LIHI Certificate #133 – Byron Weston No. 2 Project, Massachusetts
| Project Name | Byron Weston No. 2 |
| LIHI Certificate No. | 133 |
| LIHI Certificate Term |
December 29, 2021 – December 28, 2031 |
| Owner | Crane & Company |
| State | Massachusetts |
| Location | River mile 7.97 on the East Branch of the Housatonic River in Dalton, MA |
| Installed Capacity | 0.250 MW |
| Average Annual Generation | 246 MWh |
| Facility Type | Run of River |
| FERC No. | P-13583 exempt 2012 |
The Byron Weston Project is located at the Byron Weston Dam No. 2 in Dalton, Massachusetts on the East Branch of the Housatonic River about 8 miles upstream of the East Branch confluence with the mainstem Housatonic River. The East Branch headwaters begin at the outlet of Muddy Pond near Washington, MA. The East Branch flows approximately 17 miles, dropping 480 feet in elevation to its confluence with the mainstem Housatonic River in Pittsfield, MA
The project is constructed on a dam built in 1887. The dam was first retrofitted with generators in the 1900s and produced hydroelectric energy until at least 1942. The project repowered with a new turbine and resumed operation in 2013.
The project is located downstream of the Byron Weston Dam No. 1 and upstream of the Upper Pioneer Dam and Government Dam Project. The project owner is a manufacturer of fine quality paper and owns five dams and associated mill buildings along the East Branch of the Housatonic River, all of which were originally used in the manufacturing of paper.
The project was built on the existing 30-foot-high, 90-foot-long, stone-masonry Byron Weston Dam No. 2. A 23-foot-high, 75-foot-long spillway comprises the majority of the dam. The impoundment extends 700 feet upriver to the Byron Weston No. 1 dam. The intake structure is equipped with 1-inch spaced trashrack and a headgate. Water passes through the headgate to a 50-foot-long, 9.5-foot-wide headrace canal which conveys flows to a 15-foot-long, 4.4-foot-diameter penstock leading to a vertical double-regulated 250 kW Kaplan turbine-generating unit within the Defiance Mill Building. A 12-inch low-level outlet pipe diverts flow from the headrace during times when the turbine is out of service. Water from the powerhouse is discharged through a stone masonry arched opening at the base of the Defiance Mill building immediately downstream of the dam into the tailrace. A bypass reach approximately 35 feet long is configured to create a backwater at the toe of the spillway keeping the reach wetted at all times. The project is connected to the regional grid, but it supplies energy primarily for on-site use to partially offset the electricity demands of the currency manufacturing facilities.
The project operates in an instantaneous run-of-river mode year-round and impounds a 0.94-acre reservoir. The flow regime was developed in consultation with Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MDFW), USFWS, and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Project operations are coordinated with downstream hydroelectric plants.
Waters within the project reach are designated Class B fully supporting fish, other aquatic life and wildlife use. The project waters are impaired for PCBs, E. coli, and fecal coliform. The source of the bacterial presence is unknown but is likely from stormwater runoff. PCB discharges have been traced to General Electric facilities downstream and a PCB cleanup project is ongoing. Water quality studies were conducted to confirm compliance with Class B water quality standards. Post-construction monitoring showed both water temperature and dissolved oxygen to be well within state parameters.
No diadromous fish species are present in the project vicinity. Numerous dams on the mainstem Housatonic River and downstream on the East Branch block passage to the project. The project area is a warm water fishery hosting several common species, none of which require passage to complete their life cycles. Consultation with MDFW indicates that while a migratory fish restoration plan is underway for American eel, American shad, and river herring in the Connecticut portion of the river, the plan is not currently extending to the Massachusetts portion. The trashrack has 1-inch spacing and an approach velocity of 1.1 feet per second both serve to mitigate entrainment of riverine species.
The project occupies only 1.7 acres of land within a developed area of Dalton. . No buffer zone exists within the project boundary. The western edge of the impoundment and river immediately downstream of the dam consist of vertical bedrock escarpments and the foundations and retaining walls of the surrounding mill buildings. The eastern shoreline of the impoundment consists of a steep wooded slope and a 30- to 80-foot-wide corridor between the river and residential structures, parking areas, and roads.
Threatened and endangered species potentially within the project property include: Northern long-eared bat, bald eagle, and American bittern. There are no critical habitats designated for these species. Project operations do not include tree cutting so it is unlikely that these activities would adversely impact habitat for bats or birds.
The Defiance Mill building is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places although the Crane Museum and the entire Cranesville Historic District are listed
the Byron Weston Defiance Mill building and a refurbished McCormick Hercules wheel turbine. In 2017, the turbine was refurbished and is now displayed outside the Crane Museum of Papermaking. The Massachusetts Historical Commission recommended consultation with the Dalton Historical Commission during FERC licensing. The DHC supports the project and indicated that the Byron Weston Defiance Mill is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum is located in what was the rag room of Crane’s Old Stone Mill, dating back to 1844. The Crane Paper Mill – Old Berkshire Paper Mill and the Centennial Paper Mill Office located nearby are listed in the online Massachusetts inventory but not on the National Register. Consultation with the state historic preservation office is required prior to conducting any maintenance activities, land-clearing or land-disturbing activities, or changes to the Project operation or facilities. A Wheel Turbine Relocation Plan was developed for the relocation and refurbishment of the old McCormick Hercules wheel turbine that the new turbine replaced at the time of repowering. The wheel turbine was relocated and placed on display at the Crane Museum.
