Oregon Public Broadcasting

One of the biggest dam removal projects in Northwest history cleared one of its last major regulatory hurdles.

Rob Manning reports on word Thursday from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that the Condit Dam should come out.

The Condit Dam is on the White Salmon River in Washington, a few miles north of where it empties into the Columbia.

The dam blocks migrating fish, so environmental groups want it out.

Years ago, the dam’s owner, Pacific Power, signed a settlement agreement with environmental groups, government agencies, and tribes to remove the dam.

Actual removal next year is looking more and more likely, now that FERC has signed off.

Tom O’Keefe is with American Whitewater, one of the groups that signed the settlement with Pacific Power.

Tom O’Keefe: “It’s not reality until the explosives are packed into the hole at the base of the dam and the reservoir is drained. I mean that’ll be the final definitive resolution, and there are several steps to get to that process. But in terms of the decision matrix that we’re in, this is the major decision step.”

O’Keefe says there are local approvals still required to remove the dam, but he says it appears on schedule for demolition, next October.

Washington will see an even bigger dam removal the year after next. The Elhwa River dams on the Olympic Peninsula are due to come out in 2012.