Hollis Select Board Transparency Archive

DS4PR08MB110879BF29FDEACFD0AC2AB7B85102

Bar Mills Hydroelectric Project Filing

From

• Teta Jungels <[email protected]>

To

Not listed in the released copy

Date

Thu, Jun 4, 2026 · 11:27 a.m. ET

• BarMills_Decom_Surrender_CLT_06022026.pdfNot posted

  The original PDF is not in this public copy. The words copied from it are below.

  Read from the file

  BROOKFIELD WHITE PINE HYDRO LLC 3 Company Road, Hollis, ME 04042 T +1 207.727.3060 F +1 207.727.5921 brookfieldrenewableNA.com June 3, 2026 Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20426 Subject: Bar Mills Project (FERC No. 2194-000) Draft Surrender Application and Decommissioning Plan Secretary Reese: Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC (hereinafter “BWPH” or “Licensee”) will be applying to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (hereinafter “FERC” or “Commission”) to surrender the license for the Bar Mills Waterpower Project (hereinafter “Project”), as described below. The Project is currently licensed to BWPH as Project No. 2194 (124 FERC ¶ 62,153 (2008)). The current license expires July 31, 2048. The Bar Mills Project includes an existing concrete dam, granite headworks, an intake canal, downstream fish passage facility, powerhouse, appurtenant equipment, and an approximately 5.3 mile long, 263-acre impoundment. The Project has two generating units with a total rated generating capacity of 4.0 megawatt (MW) and a maximum hydraulic capacity (total turbine capacity) of 3,120 cubic feet per second (cfs). A more detailed description can be found in the draft Surrender Application, Exhibit A and the draft Decommissioning Plan. The Bar Mills Project has significant operational challenges that have prevented the generating units from running since 2017. These challenges are associated with an unavoidable condition called Alkali Aggregate Reactivity (AAR) which occurs when certain aggregates used in the concrete for the dam and/or powerhouse absorb water and cause expansion and cracking over a period of many years. There is no long-term remedy for AAR at the Bar Mills Project except for full reconstruction, which is not financially viable when coupled with existing migratory fish passage requirements. Thus, BWPH is proposing surrender of the license with decommissioning and dam removal. Certain structures as described in the attached draft Surrender Application, Exhibit A and draft Decommissioning Plan will remain in place and continue to be maintained by BWPH. Based upon the studies conducted and available resource information for the project, an environmental analysis of the proposed action is described in Section 4 of the Exhibit E. Associated mitigation measures are described in Section 2.1.2 of the draft Decommissioning Plan.

  Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary June 3, 2026 2 BROOKFIELD WHITE PINE HYDRO LLC 3 Company Road, Hollis, ME 04042 T +1 207.727.3060 F +1 207.727.5921 brookfieldrenewableNA.com The draft Surrender Application and draft Decommissioning Plan are being distributed to agencies and the public for a 90-day review period with written comments due by September 1, 2026. The documents are available for download at https://barmills.brookfieldusprojects.com/documents/ and on FERC’s eLibrary ( https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search ) under docket number P-2194. Comments received will be addressed, as appropriate, in the Final Decommissioning Plan and Surrender Application which will be submitted to FERC in the fall of 2026. FERC will then initiate the process of application review and development of an environmental assessment (EA). It is anticipated that FERC will issue a draft EA for public comment prior to any approval of the surrender application. BWPH will also submit state, federal, and local (i.e., the Towns of Buxton and Hollis) permit applications in the fall of 2026. During the federal and state agency review, public comments are encouraged and help guide the decisions of each respective agency. For example, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will issue a public notice seeking comments after an application is submitted. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection, under the Maine Waterway Development and Conservation Act, also encourages and accepts public comments throughout the permitting process. BWPH will also be required to submit a permit application to the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC). BWPH will be further consulting with these entities during the public comment period for the Surrender Application and Decommissioning Plan. BWPH will hold a public meeting to provide an overview of the draft Surrender Application and draft Decommissioning Plan June 25, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. located at the Hollis Town Hall, 34 Town Farm Road, Hollis, Maine 04042. If you have questions about the DSR or would like additional information, please contact David Heidrich at 207-755-5608 or by email at [email protected]. Sincerely, Randall Dorman Senior Compliance Manager – New England and Rest of Country (LA, NC, and TN) cc: Distribution List (Attached) R. Nadeau, D. Heidrich, J. Seyfried, M. Leblanc; BWPH A. Qua, K. Cooley; Kleinschmidt Associates

  Matt Buhyoff Consultation Biologist/Merrymeeting Bay Salmon Recovery Coordinator FERC (Merrymeeting Bay Salmon Habitat Recovery Unit) NOAA- National Marine Fisheries Service Maine Field Office 17 Godfrey Drive Suite 1 Orono, ME 04473 [email protected] Dan Tierney Atlantic Salmon Recovery Coordinator/Consultation Biologist Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Maine) NOAA- National Marine Fisheries Service Greater Atlantic Regional Fishiers Office 55 Greater Republic Drive Glouster, MA 01930 [email protected] Donald Dow Hydro/Fish Passage Engineer NOAA- National Marine Fisheries Service Maine Field Office 17 Godfrey Drive Suite 1 Orono, ME 04473 [email protected] Timothy Timmermann, Director US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Enviornmental Review. Regiona 1: New England 5 Post Office Square Suite 100 Boston, MA 02109 [email protected] Andrew Raddant, Regional Environmental Officer US Department of the Interior 15 State Street Suite 400 Boston, MA 02109 [email protected] Patrick Dockens US Fish and Wildlife Service Maine Ecological Services Field Office 306 Hatery Road East Orland, ME 04431 [email protected] Kimberly Spiller US Fish and Wildlife Service Maine Ecological Services Field Office 306 Hatery Road East Orland, ME 04431 [email protected] Greg Stewart, Chief of Applied Hydrology Branch US Geological Survey New England Water Science Center 196 Whitten Road Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected] John Cannella, NPS Hydro Power Manager US National Park Service Department of Interior 1100 Old Santa Fe Trail Santa Fe, NM 87505 [email protected] Darryl LaCounte, Director US Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs MS 4606 MIB 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240 [email protected]

