To Whom It May Concern:

My wife and I own a 196 acre ranch on the west side of Hwy 31 in the Summer Lake Basin. I bought this property in 1994 because the Summer Lake basin is one of the most beautiful places I have ever experienced. An integral part of that beauty is the wild, expansive vistas in every direction, relatively unmarred by unnatural features. Although I presently live in Bend, I have always looked forward to the day when I would make my permanent home Summer Lake. One of my passions is birding, and Summer Lake is my favorite place to observe the marvelous shorebirds that breed in the area, including Snowy Plover, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Willet, as well as thousands or shorebirds that migrate during spring and fall.

If the project were to take place as proposed it would be illegal for several reasons. It would violate interim management for the Diablo Mountain Wilderness Study Area. It would endanger a state threatened species, the Snowy Plover. In combination with the Lake Abert proposal, the Snowy Plover population in Oregon would likely be pushed to extinction.

The proposed project at Summer Lake, if allowed to go forward, would irreversibly harm all those who reside at Summer Lake, and those who enjoy it for its beauty and wildlife. It would destroy the very reason Summer Lake is so special. Although I don't believe the project is a physical possibility because of its requirement for more water than Summer Lake normally holds, I think it would be a travesty for FERC to even issue a preliminary permit. The reason FERC should not issue a permit is simple. The company that is making the proposal does not even plan to go through with the project. Their interest is to make it appear that they will go ahead with the project so they can collect millions of dollars in federal subsidies (i.e. bilk taxpayers), and collect millions of dollars from venture capitalists who are not savvy enough to understand that water can't be pumped from a lake that is dry most of the year.

If FERC does go ahead and issue a permit or license for this boondoggle, I will use every legal means at my disposal to expose NT Hydro for who they are, and throw a monkeywrench in the works. You can be sure that I and my neighbors will be watching every move that NT Hydro even thinks of making at Summer Lake. I request that FERC take the responsible step, and deny the preliminary permit outright.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this project.

Craig Miller MD
Marilyn Miller
PO Box 6376
Bend, OR 97708-6376