Yuba River Development Project Relicensing

As a requirement of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Yuba Water Agency must renew its license that permits the agency to use public waters for energy generation. The license specifically authorizes the conditions for construction, operation and maintenance of the Yuba River Development Project, as well as requirements designed to ensure safety, and to protect and enhance environmental resources and recreation.

License Renewal

In 2016, Yuba Water Agency’s original 50-year FERC license expired. The agency officially began the application process for a new license in 2010.

Yuba Water Agency has performed nearly 50 environmental studies, conducted hundreds of public meetings with interested parties, and filed a final license application. FERC has issued Yuba Water Agency an automatically renewing annual license, which allows operation of the project under existing conditions until FERC issues the new license with updated terms and conditions.

November 2022: Notice of Availability of Yuba Water's Notice of Intent 

  1. Yuba River Development Project NOA (PDF)
  2. Yuba River Development Project NOI (PDF)

This NOA provides notice of the availability of Yuba Water’s notice of intent to rely on the 2019 Final Environmental Statement (FEIS) issued by FERC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), as Yuba Water will supplement that FEIS as Yuba Water’s environmental analysis of the YRDP’s relicensing by FERC, consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act. (Public Resources Code §§ 21000–21178 (CEQA) and CEQA Guidelines section 15221).

Yuba Water hosted CEQA public scoping meetings during the NOI 45-day public comment period to discuss and receive input on issues not addressed in FERC’s FEIS, but will or should be in Yuba Water’s supplemental analysis consistent with CEQA. 

January 2019: FERC Issues Final Environmental Impact Statement

  1. 19JAN - Final Environmental Impact Statement - PDF

The Relicensing Process

Yuba Water Agency enters the Yuba River Hydroelectric Project Relicensing (Relicensing) with the expressed goal of obtaining a new license with minimal adverse impacts to project economics, while helping to foster our relationship with the community, resource agencies, and other interested parties. Yuba Water Agency desires to obtain a new license of maximum term for the project at a minimum cost (both initially and ongoing) that allows the project to maximize profits from the production of electrical power while also meeting environmental, recreational, irrigation, and other non-power requirements and needs.

Relicensing Documents

Yuba Water Agency’s Yuba River Development Project Relicensing documents are available to the public. These are resources for parties interested in the relicensing of the Yuba River Development Project and FERC Project Number 2246. Temporary documents related to relicensing are also available.