Photo: Ethan snaps a selfie from the top of Trail Crest as he heads to Mt. Whitney.
Yuba Water Agency's licensing manager, Ethan Koenigs, is responsible for helping the agency secure, retain and manage its Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licenses, which are required to operate facilities related to hydroelectric power generation operations. This includes ensuring compliance with license conditions, building and maintaining relationships with staff, consultants and external agencies, and understanding the complexities of Yuba Water's facilities and infrastructure. Scroll to learn more about Ethan, his background and what he enjoys in his free time.
What does your average day look like? Or what are some of your essential duties?
Yuba Water is in the process of securing new FERC licenses for its Yuba River Development Project and Narrows I Powerhouse. The nature of FERC licensing is that it tends to move very slowly and then quickly once a new license is granted and a multitude of conditions with set timelines are thrust upon a licensee. As a newer employee, much of my time is spent familiarizing myself with the current Yuba River Development Project and Narrows FERC licenses, as well as understanding the agency’s applications for its new licenses.
My essential duties include regular communication with consultants and agency staff to ensure compliance with our license conditions. Managing a FERC license involves building relationships with a diversity of people and working with many disciplines, including engineering, hydrology, recreation, cultural resources, fisheries and wildlife and other natural resources, as well as facility operations and maintenance.
How did you get involved in your current career path?
It was as a consultant that I was introduced to the wild world of FERC-licensed hydroelectric projects, where natural resources meet stunning feats of engineering. Because these important civil projects impact the natural world, there is great interest in making sure they are managed with care to protect fish, wildlife, habitats and other natural resources. I became part of a consultant team that assisted the Sacramento Municipal Utility District with their FERC license compliance. I then went on to work directly for SMUD for a decade, helping them implement a new 50-year FERC license.
Photo: Ethan competes in the Mother Lode Epic endurance mountain bike race in El Dorado County.
What is your background/formal education that led to where you are in your career today?
I am a biologist with a passion for natural resources. I studied biology at California State University, Sacramento and went on to graduate work studying entomology and horticulture/agronomy at University of California, Davis. My career path has had some twists and turns, from researching bark beetles and other insects with the U.S. Forest Service, to serving as a viticulturist (the science of grape growing) for large vineyards in Napa and Sonoma counties, managing vineyards for a small grower in the Sierra foothills and working in environmental consulting as a biologist and geographic information systems specialist.
What do you enjoy most about working for Yuba Water?
Yuba Water is filled with friendly people and the management is focused on creating a supportive environment for all staff. I also love that we aren’t afraid to tackle big issues in bold ways.
Before working here, what was the most interesting job you had?
This is a tough question, since they’ve all had interesting aspects. My first thought was my position as an entomology research technician at the Forest Service, which was fascinating, fun and involved a lot of camping. But as I considered all the things I was involved with at SMUD, I think that job had more and a greater diversity of interesting stuff.
Some interesting highlights included planning and building trails and campgrounds on the Eldorado National Forest, installing a nest camera at a bald eagle nest, off-roading on the Rubicon Trail, monitoring and managing whitewater boating activities, flying in helicopters into the Desolation Wilderness, traveling over one thousand feet underground into a giant cavern that housed a massive power plant, traveling to many field sites to see rare plants and wildlife, working closely with amazing scientists and tribal representatives, helping create a fire safe landscape, helping in the planning and permitting of a new hydro powerhouse and much more.
Tell us something about yourself that most of us don't know.
I am a founder and the current president of a local nonprofit called Mother Lode Trail Stewardship with a mission to create, enhance, preserve and promote trails in and around El Dorado County.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy many pursuits in my free time, including mountain biking, disc-golfing, gardening, raising goats and chickens, beekeeping, brewing, BBQ, making charcuterie, camping, hiking, hunting and serving as a leader of high school students with our local youth group.
