Utah Hydro Project Goes to Tribe: Pipelines and Houses Removed
Published Date: 8/28/2025
Notice
Summary
Moon Lake Electric Association wants to give up its license for a hydroelectric project in Utah and remove some parts while handing over others to the Ute Indian Tribe. The government will check how this change might affect the environment and plans to share their findings by October 20, 2025. This affects local communities, Tribal lands, and could change how electricity is managed nearby.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
License Surrender and Infrastructure Removal
Moon Lake Electric filed on December 31, 2024 to surrender the license for the Uintah Hydroelectric Project (No. 190) near Neola, Duchesne County, Utah. The licensee proposes to remove specific project features — including the scour protection weir on the Uinta River, an elevated pipeline to the main canal, the Pole Creek diversion structure, the substation, and two operator houses — while other features would be transferred to the Ute Indian Tribe.
Transfer of Retained Features to Ute Indian Tribe
The licensee proposes that retained project features — including the main canal heading structure and main canal, the Big Springs diversion structure and access road, the project forebay, the powerhouse, and a garage — will be transferred to the Ute Indian Tribe. The transfer would place control of those listed features with the Tribe.
Transmission Line Will Be Retained
Under the proposal, the transmission line that provides electricity to legacy cabins and the nearby Ute Fish Hatchery will be retained. That means the licensee proposes to leave that specific electricity line in place rather than remove it during surrender.
Environmental Assessment and Public Comment Window
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff intends to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act and plans to issue the EA by October 20, 2025. The EA will be posted for a 30-day public comment period, and all comments filed on the EA will be reviewed and considered in the Commission's final decision.
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