Due to the small footprint of the project and the steep slopes surrounding the project, no formal recreation facilities are available. Public access is not safe near the project and thus not required. However, the Appalachian Trail passes through the town of Dalton in the immediate project vicinity. The impoundment is visible from the trail. Boating is allowed nearby in the East Branch upstream of the Byron Weston No. 1 dam and a paddling guide was created by the Housatonic Valley Association.
Compliance Status
There are no facility-specific conditions in the current Certificate.
2023: No material changes or compliance issues were identified. The project remains in compliance based on the annual review.
2022: No material changes or compliance issues were identified. The project remains in compliance based on the annual review.
2021: Annual reporting for the current Certificate has not yet taken effect.
Certification History
May 13, 2022: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute has issued a final decision on the recertification of the Byron Weston No. 2 Project The 30-day appeal window closed on May 11, 2022 and no appeals were filed. Therefore, the decision to recertify the project is now final. The new term is December 29, 2021 through December 28, 2031, in accordance with the term extension that became effective January 1, 2022 in Revision 2.05 of the LIHI 2nd Edition Certification Handbook.
April 11, 2022: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) has preliminarily approved the Byron Weston No. 2 Project for a new 10-year term of Low Impact Certification. The Certification does not include any conditions. The full application and reviewer’s report are available below. This decision is preliminary pending the 30-day appeal window. Only those who commented on the initial application during the 60-day comment period are eligible to file an appeal. Such appeal needs to include an explanation as to how the Project does not meet the LIHI criteria. Appeal requests can be submitted by email to comments@lowimpacthydro.org with “Byron Weston No. 2 Project” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 1167 Massachusetts Ave, Office 407, Arlington, MA 02476. All requests will be posted to the website. The applicant will have an opportunity to respond and any response will also be posted. Requests must be received by 5 pm Eastern time on May 11, 2022. If no appeal requests are received and the decision becomes final, the Certification term for the Project will be December 29, 2021 through December 28, 2031.
February 4, 2022: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) has received a complete recertification application from Crane & Company for the Byron Weston No. 2 Project. The complete application can be found below. LIHI is seeking comment on this application. 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 LIHI by e-mail at comments@lowimpacthydro.org with “Byron Weston No. 2 Project Comments” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 1167 Massachusetts Avenue, Office 407, Arlington, MA 02476. Comments must be received at the Institute on or before 5 pm Eastern time on April 5, 2022 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.
June 21, 2017: Having received no requests to appeal the preliminary decision to certify the Byron Weston No. 2 Hydroelectric Project, final certification was issued on May 8, 2017. The certification includes the following condition:
- Condition satisfied in 2017. Condition 1. The owner shall complete the Wheel Turbine Relocation Plan and notice FERC and LIHI of that action within 90 days after LIHI certification.
April 5, 2017: On April 4, 2017, LIHI Executive Director Shannon Ames announced a Preliminary Certification Decision that the Byron Weston No. 2 Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 13583) satisfies the LIHI Certification Criteria. This application was processed under the 2014 edition of the LIHI Handbook because the application materials were received prior to 2016. As provided for in Section 2.14 of the LIHI 2014 Edition Handbook, the Preliminary Certification 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. Notice of the posting will be provided to all individuals or organizations that commented on the initial Application Package. Any Commenter may submit a letter to the Executive Director requesting an appeal within the 30-day period beginning April 6, 2017 and ending on May 8, 2017. The appeal request must state specific reasons why the hydropower facility should have failed one or more criteria. If an individual or organization did not comment on the initial Application Package, they may not file an appeal. Further information about the LIHI appeal process is available in the LIHI Handbook. If no appeal is requested within the 30-day period, the Executive Director will issue LIHI Certification for the facility and post a notification of certification on the Institute’s website. Once final, the effective certification date for the Byron Weston Project is December 29, 2016 for a five (5) year term, which will expire on December 29, 2021.
January 26, 2017: On December 29, 2016, the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) received a complete application from Crane and Company (Crane) for the Low Impact Certification of the Byron Weston No. 2 project, FERC No. 13583, located on the East Branch of the Housatonic River in Dalton, Massachusetts – 7.97 miles upstream from the E. Branch/Main St. confluence at Fred Gardner Park in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. LIHI is seeking public comment on this application. Specifically, we are interested in knowing whether you think the Byron Weston project meets the LIHI Low Impact Certification Criteria. The Byron Weston application is subject to review using the Criteria in the LIHI Certification Handbook of 2014. Please review the program and criteria in LIHI’s 2014 Handbook and then review the Project’s 2016 application materials posted on the project page. 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 “Byron Weston Project Comments” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, PO Box 194, Harrington Park, New Jersey 07640. The 60 day public comment period begins on January 26, 2017. Comments must be received at the Institute on or before 5 pm Eastern time on March 27, 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.