 2023 | Video
  

Letters

• February 6, 2023, Skagit County Dike and Drainage Districts Flood Control Partnership and Skagit County government letter to FERC
• January 9, 2023: Letter to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on Draft License Application Regarding Fisheries Mitigation Skagit Hydroelectric Project P-553-235
• April 2, 2021: Letter to Cascadia Law Group
• March 3, 2021: Skagit County's Comments on Seattle City Light's Proposed Study Plan
• January 21, 2021: Letter to Mayor Durkan on FERC Process
• December 9, 2020: Letter to Mayor Durkan on FERC Process
• September 15, 2020: Commissioners' Filing on FERC for Skagit Hydroelectric project

News

• Salmon Recovery is working, but we can’t stop here
• Seattle gets its green bubble popped, again | The Seattle Times
• Did salmon actually use the Skagit River before the Seattle dams were built? — High Country News – Know the West (hcn.org)
• Court of Appeals sides with Sauk-Suiattle Tribe in 'greenwashing' case against Seattle City Light | king5.com
• Skagit County backing Sauk-Suiattle lawsuit against Seattle City Light | Environment | goskagit.com
• Skagit County farmers are fed up, fighting Seattle City Light’s Skagit River dam programs | king5.com
• Skagit River dams license process moving forward | News | goskagit.com

King 5 Investigative Series- Skagit: River of Light and Loss

• Part 1: Seattle's Skagit River dams hurt salmon, orcas and Native American Culture, agencies say
• Part 2: Seattle City LIght agrees to study fish passage over dams on Skagit River
• Part 3: Tribes and Government Agencies accues Seattle of using 'flawed science' on Skagit River dams
• Part 4: Seattle City Ligh told public their dam operations increased salmon runs as fish numbers declined
• Part 5: Upper Skagit Indian Tribe: Seattle's Skagit River dams put treaty rights at risk
• Part 6: Seattle offers to change dam operations 'sacred' stretch of Skagit River
• Part 7: Blaming Tribal Fishing Practices for Salmon Decline is 'Misinformation,' Washington Officials say
• Part 8: Skagit County: Seattle is 'getting away with' investing little in salmon recovery
• Part 9: Seattle City Light River Dam Operations Should Improve to Help Feed Starving Whales, Experts Say