Pending Applications

Low Impact Certification means that the hydropower facility has been found by the Institute to meet or exceed the Institute’s Certification Criteria which address eight key areas: ecological flow regimes, water quality, upstream fish passage, downstream fish passage and protection, shoreline and watershed protection, threatened and endangered species protection, cultural and historic resource protection and recreational resources. Certification is designed to provide consumers with assurance that a facility has avoided or reduced their environmental impacts pursuant to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute’s criteria. Once certified, the owner or operator can market the power from the facility to consumers as produced by a LIHI Certified(R) Facility. Certification from the Institute may also qualify the power produced for other “green” energy certification programs (click on the linked names to learn more about each project).

Application Stages:

  1. Review in Process
  2. Public Comment Period
  3. Preliminary Decision
  4. Appeal Period
  5. Final Decision
  6.  

Cert No.

Project Name

River

State

Review Status

n/a

Peacham Pond Brook, Sucker Brook, Molly's Brook, Winooski River

VT

Review in progress. Public Comment Period ended June 1, 2025

53

Bear River

ID

Preliminary Decision. Appeal Period ends July 23, 2025

69

North Umpqua River, Clearwater River and Fish Creek

OR

Review in progress. Public Comment Period ended May 10, 2025

n/a

Saco River

ME

Review in progress. Public Comment Period ended May 5, 2025

53

MIddle Oconee River


GA

Final Decision May 29, 2025

n/a

Columbia River

WA

Second Public Comment Period open May 21, 2025, closes July 20, 2025

40

Connecticut River

NH, VT

Public comment period closed, awaiting additional information.