Oakland – Amidst fierce protest, the East Bay Municipal Utility District board on Tuesday approved the option of a new Pardee Dam in its 2040 water plan. The controversial decision came in the face of overwhelming opposition from over 50 elected officials, government agencies, political groups, NGOs, and conservation and fishing organizations. These include Congressman Dan Lungren, Assemblymember Alyson Huber, Former EBMUD Director and Oakland City Councilman Danny Wan, the Sierra Club and PG & E. A motion by Director Lesa Macintosh to remove the dam as an option deadlocked on a 3-3 vote. Board members subsequently voted 4-2 to include the four Pardee options, the smallest of which would avoid flooding any of the river above the Mokelumne. The largest would be the Pardee option, which would potentially damage the river’s ecosystem, destroy historical sites like the Middle Bar Bridge and flood sacred sites considered important to Native Americans. If chosen, the dam would supply EBMUD customers in the east bay with additional water supply. A series of dams on the Mokelumne River currently provide these customers with 90 percent of their water needs. Director John Coleman, considered the strongest dam proponent, pushed for the motion that retained all four options. Nevertheless, the impassioned public testimony heard from foothill residents at this and prior public workshops seemed to strike a chord with some board members. President Doug Linney said the Pardee expansion is “out of synch with the times we’re in now and where we will be in 20 to 30 years.” He went on to say “it will be an albatross around our neck, a symbol of everything the East Bay Municipal Utility District is not. Taking it off the table forces us to focus on other solutions.” The board also voted 6-0 to work with foothill interests to secure National Wild and Scenic designation for the Mokelumne River. Protestors showed up in force for the meeting at EBMUD’s Oakland headquarters, including a bus load from Amador County. Some were reported to have climbed atop EBMUD’s sign out front. The plan has sparked one of the most contentious battles over dam construction in northern California since San Francisco’s fight to build the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir near Yosemite almost 100 years ago. Said Calaveras County Supervisor Steve Wilensky: “The EBMUD board showed callous disregard for the people of this region, and their promises for future collaboration ring hollow in light of their action yesterday. Their decision carries the seeds of their own demise, and history and the next election may prove that out.” Story by Alex Lane This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it