As plans for the full and expedited removal of the Scott and Cape Horn Dam on the Eel River in Potter Valley move forward, our natural resources are in danger.

The larger Scott Dam is located where water is stored at Lake Pillsbury, and the smaller Cape Horn Dam constitutes the creation of the Van Arsdale Reservoir.

District 2 Congressional candidates Tief Gibbs and Jared Huffman have touted their support for providing an upgraded fish passageway while completely disregarding the impact on stakeholders.

According to their congressional opponent, Chris Coluombe, the dam removal will cost the taxpayers an estimated $500 million, constituents and firefighters will face further fire risk due to reduced water availability, and agricultural producers will face the impact of starving our land of water.

The bulk of tribal voices aside from James Russ, president of the Round Valley Indian Tribes Council, have been ignored since the inception of Huffman’s Potter Valley Project Ad-Hoc Committee.

Per Redheaded Blackbelt: “On June 17, 2019 the Wiyot Tribe and Round Valley Indian Tribes walked out of an ad hoc committee meeting in solidarity with the Bear River after Bear River, a federally recognized tribe, was asked to leave by Congressman Huffman’s staff.”

Prior to the formation of the Eel-Russian JPA, the Russian River Water Forum represented interests in Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake and Humboldt counties. The group’s consultant, Kearns & West includes Pacific Gas and Electric Co., the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and an excessive number of local, state and federal government agencies within their client portfolio.

Following the Tubbs Fire, California’s elected officials lobbied $2 million for PG&E with monies intended for the fire victims via Rebuild North Bay.

Being that PG&E funds Congressman Huffman’s campaign, is the decision to move forward with the dam removal monetarily influenced and have these business dealings been fully transparent?

Adina Flores lives in Petaluma, California.