By Deb Murphy

Mono and Inyo Counties was handed a reprieve by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last Friday.

The Commission’s Division of Hydropower Licensing found Premium Energy’s application for a closed loop system from reservoirs in the Owens Gorge to the White Mountains “patently deficient.”

That’s the good news.

The FERC did not find the project patently deficient because of environmental or common sense reasons. The application for a feasibility study was deemed patently deficient because the project includes three reservoirs in both the gorge and the Whites. The FERC pointed out Premium needed to submit three applications, one for each series of reservoirs.

The FERC’s rejection cover letter also stated “any application that is rejected may be resubmitted if the deficiencies are corrected.” So, all Premium has to do is do some cut and paste on the rejected application to create three applications.

Word of the rejection spread quickly Friday. Supervisor Fred Stump sent out a chain e-mail with the rejection letter attached. He also stated he and Supervisor Bob Gardner had met with Senator Diane Feinstein’s representative.

“Although there does not seem to be a role for the Senator at this time, her representative will be recommending the Senator support the denial position of any of the proposals should that be necessary.”

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