Member’s Report January 30, 2008
I just wanted to distribute a little information before the next scheduled meeting of the GRDA board of directors. By now most of you have either read, or seen on TV, the reports of the authority being involved in a partnership deal which will make extra power available on the spot market. The spot market is one of the most lucrative money makers available to GRDA and they have been real focused over the past 18 months to make a deal for extra generating capabilities. Most of you probably have little concern for their power availability situation, but I mention this because I think it’s had a direct influence on the amount of time they have available to invest in lake oriented issues.
There are two documents, which I will paste below, that I want to make you aware of. In our December 31, 2007 year end report, I wrote about the well published delay in the shoreline management plan possibly going before the board for approval. The reason for the delay was a request from the resource agencies for more time to comment on the revised plan developed by the authority. We’re talking about U.S and State Wildlife interest. In that same report I speculated it would be at least a year and maybe longer.
One of the documents pasted below is a letter from Representative Doug Cox to the resource agencies urging them to speed up the process rather than slowing it down. He addresses many of the issues we have expressed our concern about from the get-go.
As I have shared with you in the past, we subscribe to an e-mail service from the FERC web site. I receive a copy of all correspondence related to project 1494. That’s the federal nomenclature for Grand Lake. On January 17, 2008, the authority submitted a letter to FERC regarding the progress towards the development of an SMP. It’s a lengthy regurgitation of everything that as transpired over the past two years. The part of interest is in the last few paragraphs.
I also wanted to give you some advance notice on a meeting for GLUE members and prospective members for Saturday morning, February 23rd. It will be a coffee and donut deal where we can discuss the issues of importance to the members and what plan of action we might initiate for the rest of 2008. We’ll get underway around 9:00 am and encourage each of you to bring another interested Grand Laker. I have determined, the exact location, but that will be forthcoming. If there are issues you have special interest in for the meeting, let me know before hand and we’ll try to be prepared to answer your question.
The letters I mentioned are found below. Remember! If we stay united we can a difference on Grand Lake.
Cheers…and enjoy the boat show!
January 17, 2008
Kimberly D. Bose. Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, N.E.
Mail Code P.M. 12.1
Washington, D.C. 20426
Re: Project No. 1494— Pensacola Project Status Report on Shoreline Management Plan
Dear Ms. Bose:The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a status report on the development of the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) for the Pensacola Project. Over the last several years. GRDA has worked with a variety of interested parties, including stakeholders and resource agencies. to develop a comprehensive SMP for Grand Lake. While significant progress has been made, submission of the SMP for your approval has been delayed as a result of GRDA’s continuing consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
In 2005, GRDA began the process of developing the SMP by having discussions with the FERC. state and federal resource agencies, and interested stakeholders. To aid in the development of the SMP, GRDA hired Kleinschmidt Associates, an energy and water resource consulting firm. In addition to gathering input from the interested parties, Kleinschmidt, with the assistance of ORDA staff, conducted several studies and surveys focused on existing habitat and recreational use.
Three public meetings were held in October of 2005. These meetings led to the development of the Stakeholder Working Group (SWG), an advisory committee comprised of interested individuals, representatives of non-governmental organizations, informal citizen groups, commercial interests, as well as state and federal agencies. The SWG provided advice and opinions regarding key components of the SMP including the designation of land use classifications for shoreline property, definitions of allowable uses within these areas, and suggestions for permitting policies. In December 2006, Kleinschmidt Associates prepared a working draft of the SMP (December 2006 Working Draft), taking into account input from the SWG. the public, and state and federal resource agencies.
In February and March, 2007, GRDA held five public hearings to provide stakeholders throughout Oklahoma with the opportunity to comment on the December 2006 Working Draft. Approximately 724 people attended these sessions, which were held in several communities around Grand Lake, and in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, the state’s major population centers. The hearings were moderated by Mr. John D. Rothman, an experienced mediator and attorney, who was hired by GRDA to conduct the hearings and to prepare an independent report summarizing the public’s opinions. In addition to the comments made at hearings. GRDA received 345 written comments, and petitions with a total of 2.713 signatures.
