Caledonian-Record: ANR Official: New Hydro Projects Unlikely In Vermont
Reposted here from the Caledonian-Record.
Robin Smith
Staff Writer
LOWELL — A federal wild and scenic designation would ban new hydroelectric projects on parts of the Missisquoi River.
However, a state water quality expert states the issue is moot because there’s no chance that a new large hydro project would be allowed on any free-flowing Vermont river anyway.
A study committee representing towns in Orleans and Franklin counties met Thursday evening at Lowell Graded School to ponder the impact on dams and hydro projects of a potential designation to protect the upper Missisquoi and nearby Trout rivers.
Several owners of historic small dams on tributaries to the Missisquoi joined the committee, as well as state and federal officials involved in the process. They learned that their small dams probably wouldn’t be affected by the designation.
Neither would several large dams that could be generating power in the future.
The former Citizens hydroelectric project in Troy, proposed by Jonathan Chase of Derby, is within months of receiving a renewed license to restart from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, officials said. The study committee endorsed that project and said that it would not be part of the designation area, said Coordinator Shana Stewart Deeds.
However, other new dam projects are not likely, said Brian Fitzgerald, stream-flow protection coordinator with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
“Vermont has pretty strong water quality standards,” he said.
“It is highly unlikely a dam in a free-flowing reach of river would ever be certified.”
“It would be very, very challenging to build a new dam whether it was for hydro power or other purposes,” Fitzgerald said. Designation would not affect that, he said.
Almost all feasible hydro power sites in Vermont were built out in the 1980s, he said.
And there is no chance that a dam will be built at the well-known Big Falls in Troy, the tallest undammed waterfall in Vermont. “Virtually no chance. Virtually nil,” Fitzgerald said, noting it is in a state park.
Saying no to dams “forever” is a tough call, said Rep. Mark Higley, R-Lowell and a member of the study committee.
Banning new dams would be the big impact of designation, Deeds said.
If designated by Congress, the Missisquoi and Trout would be the first to be declared and protected as wild and scenic in Vermont. There are only eight such rivers in New England.
It could be designated as recreational and scenic, rather than wild, which recognizes existing easy access areas, historic dams and riverside development. The committee is compiling a list of outstanding resources, such as a string of historic covered bridges on the Trout.
Designation would not affect growth at Jay Peak Resort or the Lowell wind project. Both are already highly regulated by the state to meet water quality standards and for storm-water runoff protections, Fitzgerald said.
Designation protects the river reach, not the entire watershed, they said.
The stretch of river under study flows around Jay Peak. It begins in Orleans County in Lowell and flows north along Route 100 and 101 through Westfield, Troy and North Troy, across the Canadian border and back, and then into Vermont northwest of Jay Peak.
From the border in Franklin County, the Missisquoi flows west along Route 105A through Richford, Berkshire and Enosburgh. In Berkshire, west of Jay Peak, the Missisquoi is joined by the Trout, which flows northwest along Route 242 through Montgomery. The study area ends before the Enosburgh Falls dam.
An existing hydroelectric dam in North Troy is about to lose its federal license because it has not operated for years and would be too costly to restart, said Jamie Fosburgh with the National Park Service’s New England rivers program. The owner is trying to sell it, but it has significant equipment problems and there may not be enough time for a new owner to save the license, he said.
Nancy and Delvin Warner have one small dam on a tributary in Lowell.
It was built 45 years ago, and had very little permitting, they said. It was the site of a creamery at one time, they said.
“To me it adds to the river,” Delvin Warner said, noting there is a pool for fishing. “I personally think it’s an asset.”
Fosburgh said the committee has to decide if their dam is carved out of the designation area or is grandfathered in.
Alvin Warner, a selectman in Lowell, said he has another small historic dam on a tributary. It likely would be beyond the designation area, which doesn’t cover all tributaries unless the committee includes them.
The Wild and Scenic River designation was intentionally created to stop hydroelectric projects on some rivers, Fosburgh said, especially in the west.
Nancy Warner said she understood that, having seen the Colorado River. “I know what designation means. That’s a sad river now.”
Very few New England rivers would be considered “wild,” Fosburgh said. Most are scenic or recreational, with some development and access already in place for generations.
The committee has to decide if the designation is a good idea. If so, it has to establish guidelines for river management and then ask the 10 towns in the study area to vote on the designation in the next two years. Then the request would go to Congress for approval.
Federal funding could flow back to maintain access, market it as a scenic resource, fund historic bridges and small local projects involving the rivers.
In the past, Congress has given $170,000 to manage each designated river, Deeds said.
“In this economic climate, it’s hard to say if we are going to get this amount.”
It’s a long process that began two years ago and needs to be done by 2013.
Town votes could begin later in 2012. The committee would want to see a solid majority of the towns support it.
The committee will meet again this fall to talk about the impact designation would have on roads and bridges. The committee continues to seek community feedback.
The committee’s website is www.vtwsr.org.
