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 Facility. Certification from the Institute may also qualify the power produced for other “green” energy certification programs.

Application Stages:

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

Applications Under Review:

Cert No. Project Name River State(s) Review Status
8 Nisqually Nisqually River WA Review in process. Public comment period ends February 8, 2019
N/A Pownal Hoosic River VT Review in process. Public comment period ends February 8, 2019
N/A Waterbury Little River VT Review in process. Public comment period ends January 19, 2019
91 Silver Lake Sucker Brook VT Preliminary Decision January 10, 2019.  Appeals period ends February 10, 2019
37 Kingsley Dam North Platte and Platte NE Review in process. Public comment period closed.
30 Lake Chelan Chelan River WA Preliminary Decision January 16, 2019.  Appeals period ends February 17, 2019
107 Carver Falls Poultney River VT, NY Final Decision, January 18, 2019
7 Beaver River Beaver River NY Preliminary Decision December 5, 2018.  Appeals period ended January 6, 2019.
98 Weybridge Otter Creek VT Review in process, awaiting additional information. Public comment period closed.
Pending #147 Brooklyn Dam Upper Ammonoosuc River NH Preliminary Decision January 10, 2019.  Appeals period ends February 10, 2019.
N/A Willow Island Ohio River OH, WV Review in process. Public comment period closed.
99 Middlebury Lower Otter Creek VT Review in process, awaiting additional information. Public comment period closed.