Oregon Public Broadcasting

This week, the debate over the possible removal of the Klamath River dams reaches the halls of Salem.

Last year, the Bush Administration and PacifiCorp agreed to the largest dam removal deal in U.S. history.

Tuesday, state Senators will consider what they have to do to move the deal forward.

It’s a bill to allow Pacific Power to raise the rates for Oregon utility customers by a total of $200 million.

Senator Jackie Dingfelder chairs the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee.

Jackie Dingfelder: “It’s similar to the process that happened for the demolition of Trojan. It would go into an account, and it’s used for that, and if the dams don’t get removed, then the money gets refunded.”

Trojan was a PGE nuclear plant north of Portland that was decommissioned in 1992.

Critics have already blasted the Klamath proposal, calling it a “slush fund” for the utility company.

And the state senate is far from the final step.

Taxpayers in California must vote for a $200 million bond.

And the Obama Administration and Congress must approve pieces of the deal as well.