LaMalfa, USDA Weigh In to Protect Potter Valley Water and Firefighting Resources

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) applauded action by the Trump Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to intervene in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proceedings involving the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project. The intervention follows direct engagement between LaMalfa, senior USDA officials, and bipartisan Members of Congress to press for a coordinated federal response to protect this critical water supply. 

“What’s at stake in Potter Valley is not an abstract policy debate,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “These proceedings are the difference between farms staying in business or shutting their gates for good. Cutting off this water would cripple agriculture across the region, put federal assets at risk, and make an already tough drought and wildfire situation even worse. Reliable water from these reservoirs is critical not just for farming, but for fighting wildfires that threaten homes, businesses, and lives. After sitting down with senior USDA officials and some of my bipartisan colleagues, I appreciate Secretary Rollins and the Trump Administration for stepping in and demanding FERC take these real-world consequences seriously before moving forward.”

Last week, Congressman LaMalfa sent a formal letter to FERC opposing the request to decommission Scott and Cape Horn Dams, which create Lake Pillsbury and Van Arsdale Reservoir. These reservoirs supply water for irrigation, residential use, and firefighting across Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties. Removing them would drop local water tables, threaten regional wildfire response, and inflict lasting economic and environmental damage on the farms and the many residents of these areas. USDA submitted a separate letter to FERC raising similar concerns, ensuring the Department can participate directly and advocate for farmers, ranchers, and residents who depend on these flows. 

LaMalfa has long warned that surrendering the Potter Valley Project license without a workable replacement would cause lasting harm to agriculture, wildfire readiness, local businesses, and families. USDA’s intervention is a necessary check on a process that has too often prioritized regulatory expediency over real-world consequences.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, and Yuba Counties.

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