Maine DEP to hold hearing on petition to establish water level regime for Branch Pond

July 31, 2013

Contact: Jessamine Logan, Maine DEP Director of Communications, jessamine.logan@maine.gov/ 287-5842 (office) or 592-0427 (cell) Kathy Howatt, DEP Project Manager, kathy.howett@maine.gov / 446-2642

AUGUSTA- The Maine Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public hearing next month on the petition by 35 littoral/riparian owners along Branch Pond to establish a water level regime for the pond located in towns of China and Palermo.

The hearing will be held Friday, August 23, 2013 at 9:00 A.M. at the China Middle School, 773 Lakeview Drive, China, Maine. The entire hearing is open to the public. The daytime session will be devoted to receiving testimony from the petitioners, the owner of the dam, and the interveners: Branch Pond Association, Inc., Rich and Mimi Roughgarden, and Thomas Dinsmore.

The Department will hold an evening session on Friday, August 23, 2013 beginning at 6:00 P.M. at the China Middle School for the purpose of receiving testimony from members of the general public.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive evidence and oral testimony regarding the water levels necessary to: maintain public access and use of the water for navigation, fishing, fowling, recreation and other lawful uses; protect the safety of shoreline residents and the public; maintain fish and wildlife habitat, water quality and public and private water supplies; prevent the excessive erosion of shorelines; accommodate precipitation and run-off of waters; support ongoing use of the dam to generate or to enhance the downstream generation of hydroelectric or hydromechanical power; and provide flows from any dam on the body of water to maintain public access and use, fish propagation and fish passage facilities, fish and wildlife habitat and water quality downstream lake.

A copy of the petition is available for public review during normal business hours at DEP?s central office at 28 Tyson Drive in Augusta and also on the department?s website at www.maine.gov/dep/water/dams-hydro/ under ?Non Hydropower Dams: Petitions Under Review.?

Comments on the water level petition may be submitted orally to the Department at the public hearing or in writing. Written comments may be mailed to: Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Attn: Kathy Howatt, 17 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0017 or by email at Kathy.Howatt@maine.gov.