News

For Immediate New Release Jan. 19, 2005

                       

"Butte County's future is now...FERC
Relicensing, water and smart growth are the keys to unlock that future"

                       

Loafer Creek, LLC, an Oroville-based land development and technology company, has announced today that it has become actively involved in the Lake Oroville relicensing application to be formally submitted to FERC later this month. As the owner of thousands of acres of land in Butte County, many of Loafer Creek’s properties contain environmental assets directly related to the FERC-licensed Lake Oroville facilities and will be impacted by the upcoming license application. Loafer Creek has hired one of the top FERC relicensing firms, Washington, D.C.-based Swidler Berlin LLC, to represent Loafer Creek and the community to ensure that Butte County does not get sold down the river again. Loafer Creek wishes to reverse the flow of poverty related to the use of Lake Oroville waters and bring back the economic benefits due to Butte County and its citizens.

                       

While recent media coverage suggests that officials of the City of Oroville and the County of Butte are optimistic about the relicensing, Loafer Creek looks forward to reviewing the proposed settlement agreement   and relicense application, prior to submittal, in order to ensure that they fully address the community and related impacts including recreation, socioeconomic, and infrastructure. With the original license acting as more of an anchor than an economic engine for the past 50 years, Loafer Creek’s participation will influence whether the relicensing effort helps the economic future of Butte County.

                       

Loafer Creek managing member Dave Nelson observed, “Butte County is in the envious position of having natural resources in the plenty from water to open space to rich agricultural land and county officials should ensure that the relicensing fully considers all impacts from the dam. The relicensing should ensure that the  residents of Oroville and Butte County benefit from the dam’s presence.”

                       

With Loafer Creek’s mission starting and ending with the objective of a “sustainable environment”, the Company sees the relicensing as instrumental to balancing inevitable residential gr\owth with the nurturing of treasured natural resources. One example of this scenario which the relicensing settlement should evaluate and mitigate for is the need to ensure that the water management above and below the dam incorporates the water consumption needs of Oroville and the greater County both today and in future for all users ranging from agriculture to homeowners.

                       

Loafer Creek is encouraged by the proactive efforts which have brought this complex relicensing to the point of a formal application. Loafer Creek looks forward to the public airing of these important matters which should result in the citizens of Butte County finally realizing the benefits of the dam and the related facilities.

                       

Loafer Creek encourages all community members to share their concerns regarding the relicensing application via Loafer Creek’s website: www.loafercreek.com. As Loafer Creek develops further information, it will post it on its website.            

Loafer Creek LLC a Land Development Company
Designing Answers With Nature
Leading With The Environment First
Using State of The Art Technology To Create and Ensure
A Sustainable Environment
Setting the Standards For Future Generation to Come