Department of Energy
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- [Project No. 77-332]
On July 25, 2025, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (applicant or PG&E) filed an application to surrender and decommission the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project No. 77. The project is located on the Eel River and East Branch of the Russian River in Lake and Mendocino counties, California. The project occupies federal lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) will prepare a document in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that will discuss the environmental impacts of the proposed surrender and decommissioning of the project, as well as PG&E's proposed non-project use of project lands. The Commission will use this NEPA document in its decision-making process to identify potential adverse and beneficial impacts of the proposed project surrender and reasonable alternatives.
This notice initiates the start of a scoping process the Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested agencies about issues regarding the proposal. As part of the NEPA review process, the Commission takes into account concerns the public may have about proposals and the environmental impacts that could result from its action. This process is referred to as “scoping.” The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the NEPA document on the important environmental issues. Additional information about the Commission's NEPA process is described below in the NEPA Process section of this notice.
By this notice, Commission staff requests public comments on the scope of issues to address in the NEPA document. Specifically, staff request comments on potential alternatives and impacts, as well as identification of any relevant information, studies, or analyses concerning effects on the quality of the human environment. To ensure that your comments are timely and properly recorded, please submit your comments so that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, July 24, 2026. Comments may be submitted in written or oral form. Further details on how to submit comments are provided in the Public Participation section of this notice.
Public Participation
In addition to Commission staff's October 31, 2025 public notice of the application (soliciting comments, motions to intervene, and protests), additional opportunities to provide comments are described below. There are four methods you can use to submit scoping comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-3676 or FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The docket number P-77-332 should be included on the first page of any comment. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your comments are properly recorded. Comments filed in response to Commission staff's October 31, 2025 notice of application do not need to be submitted again as part of scoping.
(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment feature, which is located on the Commission's website ( www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC Online. Using eComment is an easy method for submitting brief, text-only comments on a project;
(2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling feature, which is located on the Commission's website ( www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC Online. With eFiling, you can provide comments in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on “eRegister.” You will be asked to select the type of filing you are making; a comment on a particular project is considered a “Comment on a Filing”; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the Commission. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852. The first page of any filing should include the docket number P-77-332.
(4) Scoping Sessions: Commission staff will hold two public scoping meetings to collect comments on the scope of the environmental issues that should be analyzed in the NEPA document. All interested individuals, resource agencies, Native American Tribes, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are invited to attend one or both of the meetings to provide comments for the public record. The times and locations of these meetings are as follows:
Evening Scoping Meeting
Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
Time: 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Pacific Time (PT).
Place: Ukiah Valley Conference Center, Chenin Blanc Room.
Address: 200 South School Street, Ukiah, CA 95482.
Daytime Scoping Meeting
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
Time: 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (PT).
Place: Ukiah Valley Conference Center, Chenin Blanc Room.
Address: 200 South School Street, Ukiah, CA 95482.
Comments will be recorded by a stenographer and become part of the formal record of the Commission proceeding on the project. Individuals, NGOs, Native American Tribes, and agencies with environmental expertise and concerns are encouraged to assist staff in defining and clarifying the issues to be addressed in the NEPA document.
Copies of the Scoping Document 1 (SD1) notice, outlining the subject areas to be addressed in the environmental document, were mailed to the individuals and entities on the Commission's mailing list and provided to PG&E's distribution list. Copies of SD1 may be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov, using the “eLibrary” link. Based on all oral and written comments, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may be issued. SD2 may include a revised process plan and schedule, as well as a list of issues, identified through the scoping process.
Additionally, the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription which makes it easy to stay informed of all issuances and submittals regarding the dockets/projects to which you subscribe. These instant email notifications are the fastest way to receive notification and provide a link to the document files which can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription.
Summary of the Proposed Surrender
For the surrender, decommissioning of the project, and non-project use of project lands, PG&E proposes to: ( printed page 32031)
- Decommission and remove Scott Dam and associated facilities and features;
- Remove certain project recreational facilities and restore associated lands;
- Decommission and remove Cape Horn Dam and associated facilities and features except those necessary for the New Eel-Russian Facility (NERF) to be operated by Eel-Russian Project Authority (ERPA);
- Once constructed, remove the NERF facility and associated lands from the existing license; and
- Restore the remnant inundation zone of Lake Pillsbury and Van Arsdale Reservoir, including adjacent riparian, wetlands, and upland areas affected by the decommissioning.
PG&E requests that the Commission include a condition in any surrender order to remove all lands and project works necessary for the NERF from the project boundary and jurisdiction immediately after completion of the following activities: (1) PG&E has completed decommissioning work at Cape Horn Dam and other works necessary for the NERF; (2) the NERF has been constructed; and (3) PG&E has filed a decommissioning report with the Commission on these actions. The construction of the NERF by the ERPA would occur while the existing license remains in effect. Following construction, the NERF would allow for diversion of water from the Eel River through the project's diversion system to the Russian River watershed.
The NEPA Process
The NEPA document issued by the Commission will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the proposed surrender and decommissioning under the following general resource areas:
- geology and soils
- water use and hydrology
- water quality
- aquatic resources
- marine resources
- botanical resources
- wildlife resources
- threatened and endangered species
- recreation
- land use
- aesthetic resources
- socioeconomics
- cultural and historic resources
- Tribal resources
- air quality and noise
- traffic
A description of specific potential effects resulting from the proposed surrender is included in our Scoping Document. Your comments will help Commission staff identify and focus on the issues that might have an effect on the human environment and potentially eliminate others from further study and discussion in the NEPA document.
The NEPA document will present Commission staff's independent analysis of the issues. Staff will prepare a draft NEPA document which will be issued for public comment. The comment period will be specified in the notice of availability of the NEPA document. Commission staff will consider all timely comments received during the comment period on the draft NEPA document and revise the document, as necessary, before issuing a final NEPA document. The draft and final NEPA document will be available in electronic format in the public record through eLibrary. If eSubscribed, you will receive email notification when environmental documents are issued.
Additional Information
Additional information about the project is available on the FERC website at www.ferc.gov using the eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on “General Search” and enter the docket number in the “Docket Number” field, excluding the last three digits ( i.e., P-77). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, contact the Office of Public Participation at (202) 502-6595 or OPP@ferc.gov.
If you have further questions, you may also contact Diana Shannon at diana.shannon@ferc.gov or 202-502-6136.
(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)
Dated: May 22, 2026.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.