Lexington MA (October 1, 2020): The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) has preliminarily approved the Ashton Project for a new 5-year term of Low Impact Certification. The Project is located on Henry’s Fork of the Snake River in Idaho.  The Certificate includes one condition:

Condition 1: The facility owner shall consult with the SHPO and relevant Tribes on potential impacts to submerged cultural or historic resources, in advance of all planned drawdowns that could expose these resources.  Documentation of any drawdowns and related consultation shall be provided in annual compliance submittals to LIHI.

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 "Ashton Project” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 329 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 6, Lexington, MA 02420. 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 October 31, 2020. The full application and reviewer's report are available HERE.

If no appeal requests are received and the decision becomes final, the Certification term for the Project will be December 31, 2019 through December 30, 2024.