With the process for re-licensing the Yuba Bear hydroelectric project now going on for about eight years, the Nevada Irrigation District is looking for ways to speed things up. And that’s resulted in protests from environmental groups, including the South Yuba River Citizens League. SYRCL says NID has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a waiver that, according to SYRCL, removes water quality protections for such projects. The group says NID bases the request on a court ruling that allowed the Hoopa Valley tribe to get the waiver, because a state water board failed to issue an environmental permit within a year. But SYRCL Executive Director Melinda Booth says the cases are not related…

CEQA is the California Environmental Quality Act. NID Board member Nick Wilcox acknowledges that the district has not completed the CEQA process, like the tribe did. But he also points out that they must do it jointly with PG and E…

Protest letters have been submitted by SYRCL and other groups to the Commission. They’re also part of a national effort urging a review of the Hoopa decision.