LIHI Certificate #100 - South Milton Project, New Hampshire

The station has a capacity of 1.55 MW.
Project Name | South Milton |
LIHI Certificate No. | 100 |
LIHI Certificate Term | September 6, 2017 - September 5, 2022 |
Owner | Salmon Falls River Hydro Corporation |
State | New Hampshire |
Location | Located at river mile 26 on the Salmon Falls River in the town of Milton, New Hampshire. |
Installed Capacity | 1.55 MW |
Average Annual Generation | 6,200 MWh |
Facility Type | Run-of-river |
FERC No. | P-3984 exempt 1981 |
Certification History
March 13, 2018: On March 11, 2018, the 30-day appeal window for the preliminary decision to recertify the South Milton Hydroelectric Project ended with no appeals filed. The recertification decision is therefore final.
The term of Low Impact Certification for the South Milton Hydroelectric Project is from September 6, 2017 until September 5, 2022.
February 9, 2018: The South Milton Hydroelectric Project has received preliminary approval for a new 5-year term of Low Impact Certification. The Certification includes the following conditions:
- Condition 1: The Owner shall continue to maintain a minimum flow of 58 cfs, or inflow if less, in the bypassed reach of river.
- Condition satisfied 2018. Condition 2: The Owner shall revise the Project flow monitoring plan to clarify and specify the method for releasing into the bypassed reach the required minimum flow (58 cfs, or instantaneous inflow if less), and true run-of-river operation, and how records will be maintained to demonstrate compliance with the bypass reach minimum flow and true run-of-river operation. The Owner shall submit the final plan revision to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the N.H. Department of Fish and Game, and the N.H. Department of Environmental Services and obtain agency concurrence on the revised plan. The Owner shall submit the final plan as an update to FERC within 90 days of agency concurrence and copy LIHI on the filing in the following annual compliance report filed with LIHI.
- Condition 3: The Owner shall continue to operate and maintain safe, timely, and effective upstream passage facilities for American eel in coordination with the N.H. Department of Fish and Game, the Maine Department of Marine Resources, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Owner shall monitor effectiveness using means acceptable to the agencies and report results annually to the agencies and in the annual compliance reports filed with LIHI. If, during the LIHI Certification term, agencies determine that eel passage is not effective, the Owner shall consult with agencies to develop and implement modifications to the passage facility. The status of consultation and any modifications to eel passage will also be reported to LIHI in the annual compliance reports.
As provided for in the LIHI 2nd Edition Certification Handbook, the Preliminary Decision, along with the Application Reviewer’s report and (if prepared) report of the Executive Director, will be posted on the Institute’s web page for 30 days during which time those who provided comments during the application’s 60-day public comment period can appeal the decision. Any appeal must include specific reasons why the appellant believes the hydropower facility does not meet one or more criteria. Appeal requests can be submitted by email to comments@lowimpacthydro.org with “South Milton Hydroelectric Project” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 329 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 2, Lexington, MA 02420. All requests will be posted to the website and the applicant will have an opportunity to respond. Any response will also be posted. Requests must be received by 5 pm Eastern time on March 11, 2018.
If no appeal requests are received and the decision becomes final, the new term for the South Milton Project will be September 6, 2017 through September 5, 2022.
October 26, 2017: On October 26, 2017, the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) received a complete application from Salmon Falls River Hydro Corporation for the Low Impact Certification of the South Milton Hydroelectric Project, located in Milton, NH (FERC 3984).
LIHI is seeking public comment on this application. Specifically, we are interested in knowing whether you think the South Milton project meets the LIHI Low Impact Certification Criteria. The South Milton application is subject to review using the Criteria in the LIHI Certification Handbook of 2016. Please review the program and criteria in LIHI’s 2016 Handbook and then review the Project’s 2017 application materials posted below. Comments that are directly tied to specific LIHI criteria (flows, water quality, fish passage, etc.) will be most helpful, but all comments will be considered. Comments may be submitted to the Institute by e-mail at comments@lowimpacthydro.org with “South Milton Project Comments” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 329 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 2, Lexington, MA 02420. The 60 day public comment period begins on October 26, 2017. Comments must be received at the Institute on or before 5 pm Eastern time on December 26, 2017 to be considered. All comments will be posted to the web site and the applicant will have an opportunity to respond. Any response will also be posted.
