Relicensing

Relicensing of the Don Pedro Project follows the Integrated Licensing Process as designated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). MID, TID and SFPUC took the first step in this multi-year process by filing a Notice of Intent (NOI) and Pre-Application Document (PAD) in February 2011, which summarized existing information relevant to the relicensing process. Following this filing, FERC conducted a pair of scoping meetings in May 2011. Many local public figures attended and spoke at these meetings as the purpose of the meetings was to identify relevant issues of public interest involving the Don Pedro Project.

Information gathered at these scoping meetings proved helpful to the Tuolumne River Partners in the development of the Proposed Study Plan (PSP). There were 130 study requests, which were all carefully considered. The PSP was filed in July 2011 and outlined 30 studies proposed by MID and TID. In December 2011, FERC issued its 140-page Study Plan Determination (SPD). With FERC’s SPD issued, MID, TID and SFPUC immediately planned to undertake the approved studies in accordance with FERC’s directive. Most of the studies involved extensive field work; considerable coordination and logistics needed to be worked out to execute the studies efficiently and consistent with the study plans approved by FERC.

As directed by FERC, the Tuolumne River Partners conducted more than 35 studies to examine the Project’s potential to affect resources in the lower Tuolumne River and within and adjacent to Don Pedro Reservoir. Results from the studies were presented at the Initial Study Report meeting in January 2013 and the Updated Study Report meeting in January 2014. The TRP filed the Draft License Application (DLA) in November 2013. The purpose of the DLA is to provide an opportunity for public review and comment on the application prior to filing the Final License Application (FLA). The TRP filed the FLA for the Don Pedro Project with FERC in April 2014. The FLA contains a number of new proposed measures to protect the environment and promote recreational use of the Project area. The FLA was modified in October 2017 following the completion of the last of the studies.

The current Don Pedro Project FERC license expired on April 30, 2016. Upon license expiration, FERC began issuing annual licenses for the Project until the relicensing process is complete. It’s not unusual for larger projects to have their existing license expire while the relicensing proceeding is still underway.