Good job, FERC
We didn’t plan it this way, but it seems this week’s front-page stories all have to do with water in some way. The annual Antique Wooden Boat Show; lake pollution and its effects on swimming beaches; the Little Falls sewage treatment facility and the reaction of homeowners in the area to the plan for an improved sewer system; and, FERC’s relicensing of the Eel Weir Dam, a long-awaited but ultimately admirable plan for the future.
All these stories have something to do with water, as our stories commonly do here at the Lakes Region Suburban Weekly. Because lakes and ponds, rivers and streams in our area are vital to the economy and our recreation, they take a prime spot in the news of the day. Stories about Sebago Lake in particular do so, because of the central role the lake plays in all of our lives – and not just as a source of drinking water.
The Federal Emergency Regulatory Commission last month gave a preliminary go-ahead to S.D. Warren, a.k.a. Sappi Fine Paper, for another 30 to 50 years operating the Eel Weir Dam on the Presumpscot River. Please read Peggy Roberts’s front-page article on the subject. The exact number of years is not yet certain, and a public hearing on the proposal is forthcoming. FERC – the nameless, faceless whoever they are – was right to keep things status quo regarding the dam, issuing the long-term license to the paper company and power producer.
Many people want many things for Sebago Lake. FERC has taken years formulating a plan and now that it’s out, it’s a wonder why it took as long as it did. Basically, it’s the same agreement as before. The paper mill will once again control the dam. The lake levels throughout the year will remain about the same. And the Presumpscot will flow at about the same rate. Nothing different. Then, why the wait?
Government is slow, that’s why. We were expecting changes, but seeing none, there’s no other explanation than that government, especially in Washington, is slow. But, FERC made the right move with its recent relicensing of the dam. S.D. Warren, despite allowing spring and early summer rains to flood portions of Sebago Lake as well as areas downstream, has done a good job regulating the level of the lake. Not perfect, as their record with dealing with heavy rainstorms and snowpack melt in spring can attest, but good. And FERC is right not to disturb the flow of what up until now has been a good working relationship. S.D. Warren, though a shadow of its former self, has proven itself responsible in lake level management.
There will be many who disagree with this assessment. Tempers run hot when it comes to lake level management. Tempers obviously run hot whenever you have differing positions. But S.D. Warren has kept many competing interests happy for many years now. Marina owners, the Portland Water District, and lakeside homeowners for the most part appreciate the current plan to keep levels higher in the summer and lower in the winter. Erosion is at a minimum and flooding is a rare event, though harmful when it does occur.
Maintaining water levels is not an easy job, as any dam keeper will attest. Over on Collins Pond in Windham, there’s a small dam that a private person takes care of. In an interview about a year ago with him, I saw how tricky it can be to keep levels constant. It opened my eyes to the potential hazards even an inch of rain can have. And if it’s that difficult on Collins Pond, imagine how difficult it is on something as big as Sebago.
It just shows that there are forces behind the scenes, even in our seemingly quiet neck of the world, that smoothly maintain and regulate our environment. A lengthy downpour can have a big impact on anyone living near a body of water, and that’s when dam keepers shine. They’re our rainy day friends. And they certainly don’t get the respect they deserve; and maybe S.D. Warren doesn’t either. Like many thankless jobs, S.D. Warren only gets noticed when they do something wrong, not when they do the 99.5 percent of things right. So, now’s the time to praise their vigilance and praise FERC’s decision to maintain that steady relationship.
John Balentine
editor
Send questions/comments to the editors.
