Restore Hetch Hetchy Opposes O'Shaughnessy Dam Modification

P.O. Box 3591, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 (209) 533-4481
www.hetchhetchy.org

FOR RELEASE: May 9, 2003

RESTORE HETCH HETCHY APPEALS TO SAN FRANCISCO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS NOT TO APPROVE MODIFICATION OF O'SHAUGHNESSY DAM

RESTORE HETCH HETCHY has appealed a decision of the San Francisco

Planning Commission authorizing the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to modify the O'Shaughnessy Dam in Yosemite National Park's Hetch Hetchy Valley. This modification, putting a new 115 foot pipe on the face of the O'Shaughnessy Dam, is to address a supposed "turbidity" problem and to "reduce head loss" for a hydro-electric plant.

Ron Good, Executive Director of RESTORE HETCH HETCHY, stated: "This project is unnecessary and a complete waste of money, and it represents a further disruption to the visitor's experience in Yosemite National Park's Hetch Hetchy Valley. This new pipe would be used no more than seven days out of the year. And, any turbidity (soil) problem that might exist is going to be taken care of by improvements at the Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant already authorized by the San Francisco voters in Proposition A last November. It is akin to a major medical operation like a heart transplant being performed on a patient, when the only ailment described by the patient is an occasional heartburn that a little Pepcid AC could take care of."

In its appeal, RESTORE HETCH HETCHY cited the "significant" environmental impacts that will occur during the five- to six-month construction period, and its belief that a full (state) Environmental Impact Report and (federal) Environmental Impact Statement are required for this project. These environmental impacts include: cutting down "mature and scenic trees," disruption of biological resources (threatened or endangered plants and animals), the cumulative impacts (population growth and sprawl in the Bay Area) of this project and the Capital Improvements Program that plans to extract more water from the federally recognized "wild & scenic" Tuolumne River, and disrupting federally recognized "wilderness" values in Yosemite National Park. A 5% increase in power production could also result, which may be one of the "hidden agendas" for the project.

RESTORE HETCH HETCHY is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to restoring Yosemite National Park's Hetch Hetchy Valley with a "win-win" outcome for Hetch Hetchy Valley and for the San Francisco Bay Area water and power users.

Restore Hetch Hetchy Appeal Letter - May 9, 2003

For further information, contact Restore Hetch Hetchy at: info@hetchhetchy.org, P.O. Box 3591, Walnut Creek, CA 94598. Telephone: (209) 533-4481.