January 30, 2013: The South Milton Hydroelectric Project has been certified as low impact for a five year term, effective September 6, 2012 and expiring September 6, 2017, with the following conditions:
- Condition 1:SFR Hydro shall maintain a minimum flow of 58 cfs, or inflow if less, in the penstock-bypassed reach of river.This condition is deemed satisfied by LIHI on consultation with Certificate Holder- 9/2/15
- Condition 2:After consultation with the USFWS, the N.H. Department of Fish and Game, and the N.H. Department of Environmental Services, SFR Hydro shall revise the Project flow monitoring plan to address the method for releasing the bypass minimum flow and how records will be supplemented to enable demonstration of compliance with the bypass minimum flow. The revised plan will be filed with FERC for approval within 90 days of LIHI’s grant of certification; SFR Hydro shall copy LIHI on the filing. This condition is deemed satisfied by LIHI on consultation with Certificate Holder- 9/2/15. See Flow Monitoring Plan posted in Files below.
- Condition 3:By October 1, 2013, SFR Hydro shall enter into, and provide LIHI with a copy of, an agreement reached between the USFWS, the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game, and SFR Hydro for providing both interim and permanent downstream passage and permanent upstream passage, that are safe, timely, and effective, for American eel, including a description of the planned passage and protection measures and the implementation schedule for design, installation, and operations. Said permanent facilities for upstream and downstream passage shall be in place and operational by August 1, 2015, and SFR Hydro shall notify LIHI within two weeks of completion. Pending the agreement, SFR Hydro shall continue providing downstream passage by maintaining the exclusionary trashracks and passing eels through the opening in one sluicegate during the period August 15 to November 15. In the event that the USFWS and the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game determine prior to the installation of permanent downstream passage that the above-described interim downstream passage measure is not providing safe, timely and effective interim passage for outmigrating eels, SFR Hydro shall implement other reasonable interim measures as requested by these agencies. In August 2015 SFR completed Eel Passage construction, see Eel Passage Design in files below. Agency approval is pending.
- Condition 4:In the event that the facility owner decides to undertake any new activities that may have an adverse effect on historic properties, such as new excavation, demolition, and structural alteration, the facility owner shall notify LIHI within 30 days of such decision. The facility owner shall then consult with, and obtain approval from, the State Historic Preservation Office of such activities and send LIHI a copy of that approval when it is obtained.
September 30, 2012: The public comment period on the application has closed.
July 30, 2012: SFR Hydro, Inc. has submitted an application for the certification of its South Milton Project. The application was posted and the public comment period was opened.
Files:
2017 Recertification
2012 Certification
- South Milton Certification Review Report 2013
- Application Appendix -Resource Agency Terms and Conditions
- Application Appendix - Correspondence with Maine Resource Agencies
- Application Appendix -Project Photographs and Facility Layout
- Application Appendix - Flow Management Plan
- Application Appendix - 2010 EPA Approved List of Threatened or Impaired Waters
- Application Appendix - Request to New Hampshire Fish and Game and US Fish and Wildlife for List of Diadromous Fish
- Application Appendix - Response from US Fish and Wildlife List of Diadromous Fish
- Application Appendix - Follow up Inquiry to US Fish and Wildlife Confirmation of Eel Passage Proposal
- Application Appendix - Fish Passage Request from US Fish and Wildlife
- Application Appendix - Response from Maine Department of Marine Resources to the Need for Fish Passage
- Application Appendix - Threatened and Endangered Species Review Request to Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
- Application Appendix - Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Threatened & Endangered Request Response 2012
- Application Appendix - Recreational Access Map
- South Milton Water Quality Results 2013