GCPUD Press Release

Final Water Quality Certificate Received by Grant PUD

April 5 , 2007

EPHRATA - The Department of Ecology issued a final water quality certificate for the relicensing of the Priest Rapids Project on Tuesday, April 3. The certificate is one of the last milestones to be completed before a new federal license can be issued for the Project.

The document is called a “Final 401 Certification,” referring to Section 401 of the Federal Clean Water Act. The certification analyzes the ways in which dams affect water quality and places conditions on dam operators to protect water quality.

The final certification specifies ways for Grant PUD to comply with state water-quality standards and other relevant state regulations protecting the environment. Grant PUD first applied for the water quality certification in 2003 as a requirement of the Federal Clean Water Act.

“Grant PUD is committed to protecting the resources of the Columbia River and preserving the capability of the Priest Rapids Project to produce clean, renewable, emission-free hydropower that is so vital to our state and region,” said Grant PUD Director of Natural Resources, Stephen Brown.

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Grant County Public Utility District is a Washington state municipal corporation that began electric service in 1942. Owned by the people it serves, Grant PUD generates and sells electricity to Grant County residents and millions of customers throughout Central Washington and the Pacific Northwest. The Priest Rapids Project, comprised of Priest Rapids and Wanapum Dams, produces nearly 2,000 megawatts of clean, renewable and reliable electricity – enough to supply a city the size of Seattle. A leader in science based technology; Grant PUD is committed to finding effective measures for the protection, mitigation and enhancement of salmon, steelhead and other natural and cultural resources.

Media Contact:
Sarah Morford
(509) 754-6633 / smorfor@gcpud.org