Oroville Dam regulations

More requirements for Lake Oroville’s facilities, including the dam, could be in store.

Congress will consider the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill, which was developed and approved by a subcommittee of the Senate on May 24. It would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to brief congressional committees on its response to the independent study done of the Oroville Dam’s spillways. Also, the California Department of Water Resources would have to ask the U.S. Society on Dams to nominate independent consultants to prepare a risk analysis during the dam’s safety review next year.

The bill also encourages prioritizing “meaningful opportunities for public engagement” with state and local governments during the relicensing process, which should “remain transparent and consistent, and ensure the health, safety, and security of the environment and each affected community.”