Secretary Brooke Rollins meets with Potter Valley Project community
"I see this as one of the existential battles of our time," Rollins told members of the press at the 107th annual American Farm Bureau Convention in Anaheim, CA.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins met this week in Anaheim, California with stakeholders concerned about the proposed removal of the Potter Valley Project dams in Northern California.
On Monday, Rollins convened with local leaders, farmers, and community representatives alongside Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Aubrey Bettencourt, reaffirming the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) commitment to supporting the region’s agricultural and rural water needs. The meeting took place during the 107th annual American Farm Bureau Convention, where Rollins served as keynote speaker.
Following a closed-door roundtable discussion, Rollins brought members of the Potter Valley delegation onstage during her press conference to highlight the issue.
“We just finished an amazingly productive roundtable with a dozen or so Potter Valley stakeholders about the need to preserve their dams, the Scott and Cape Horn dams, which have served water to the area for over a century,” Rollins told members of the press. “California’s push to tear them down in the name of environmental extremism is reckless. It puts fish over people and it jeopardizes our U.S. food security.”
Rollins said she intervened in the dam removal proceedings with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in December, and promised an update “soon.”
Attendees included Lake County Supervisors E.J. Crandell and Bruno Sabatier, Mendocino County Supervisors Madeline Cline and Bernie Norvell, and Cloverdale Mayor Todd Lands. Agricultural and community leaders present included Save the PVP Chairman Rich Brazil and members Chris Coulombe and Ken Foster; Lake Pillsbury Alliance Chair Carol Cinquini; Sonoma County Farm Bureau President Dayna Ghirardelli; Mendo Matters Chair Kerri Vau; Shelina Moreda of Food & Family Farms; and independent journalist and UNWON editor Keely Brazil Covello. Representatives of the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, led by Darcy Burke, also attended to demonstrate solidarity between Southern and Northern California communities in preserving the state’s water infrastructure.
In her remarks, Rollins acknowledged the late Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s efforts to protect the Potter Valley Project. LaMalfa, who represented California’s First Congressional District, was a vocal opponent of dam removals on the Klamath River and a staunch advocate for rural water access. He passed away earlier this month at the age of 65.
“Many people ask why I, with so much to do in running a massive agency with almost 100,000 employees, and covering pretty much almost every topic seemingly at the federal government, why I would lean into what is arguably a local fight,” Rollins said. “As I mentioned at the top of my remarks, I see this as one of the existential battles of our time, and that is the importance of putting agriculture first and putting our people first, of ensuring there is an environment where rural America not only survives—which, rural America has been in survival mode for a long time—but thrives. And so, what this represents is one of those battles. There’s several around the country I’m getting involved in but this is one at the top of the list.”
Following her press conference, Rollins gave Covello the podium to speak about the Potter Valley Project and answer questions from the press.
..battles is right: the farmers vs the bureaucrats. myself, i'm hoping the farmers win..
So you got the mic, Ms. Covello. How about a link to video of your segment?
Secretary Rollins is absolutely correct about the California dam removals being existential; they are so in more ways than one.