In his summary, Mr. Rothman stated that the public was overwhelmingly opposed to the December 2006 Working Draft, with the Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) and the Shoreline Management Classifications (SMC) being the two greatest areas of concern. The VMP was criticized for its extensive permitting requirements, especially for routine maintenance and debris removal, while the SMC were seen as leaving too little shoreline available for future commercial development.
On September 12. 2007. GRDA staff presented a revised, final draft of the SMP to the GRDA Board of Directors for review. Stakeholders were given an opportunity to submit written comments on the revised SMP and public hearings were held in Cleora and Grove, Oklahoma, on October 2 and 4, 2007. The vast majority of comments received from the public indicated support for the revisions that were made to the SMP.
In addition to seeking comments from the public, GRDA solicited input from 26 state, tribal, and federal resource agencies during a 30 day comment period. While many had no comment, several agencies expressed a desire to meet with GRDA staff to discuss the SMP prior to submitting written comments. In an effort to facilitate the agencies. GRDA agreed to extend the comment period to meet with these agencies and to allow them more time to prepare comments.
On November 8, 2007, GRDA staff met with representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation to discuss their concerns with the SMP and to explore possible alternatives. GRDA considered the meeting to be a positive and productive experience. In addition to voicing their concerns, the resource agencies made several recommendations. Both resource agencies recommended that submission of the SMP be delayed one year to allow time for additional studies. Specifically, the agencies recommended that GRDA conduct more extensive surveys to determine fish and wildlife habitat values for project lands and shoreline, and also recommended that the existing recreation plan and carrying capacity study be revised and expanded. To date, only the USFWS has submitted written comments. GRDA is currently assessing the feasibility and wisdom of conducting these additional studies. GRDA is concerned that little benefit will be gained by repeating studies that have already been conducted. However, GRDA is committed to the consultation process and desires to put in place a quality SMP.
Sincerely,
Kevin A. Easley
Chief Executive Office
GRAND RIVER DAM AUTHORITY
January 8, 2008
Department of Wild Life Conservation
Greg Duffy, Director
P.O. Box 53465.
Oklahoma City, OK 73152
Dear Director Duffy:
It is my understanding that the Grand River Dam Authority Board is withholding final approval of the SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PLAN pending input from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife.
I would like to take this opportunity to encourage you to recommend approval by the GRDA Board of the Plan as it presently stands. The present document was developed after many meetings allowing public input. These meetings were not only held around Grand Lake but also in Tulsa and Oklahoma City to allow adequate input of all Grand Lake stake holders. Not to recommend approval of the Plan as written would be a slap in the face to representative government.
For either of you to recommend a more restrictive plan would place a caudel on the economic development and user freedoms on Grand Lake which have made this lake Oklahoma’s best kept secret. Part of the reason Grand Lake is such an economic engine is the ability of shoreline land owners to have personal boat docks. Performing a “dock density study” and any plan to limit the number of docks would curtail economic development on Oklahoma’s number one tourist destination.
There is also no need for a “carrying capacity study” to determine if there are too many boats per service area on Grand Lake. It does not take a genius to know that the only time that Grand Lake is anywhere near a state of being crowded in comparison to many lakes in America are on the three major summer holiday weekends. Dr. Darrel Townsend who is GRDA’s biologist that heads up the Eco-Systems for the Authority has been very vocal in his opposition to a dock density approach to dock permitting.
Again, I recommend that your agency recommend approval to the GRDA Board of the SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PLAN in its present form, which has been revised after much public input.
Should you wish to have further discussions as to the economic effect of Grand Lake on Oklahoma and the reason to recommend approval of this Plan I would be happy to visit with you. I will be in my Capitol office the last 2 weeks of January for budget hearings prior to starting Session. Feel free to call my legislative assistant Jane for an appointment if you desire any further clarification.
Sincerely yours,
Rep. Doug Cox, M.D.
DC/jem
CC: Oklahoma Water Resources Board
Duane Smith, Executive Director
3800 Classen Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Grand Laker’s United Enterprise
P.O. Box 1
Langley, OK 74350
Connie Pearson
Senator Tom Coburn’s office
3310 Mid-Continent Tower
401 S. Boston
Tulsa, OK 74103
Kevin Easley, General Manager, CEO
GRDA
P.O. Box 409
Vinita, OK 74301-0409