Crescent Bar

Reader believes Crescent Bar leases should end

How important is FERC Federal Dam License to the 75,000-plus citizens of Grant County and the existence of the PUD? Important enough to spend $50 million and years to present the application to FERC. The FERC license had a provision requiring public use and access to land that was under lease to private developers on Crescent Bar Island. On March 2, the PUD answered with a shoreline management plan that included the private leases on Crescent Bar. FERC replied to PUD by letter dated March 10, 2010, which was explicit, concise and clear as follows:

“The commission does not condone residential development an occupancy of project lands, since such residential use is inconsistent with the commission’s policy of maximizing public recreational development.”

Despite the letter, the PUD seems to be determined to give legal rights to the lessee occupants. No one forced these lessees to buy into theses leases and it does not take an attorney to advise that when the lease is up the occupancy rights expire. The lessee’s have no vested rights to a renewal or extension of their lease.

The PUD is playing with fire insofar as FERC license is concerned. There is nothing to stop FERC from deciding that the PUD is more concerned with giving the Crescent Bar lessees legal right than following FERC regulations and depriving the 75,000 citizens of Grant County of their recreation rights and that therefore the license should not be granted.

It is time for the PUD to be thankful for FERC license, respect FERC regulations and consider the 75,000 citizens of Grant County over the approximately 400 lessees on public land that by right should be used for public access for recreation and wildlife. There should be no extension of these private leases.

Paul A. Klasen, Jr.

Ephrata