Fw: P-6066 Derby Dam Hydroelectric Project-Request for Information in Anticipation of Relicensing

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Teresa Gallagher

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Oct 26, 2020, 9:33:23 AM10/26/20
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The hydroelectric license for the Shelton-Derby Dam (including canal & locks) expires in 2026, and the re-licensing process has already begun. We've received the attached package that outlines the project and includes a questionnaire for interested parties.


From: al....@renewablepowerconsulting.com <al....@renewablepowerconsulting.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2020 6:14 PM
To: dig...@americanrivers.org; ke...@americanwhitewater.org; rhr...@aol.com; Secr...@LakeHousatonicAuthory.org; Teresa Gallagher; adi...@hvatoday.org
Subject: P-6066 Derby Dam Hydroelectric Project-Request for Information in Anticipation of Relicensing
 

 

CAUTION: This email originated from outside your organization. Exercise caution when opening attachments or on clicking links from unknown senders.




Dear Sir/Madam:

 

McCallum Enterprises I, Limited Partnership is preparing to relicense the Derby Hydroelectric Project with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The purpose of this email and accompanying attachment is to notify potentially interested entities of the upcoming relicensing effort and to request existing relevant and reasonably available information pertaining to the Project that your organization may have collected that may be relevant to the relicensing effort.

 

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact me at the at Al....@renewablepowerconsulting.com or (207) 992-3926.

 

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

 

 

Alfred Nash P.E.

President

Renewable Power Consulting, PA

P.O. Box 195

Palmyra, ME 04965

(207) 992-3926

 

P-6066 PAD Questionnaire_Oct 2020.pdf

thomas harbinson

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Oct 28, 2020, 10:26:04 AM10/28/20
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Read the PAD questionnaire.  This is much more thorough of a distribution list to interested parties than the last time McCallum renewed their license and we happened to catch wind because a trails committee member saw a public notice placement in a newspaper (a paper out of New Haven I believe).

I see that HVA was on the distribution list of the letter (not necessarily the email), which is helpful as their knowledge and concern is for the breadth/length of the Housatonic issues.

The PAD (Pre-Application-Document) is a very light run-thru opportunity for parties to make known their concerns that should be incorporated into early evaluation.

They do make mention of installing a fish ladder.  The early iteration had that on the Derby side of the dam, but they always expressed a need to have it on the Shelton side since that is where the oxygenated water would be flowing thus attracting fish, and an installation references the Shelton side.  They do make mention of their maintenance of the dam's gates/locks.  We would do well to remember, the historic photos panel and the staircase to the water's edge, are not being done out of the goodness of their heart, but rather is a requirement to give back to the public for the value they are taking from the public (hydro power).  Until recently, that included the general public access to the area also.

With Ed's involvement on the locks project potential, I would suggest he review the "PAD" that was attached, and we should prepare to discuss at our next meeting.  The deadline for submitting any concerns via the PAD is the end of November, so our next ConsComm mtg would be when to discuss.

In brief summary - the river is a public resource, and by taking the hydro-electric power from the river, the operator is receiving private benefit of that resource.  The licensing process ensures what counterpoint for the private benefit might occur.  These are things like public access for fishing, the fish ladder for the environment, the historical preservation aspects, etc.  FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) reviews these licenses and they typically have a long-term period because of the need to have long-term return on the significant investment.

The relicensing approval is lengthy.  It presents an opportunity to re-focus multiple agencies on aspects that have not had great attention (the locks being restored for example).  It would be good for us all to review the dealings in 2008 when we nearly missed an opportunity to comment and the approvals which had begun to fill in the canal to create housing, were reversed.  With all the nuances back then, Teresa had created a Google Site that compiled letters and references of many parties.


I will also say that the owner of McCallum had planned a sit-in on my lawn due to our CC efforts which reversed his plans to fill in the canal.  I've had interactions with him on the Derby side of the river with their canal over there and utility work, which did not go well.  Petulant.


Tom Harbinson
Tel: 203SirTomH


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McCreery, Edward P.

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Oct 28, 2020, 11:15:03 AM10/28/20
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Actually there is a significant proposal for the fish ladder so that is good and we can just say we support the effort but We may need to defer to others as to the details of the proposal vis a vis the migratory fish patterns and the methodology proposed. 

 

 

Edward P. McCreery, III, Esq.
PULLMAN & COMLEY LLC
p 203 330 2216     •    emcc...@pullcom.com

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On Oct 28, 2020, at 10:26 AM, thomas harbinson <thomas.h...@gmail.com> wrote:



Teresa Gallagher

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Oct 29, 2020, 9:01:08 AM10/29/20
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The last time McCallum renewed their license was in the 1980s. 1982 application, 1986 permit. It’s a 40-year permit.  When they wanted to fill in the canal and build condos, they asked for a modification to a supplemental plan. I think it was their recreation plan.

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