Other cities, counties file $22 million in spillway crisis claims - yet "carrot" of $1B of benefits promised in relicensing
Oroville City council is seeking $1 million in damages from the spillway incident (road damage, etc). Article notes that other communities are filing claims totaling to $22M.
Mayor Linda Dahlmeier has "eyes" on the $1B in benefits that are promised when Oroville Dam is granted relicensing by FERC - doesn't want the licensing to be delayed. $$
(note: not sure if these "claims" are tied to the city council item of "litigation" - may be a separate issue).
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City attorney Scott Huber said the city filed a claim last week with the state for about $1 million. That includes losses immediately following the spillway incident and ongoing costs, like damage to city roads, he said after the meeting. Other downstream communities recently filed claims as well, including Yuba City, Marysville, Live Oak and Yuba and Sutter counties, as reported by the Appeal-Democrat.
“At every opportunity we have, we’re raising the safety of the dam as an issue,” Huber said.
As to why the city sees the state as liable to cover the costs, the city says in its claim, the state and DWR “failed to properly construct, inspect, repair, operate, and manage the facilities.”
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Vice Mayor Janet Goodson suggested including a request to delay relicensing of the dam under the management of DWR, echoing a letter just released from Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale. All councilors present said they wished to delay the relicensing, at least until the independent forensic team investigating what caused the spillway to collapse releases its final report this fall.
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Mayor Linda Dahlmeier was the most vocal about going forward with the relicensing as soon as possible following release of the forensic report. She said Oroville would be the only community that would suffer if the license were not to be issued.
“When that license gets issued, that starts the clock on what DWR has to provide for this community, and that is $1 billion in recreation and environmental upgrades to this community,” Dahlmeier said. “If we ask for a delay, this will be put off.”
= = end Clip More at link:
http://www.orovillemr.com/article/NB/20170711/NEWS/170719931
= = Appeal Democrat news:
Cities, counties file $22M in spillway crisis claims
It's still too early to know just how significant an impact the February evacuation and Oroville Dam spillway incident had on Yuba and Sutter counties. So far, estimates put damages and losses around $22 million for local municipalities, and that number will continue to grow as county officials lock down estimates.
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IMHO, the DWR, and by extension Gov Moonbeam, are scared spitless that FEMA won’t reimburse the repair costs.