The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Tribal Council has approved a measure opposing a hydropower project proposed by the Southeast Oklahoma Power Corp.
The firm unveiled its plans earlier this year with intentions to divert water from the Kiamichi River in Pushmataha Couny to create electrical power for sites in Texas and not in Oklahoma. The Southeast Oklahoma Power Corp. planned to build and operate a 1,200-megawatt hydroelectric power plant along the Kiamichi River in Pushmataha County and transmit the electricity to an Electric Reliability Council of Texas substation at Paris, Texas.
A formal letter about the issue was sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) detailing the Tribe’s concerns about potential harm from the project and the importance of Tribal participation in the approval process.
“One of our Tribe’s top priorities is defending our sovereignty, which includes protecting our culture and community. These efforts include being good stewards of our land and natural resources,” CNO Chief Gary Batton said. “Fortunately, FERC has recognized it must not issue preliminary permits for projects on Tribal land if a project is opposed by a Tribe, and we call on the agency to adhere to that policy.”
The proposed project would impact endangered species, including a particular mussel, and numerous historical sites. It also runs counter to the historic Water Settlement Agreement between CNO, other Tribes, Oklahoma City and the state of Oklahoma, which is enforceable as a matter of federal law.
The tribe charged that the proposed project would trigger numerous regulations and laws, including the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act and others. It also necessitates extensive studies and meetings with multiple state and federal agencies to fully understand the impact of the project.
“Cooperation between sovereign tribal nations and the federal government is critical to protecting the natural resources we all enjoy,” Batton said.
The SEOPC’s initial application was filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Aug. 27, 2018, and was published in the Federal Register on Nov. 26, 2018. Its cover letters to FERC were signed by John Bobenic in care of Daytona Power Corp. in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Daytona Power Corp. was incorporated in Nevada on Dec. 20, 2017; was still an active company on March 21, 2024; and lists a street address in Carson, NV.
As the Southwest Ledger reported in late March, federal regulators came out against the project. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected the developers plans, citing a number of deficiencies.
More than 200 southeastern Oklahoma residents opposed to the project – many of whom have lived in the region for generations – gathered March 17 in Albion, eight miles southwest of Talihina, to hear a presentation about the proposal and to discuss options, reported the Southwest Ledger.
Source: press release
