Josh Barnett
06-30-04, 07:11 PM
Trout Unlimited (TU) hailed the recent issuance of a license for
Housatonic River hydroelectric projects by the Federal Energy
Regulatory
Commission (FERC). The license requires natural flows below two dams
and
includes a number of other provisions that will increase the health of
the
river. The FERC action follows more than five years of sustained work
by
dedicated TU volunteers. The license was issued on July 23, and
implementation of natural flows has already begun. This represents a
major victory for the health of the "Housi" and for TU's Connecticut
Council.
The license issued to Northeast Generation Services covers the future
operation of five dams on the Housatonic River -- Falls Village, Bulls
Bridge, Rocky River, Shepaug and Stevenson. Significantly, the license
includes a requirement that the Falls Village and Bulls Bridge project
be
operated as "run-of-river." These facilities historically have been
operated as "peaking" facilities, where water was stored during
low-demand
times of day, and released when demand for electricity was highest.
These
operations produced daily fluctuations in river flows that impaired the
health of the river.
As part of the renewal process, the Connecticut Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) required the license under section 401
of
the Clean Water Act to include natural flows below these dams because
of
the negative effects of peaking generation.
"DEP's water quality certification and now the new FERC license will
bring
natural flows to virtually all of the free-flowing Housatonic in
Connecticut. Natural flows have the potential to dramatically improve
the
health of the Housatonic and its trout fishery," said Mike Piquette of
Trout Unlimited's Connecticut Council, who also serves as chair of the
Housatonic Coalition, a bloc of conservation groups that advocated for
natural flows during the relicensing.
The water quality certification is one of the few issued by any state
that
requires the conversion of a hydroelectric dam from peaking flows to
run-of-river flows. Under the Clean Water Act and the Federal Power
Act,
FERC is required to include the terms of such state certifications in
the
licenses they issue.
"We really appreciate DEP issuing the certification and then sticking
to
their guns, even though they received some criticism for it. They
required run-of-river because it is the right thing for the ecological
health of the Housatonic, and we hope that more states will follow
Connecticut’s lead," said Leon Szeptycki, TU's Eastern Conservation
Director.
The license also includes other provisions to enhance river health,
including:
• minimum flows in the bypassed reaches of the river at the Falls
Village
and Bulls Bridge facilities;
• minimum flows downstream of the Shepaug development tailrace and the
Stevenson development dam; and
• fish passage facilities for various species of fish and American eel.
The license will govern operation of these dams for the next 40 years.
------------------
Back Porch Fly Company
Joshua Barnett, Tier
1-706-354-8500
http://joshbarnett.cjb.net
caddisfly08@yahoo.com
Housatonic River hydroelectric projects by the Federal Energy
Regulatory
Commission (FERC). The license requires natural flows below two dams
and
includes a number of other provisions that will increase the health of
the
river. The FERC action follows more than five years of sustained work
by
dedicated TU volunteers. The license was issued on July 23, and
implementation of natural flows has already begun. This represents a
major victory for the health of the "Housi" and for TU's Connecticut
Council.
The license issued to Northeast Generation Services covers the future
operation of five dams on the Housatonic River -- Falls Village, Bulls
Bridge, Rocky River, Shepaug and Stevenson. Significantly, the license
includes a requirement that the Falls Village and Bulls Bridge project
be
operated as "run-of-river." These facilities historically have been
operated as "peaking" facilities, where water was stored during
low-demand
times of day, and released when demand for electricity was highest.
These
operations produced daily fluctuations in river flows that impaired the
health of the river.
As part of the renewal process, the Connecticut Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) required the license under section 401
of
the Clean Water Act to include natural flows below these dams because
of
the negative effects of peaking generation.
"DEP's water quality certification and now the new FERC license will
bring
natural flows to virtually all of the free-flowing Housatonic in
Connecticut. Natural flows have the potential to dramatically improve
the
health of the Housatonic and its trout fishery," said Mike Piquette of
Trout Unlimited's Connecticut Council, who also serves as chair of the
Housatonic Coalition, a bloc of conservation groups that advocated for
natural flows during the relicensing.
The water quality certification is one of the few issued by any state
that
requires the conversion of a hydroelectric dam from peaking flows to
run-of-river flows. Under the Clean Water Act and the Federal Power
Act,
FERC is required to include the terms of such state certifications in
the
licenses they issue.
"We really appreciate DEP issuing the certification and then sticking
to
their guns, even though they received some criticism for it. They
required run-of-river because it is the right thing for the ecological
health of the Housatonic, and we hope that more states will follow
Connecticut’s lead," said Leon Szeptycki, TU's Eastern Conservation
Director.
The license also includes other provisions to enhance river health,
including:
• minimum flows in the bypassed reaches of the river at the Falls
Village
and Bulls Bridge facilities;
• minimum flows downstream of the Shepaug development tailrace and the
Stevenson development dam; and
• fish passage facilities for various species of fish and American eel.
The license will govern operation of these dams for the next 40 years.
------------------
Back Porch Fly Company
Joshua Barnett, Tier
1-706-354-8500
http://joshbarnett.cjb.net
caddisfly08@yahoo.com