Conducting a FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) Environmental Assessment: A Case Study and Recommendations from the Terror Lake Project

摘要

This paper is an account of the process that evolved during acquisition of the license to operate the Terror Lake hydroelectric power project under the auspices of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The Terror River, the project site, is located on Kodiak Island in Alaska. The main controversy requiring negotiation stemmed from the fact that the intended development are was within the boundaries of the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. Conflicting views about potential impacts of the project, especially on fish, wildlife, and instream flows, were ultimately reconciled through interagency negotiations. Included is a detailed account of the events which constituted the negotiations, and suggestions for strategies in future FERC licensing efforts.