Our Work

Early in the process, Kleinschmidt worked closely with DESC to identify a client-preferred relicensing process and develop a relicensing strategy. To aid in Pre-Application Document (PAD) development, we planned and held stakeholder issue identification workshops that served as initial scoping meetings. We met with relicensing stakeholder groups to develop a list of relicensing studies that would be performed during relicensing and were necessary to provide information that was not currently available. We prepared and filed the PAD, Notice of Intent, and the request to use the Traditional Licensing Process (TLP).  The TLP  was supported by stakeholders and was ultimately approved by FERC. Kleinschmidt developed and maintains a project relicensing website for DESC that is used to share information with stakeholders and the public. Study plans were developed with stakeholder consultation and studies were performed in 2015 and 2016 to address project recreational use, fish entrainment, instream flows, reservoir fluctuations, downstream fluctuations, threatened and endangered species, water quality, and project operations.

Studies were completed, study reports were reviewed by stakeholders, and study results were ultimately summarized in the final license application, which was submitted to FERC in 2018. We also assisted DESC in developing a Comprehensive Relicensing Settlement Agreement (CRSA) with stakeholders. CRSA development involved numerous meetings with stakeholders to outline the appropriate language and proposals to include in the CRSA. We will continue to assist DESC with the development and filing of the 401 Water Quality Certification application, as well as provide DESC with post-license application filing support.

Kleinschmidt is assisting DESC to strategically and efficiently navigate the relicensing process and evaluate potential project effects, while preserving the operational flexibility and economic value of this regionally significant project.