Opportunity for Comment

Saccarappa MWDCA Application

The Department is reviewing an application for a Maine Waterway Development and Conservation Act (MWDCA) permit to remove the eastern spillway of the Saccarappa dam and to install a Denil fishway. The Department review will consider:

1. Financial and technical capacity of the Applicant to undertake the project
2. Provisions for public safety
3. Public benefit of the project
4. Adequate provisions for traffic movement into and out of the work site
5. Mitigation of any adverse environmental impacts
6. Environmental and energy considerations
   1. Whether the project will result in significant benefit or harm to the natural environment of surface water and shoreland
   2. Whether the project will result in significant benefit or harm to fish and wildlife
   3. Whether the project will result in significant benefit or harm to historic and archeological resources
   4. Whether the project will result in significant benefit or harm to public rights of access to and use of surface waters for navigation, fishing, fowling, recreation or other lawful public uses
   5. Whether the project will result in significant flood control benefits or flood hazards
7. Water quality standards and classification

DEP does not have a comment deadline for this review, we will accept public comment up until a permit is issued.

Please send comments to:
Kathy Howatt
Hydropower Coordinator, DLRR
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
207-446-2642
kathy.howatt@maine.gov

Comment received from reviewing agencies and from the public will be posted to the DEP website, for public reivew.

There is a concurrent application to FERC, to surrender the federal license to operate the hydropower station; comments on that process should be submitted to FERC under their guidelines. Inquiries on that process will be directed to the FERC website where there is opportunity for public comment.

More information.