I've seen debate about this on other forums and places. I'll leave that up to the purists who want to banter back and forth on that issue. (so please do not engage this in this particular discussion - the reality is DWR needs and greatly desires the coveted 50 year relicensing).
However, in the interests of California citizens, the case of re-licensing does become an important tool regarding leverage regarding DWR. Why? As a dam/hydroelectric facility requires a FERC license, DWR has been operating under temporary permits since their license expired in 2007. Thus, in the case of the spillway crisis, FERC has been operating as an "oversight" engineering function. If it wasn't for FERC, all of the QCIP mess wouldn't have been caught.
You think DWR would have asked CA state or CA citizens to oversee their blunders in the QCIP process? I doubt it. FERC has been performing a valuable function right now while exposing the engineering & mgmt lack of knowledge at DWR (they could have brought on experts to guide the QCIP process - it's not rocket science).
For the sake of the 200,000 immediately below the dam, rebuilding the spillway to high reliability levels are paramount. So if it means that CA citizens benefit from the "how we got here" regulations of FERC dispensing licenses, the citizens should welcome any advocate holding DWR to quality engineering standards.
You are correct about one thing... It is a CA State Issue, A "CA State Entity" issue that CA citizens, CA press, CA legislators, CA commissioners, and other private sector groups have been battling against for years (i.e the "CA State" run DWR) and have been stonewalled, watched AndersonDam flood Santa Clara, see huge maintenance issues, blown out spillway, and yet - no answers - "silence" - all in trying to assure a water system that taxpayers fund and rely upon to live in the state.
So, yes, you could say that citizens have been "trying" to tackle...
The DWR reports directly to the Natural Resources Agency who reports directly to Jerry Brown. It is their job to oversee the DWR and the people of CA should be demanding they do just that and should be holding them accountable, especially Moonbeam himself.
FERC has been performing a valuable function right now
Stopgap and necessary right now because of rampant unaccountability, but it should be phased out.
citizens have been "trying" to tackle
As long as they keep reelecting people like Moonbeam, the CA citizens will reap a whirlwind of unaccountably and mismanagement. Ultimately it is up to the People of CA to right this listing CA Titanic because government corruption both state and federal will not correct itself.
In the meantime, I feel for the residents at risk below this dam.