STATE OF JEFFERSON - There has been a lot written lately about the Klamath River Dams and what is to become of them. This has been a very confusing issue and one that effects many different groups with different opinions, so the Pioneer Press sat down with Pacific Power Spokesman, Dave Kvamme, to try and simplify the issue so we all could understand it.

There are two distinct processes here that both tie together into the one big issue of Pacific Power being granted a license to operate the Klamath Hydroelectric Project.

Pacific Power had a 50 year license to operate the dams which expired in April of 2006. There has been an annual extension granted for them to continue operating the dams until an agreement has been reached.

"The licensing process is so complicated that it is hard for anyone to understand," said Kvamme. The dams are regulated by state agencies as well as federal. The actual license is issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Here is where it gets complicated.

There are several federal agencies which have the "absolute authority" over what kinds of features or changes that have to be made to the dams in order to renew the license. Some of these agencies are U.S. Fish and Wildlife, NOAA and BLM. These agencies all have input into the license requirements. FERC must take these recommendations and if Pacific Power complies the license will be granted.

Now here is how the other issue ties into the license. FERC encourages other agencies and groups to have input into the licensing requirements. These groups include not only the state and federal agencies but also environmental groups, tribes, irrigators and other interested parties. Currently there are 28 parties involved in this process. If these groups work together and can come up with an agreement or "settlement" it will override the previous recommendations made by the government agencies.

"A well crafted settlement will be used as a model and will become the license" according to Kvamme.

The settlement process has been underway for more than two years and Pacific Power has been working on the licensing for more than five years.

So both of these processes run parallel to each other with the government agencies coming up with their requirements and the settlement talks trying to come up with their agreed upon requirements.

The first set of requirements were announced by the government.

It was announced that fish ladders, screens and "other measures" would have to be added to the dams in order for Pacific Power to be granted a license. According to Kvamme this is "very costly," but Pacific Power is willing to do this in order to get the license.

"Nothing is assured" said Kvamme. The settlement talks continue and another outcome could be found.

So can 28 different groups with different agendas come up with an agreement?

All parties in the settlement talks are bound by a confidentiality agreement and can not speak about the negotiations. By keeping the talks private, Kvamme said "ideas can be thrown around and compromises struck without media scrutiny."

Kvamme is "hopeful an agreement will be met." He said 6 other settlement agreements have been struck on other river systems with many of the same parties involved. Even with a settlement there are several more steps in this complicated but important process.