City files proposed study plan with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Deepening our collective knowledge of the South Fork Tolt 

On September 20, 2024, the City of Seattle (City) filed a Proposed Study Plan (PSP) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as required to relicense the South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project.

Seattle Public Utilities has owned and operated the dam, reservoir, and water treatment facility since the 1960s. These facilities provide approximately 30-40% of the drinking water for over 1.6 million people in the greater Seattle area.

Seattle City Light operates the hydroelectric project to generate power from the pre-existing dam and reservoir. The power plant provides 1% of City Light's renewable energy portfolio. Even though it is relatively small, it powers the water treatment plant and helps balance the energy provided by other renewable power sources in the region. Together, these facilities provide local families and businesses with reliable power and water services. 

What is the Proposed Study Plan? What does it include? 

The PSP is a document FERC requires as part of the relicensing process. Its primary purpose is to describe the new studies the City is proposing to implement in the 2025 and 2026 study seasons. In addition, the PSP:

• describes the studies the City believes are necessary to inform the license application and foster good decision making during the relicensing process;
• includes background information about the project's facilities and operations;
• explains how the City collaborates with Tribes, federal and state agencies, local governments, non-governmental organizations, and other licensing participants to clarify what is known and unknown about the project; and
• describes ongoing studies and data collection activities the City already conducts, such as water quality monitoring, fish spawning surveys, and invasive species management.  

The heart of the PSP focuses on new studies the City has proposed, which include the following:

• a hydraulic modeling study,
• a study of fish in the reservoir,
• studies of bats, amphibians, and birds, as well as
• studies related to local recreation, cultural resources, and environmental justice. 

All the proposed studies are listed in detail within the PSP, which can be found online at: seattle.gov/tolt-relicensing. Go to "Project Documents and Resources," and choose the Public Documents Library. 

How was the Proposed Study Plan developed? 

Starting in 2023, the City began meeting with Tribes, federal and state agencies, local governments, non-governmental organizations, and other interested parties (collectively called licensing participants) to raise awareness about the process and schedule, discuss primary interests, participate in joint collaborative training, and familiarize them with the facilities and their operations. The City established four Resource Working Groups (RWGs) to fill knowledge gaps and to provide input into study planning. Each RWG focused on a different area of the relicensing work. Attendees at the RWGs were invited to provide City staff with input on the areas of study included in the PSP, as well as introduce new study topics. The City also reviewed and considered all the comments and study requests Tribes and other Licensing Participants filed with FERC in early August.

What's next?

The City continues to collaborate with Licensing Participants through the RWGs and other communications. The FERC process requires a proposed study plan meeting within 30 days of the filing of the PSP. The City has planned three meetings in October, organized by RWG, that serve as the proposed study plan meetings. These meetings will be attended by FERC and the City will present the study plans and provide opportunities to share input and ask questions. The FERC process gives the Tribes and other Licensing Participants until December 19, 2024 to file comments with FERC on the PSP. The City will review those comments and file a Revised Study Plan by January 14, 2025. Licensing participants will then have a two-week review and comment period, and FERC will issue their Study Plan Determination by February 13, 2025. 

You can learn more about this process and access all the related documents, including the PSP, at: seattle.gov/tolt-relicensing. A Public Documents Library can be found under "Project Documents and Resources."  

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