Connecticut River Dam Re-licensing

Check here for updates regarding Wilder, Bellows Falls, and Vernon Dams

The owner of these three dams (Great River Hyrdo, who also owns other dams along the Connecticut and Deerfield Rivers), has applied to re-license five hydro plants in Vermont, NH and Massachusettes.  The public comment period ended this week (May 22, 2024).  

The states of Vermont and New Hampshire also have an opportunity to weigh in during this process, so we still have opportunities to impact the final license for each dam.  

401 Water Quality Certification.  All hydroelectric facilities must apply for and receive a Water Quality Certification from the state that that facility is located in.  After submitting a revised final application to FERC, hydro companies are required to apply for a 401 Clean Water Certification.  The state has to verify that any discharge from the dam will meet water quality requirements.

Anything the states require in this certificate will automatically be included in the final FERC license.

So - our comments to the State during the 401 process are also important.

We will provide more information about what farmers and CRWFA can do soon.  Meantime, learn more about the 401 process for each state:

Vermont, 

New Hampshire,

Massachusetts

Dam Relicensing Public Comment Period has ended: May 22, 2024

Read our official Comment to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) here: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R9lIscV_HQhhndTwDPuo0XhxsW-Uz5bFrhTKOxsbmFk/edit?usp=sharing

Connecticut River Conservancy is still our best resource for information on this process.  They have an excellent information page, with instructions for submitting your own comments:

https://www.ctriver.org/hydropower

Tom Beaudry has an excellent video showing differences in erosion along the Connecticut River (also see below for video):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s0RbPvZPw33HxM0nmWnaDsND59s-2BaG/view

Thank you for your input.  Here is the comment we submitted to FERC.

Our draft comment, below.  Please send your thoughts to us by end of Tuesday night, May 21, 2024:        crwfa.info@gmail.com