The Middle Fork American River Project, owned and operated by Placer County Water Agency, includes two major storage reservoirs, five regulating reservoirs and diversion pools, and five powerhouses located primarily on the Tahoe and Eldorado National Forest. In operation since 1967, the Middle Fork Project provides water for residential, industrial, and agricultural use in western Placer County and supplies renewable hydropower to California’s electric grid.
JNA Consulting, as a subconsultant to Stantec, has provided long-term technical and regulatory support to Placer County Water Agency throughout the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relicensing and post-licensing compliance process. Beginning with the launch of the relicensing effort in 2007 under Energy Regulatory Commission’s Integrated Licensing Process, JNA Consulting led the Terrestrial Resources Working Group and contributed significantly to the development of key submittals, including the Pre-Application Document and the Draft and Final License Applications.
Our services included designing and implementing technical study plans, conducting Endangered Species Act consultations, and developing resource management plans. Following the issuance of a new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license in June 2020, JNA Consulting continues to support Placer County Water Agency with compliance activities, including ongoing Endangered Species Act consultations for newly listed species, securing permits and approvals for recreation and infrastructure improvement projects, and implementing license-required management plans.
JNA Consulting also supported the development of a web-based License Compliance database that: 1) synthesizes license conditions into a user-friendly application that allows for efficient and accurate tracking of compliance requirement; 2) establishes appropriate connections between project activities and their timing; facility and resources locations using the projects existing GIS database; and activity, location and/or resource-specific avoidance and protection measures; 3) tracks required deadlines and provides concise interim steps necessary to meet those deadlines; and 4) creates a library that houses license and compliance documents and filings.