Rivers & Hydropower

Lewiston Falls Project License Renewal

City of Auburn Comments P2302 Amendment

Filing of Notice of Intent, Pre-Application Document and TLP Request (large file)

City of Auburn Objection Letter

Study Request 2303 Lewiston Falls

City of Auburn ILP Request Letter

City of Auburn - Comments P2283

P2302 Draft Study Plan Comments

Lewiston Falls Monty Hydro FInal Study Plan

NOAA Fisheries Lewiston Falls PAD Comments & requested studies

NPS Comments & SR Support

Lewiston Falls #2302 BPL Comments on PAD & Proposed Sites

Maine DEP Requirements to Brookfield - Water Testing

2022 Update

2024 Update

Barker Mill Dam License Renewal

The Barker Mill Dam uses the Little Androscoggin River to generate power. Hydropower has an impact on river flows, the environment and recreational opportunities, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing process takes those impacts into consideration. The current license expires in 2019. We only get a chance to comment on a license renewal every 30 to 50 years so it is important that we advocate for compatibility and even contribution to accomplishing community goals in exchange for using the public’s river for private power generating revenues. This page is intended to help make sure documents related to the relicensing are available to the public.  

Based on past Council direction, we asked for the owner to assess recreational access including fishing and viewing improvements and future potential demand, a white water potential study at varied flows and a review of public and private benefits of the facility.  We have been engaged with other stakeholders including the Androscoggin Land Trust, American Whitewater, Maine DEP, National Park Service, Trout Unlimited, and Maine IF&W. We have encouraged/helped the applicant to host past meetings in LA and at the Barker Mill Housing building and promoted the goals of the New Auburn Master Plan and Comprehensive Plan through the licensing process. There is a strong interest in recreation within the project boundaries and the New Auburn Master Plan Identifies increased river access as Recreation Goal # 1.  

Any comments or questions can be directed to your city councilor or Eric Cousens, Deputy Director of Economic and Community Development at 333-6601, Ext. 1154.  City comments on the latest documents for each dam are available at the links below.

Upper Barker Mill Dam Information:

Upper Barker Notice of Intenet to File CV

Upper Barker Notification of Intent 

Upper Barker Pre Application Document

Lower Barker Mill Dam Information:

2014

May 5, 2014 MDIFW PAD Comments

June 17, 2014 MDIFW Study Request

June 24, 2014 City of Auburn Barker Mill PAD Comments

June 24, 2014 City of Auburn PAD Study Request

2015

May 6, 2015 City of Auburn Barker Mill Study Plan Comments

Fall 2015 Bates College Examining Recreation Potential

2016

August 2016 Lower Barker Project Final Study Report

October 2016 Lower Barker Draft License Application

2017

January 20, 2017 DLA Comments

June 28, 2017 Lower Barker Whitewater Flow Study Report

June 29, 2017 Notice of Scoping Meetings

June 30, 2017 Notice of Application & Soliciting Motions to Intervene & Protest

August 2017: City of Auburn Whitewater Flow Study Comments

2017 FERC Scoping Document Draft 1

August 29, 2017 Scoping Meeting Transcript

August 30, 2017 Scoping Meeting Transcript

2017 Document List from FERC Site

2017 Draft Fisheries Management Plan for the Lower Andro, Little Andro and Sabattus Rivers

2017 FERC Push for Whitewater Study Filing

2017 KEI Recreational Response

2017 Lower Barker Project Motion to Intervene Signed

2017 Scoping Document 2

2017 Whitewater Flow Study

Barker Mill Dam FERC Relicensing Update July 2017