  Harold Peterson, Manager National Hydropower Compliance Program Bureau of Indian Affairs 545 Marriott Drive Suite 700 Nashville, TN 37214 [email protected] Heather Stukas, Project Manager US Army Corps of Engineers Maine Project Office 442 Civic Center Dr Suite 350 Augusta, ME 04330 [email protected] John Perry Environmental Review Program Supervisor Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 353 Water Street 41 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected] Laura Paye, Hydropower Coordinator Maine Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Land Resources 17 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected] Clair Biggs Maine Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Land Resources 17 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected] Andrew Wood, Senior Resource Biologist Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Environmental Review Program 353 Water Street Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected] Jim Vogel Senior Planner Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands 22 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected] James Pellerin, Reional Fisheries Biologist Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Sebago Lake Region 15 Game Farm Rd Gray, ME 04039 [email protected] Nick Kalejs Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Sebago Lake Region 15 Game Farm Rd Gray, ME 04039 [email protected] Sean Ledwin, Director Maine Department of Marine Resources Bureau of Sea Run Fisheries and Habitat 21 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected]

  Casey Clark Maine Department of Marine Resources 21 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected] Erin Wilson Federal Consistency Coordinator Maine Department of Marine Resources Maine Coastal Program 21 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected] Lars Hammer, Marine Resource Specialist Maine Department of Marine Resources 21 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected] Kirk Mohney, Director Maine Historic Preservation Commission 55 Capitol Street 55 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected] Megan Rideout Review & Compliance/CLG Coordinator Maine Historic Preservation Commission 55 Capitol Street 55 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 [email protected] John L. Myers, Town Clerk Town of Buxton 185 Portland Rd Buxton, ME 04093 [email protected] Crystal Gaudet, Town Clerk Town of Hollis 34 Town Farm Rd Hollis, ME 04042 [email protected] Robert Nasdor, Northeast Stewardship Director American Whitewater 65 Blueberry Hill Lane Sudbury, MA 01776 [email protected] Andrew Fisk, Ph.D., Northeast Regional Director American Rivers 1101 14th Street NW Suite 1400 Washington, DC 20005 [email protected] Andrew Beahm, Executive Director Maine Audubon Society 20 Gilsland Farm Rd Falmouth, ME 04105 [email protected] John Burrows, Vice President of US Operations Altantic Salmon Federation Fort Andross 14 Maine St Suite 202 Brunswick, ME 04011 [email protected] Landis Hudson, Executive Director Maine Rivers PO Box 782 Yarmouth, ME 04096 [email protected]

  Steven G. Heinz Maine Council of Trout Unlimited 3 Spruce Lance Cumberland Foreside, ME 04110 [email protected] Mark Zakutansky Director of Conservation Polic Engagement Appalachian Mountain Club 100 Illickls Mill Rd Bethleham, PA 18017 [email protected] Eliza Townsend Maine Appalachian Mountain Club 15 Moosehead Lake Rd Greenville, ME 04441 [email protected] Cheri Dunning, Executive Director Saco River Corridor Commission 81 Maple St PO Box 283 Cornish, ME 04020 [email protected] Saco River Recreational Center PO Box 363 189 Swans Falls Rd Fryeburg, ME 04037 [email protected] Mark Woodruff Saco Salmon Restoration Alliance 17 Lower Egypt Rd Buxton, ME 04093 [email protected] Christopher Sockalexis Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Penobscot Indian Nation Cultural and Historic Preservation Program 12 Wabanaki Way Indian Island, ME 04468 [email protected] Charles Loring Jr. Director, Department of Natural Resources Penobscot Indian Nation 12 Wabanaki Way Indian Island, ME 04468 [email protected] Dan McCaw, Fisheries Biologist Penobscot Indian Nation Department of Natural Resources 12 Wabanaki Way Indian Island, ME 04468 [email protected] Cody Dillingham, Fisheries Biologist Penobscot Indian Nation Department of Natural Resources 12 Wabanaki Way Indian Island, ME 04468 [email protected] Clarisa Sabattis, Chief Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians 88 Bell Rd Littleton, ME 04730 [email protected] Isaac St. John, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians 88 Bell Rd Littleton, ME 04730 [email protected]

  Donald Soctomah Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Passamaquoddy Tribe PO Box 159 Princeton, ME 04668 [email protected] William J. Nicholas, Sr., Chief Passamaquoddy Tribe Indian Township PO Box 301 Princeton, ME 04468 [email protected] Jenny Gaenzle, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Aroostook Band of Micmacs 7 Northern Rd Presque Isle, ME 04769 [email protected] Edward Peter Paul, Chief Aroostook Band of Micmacs 7 Northern Rd Presque Isle, ME 04769 [email protected] Renee Lewis, Committee Member BWPH Decommissioning Committee 19 Usher Mill Rd Hollis, ME 04042 [email protected] Jim Boutin, Committee Member BWPH Decommissioning Committee 118 Country Club Rd Hollis, ME 04042 [email protected] Mark Blier, Committee Member BWPH Decommissioning Committee 50 Hall Rd Buxton, ME 04093 [email protected] Paul Mattor, Committee Member BWPH Decommissioning Committee PO Box 85 Bar Mills, ME 04004 [email protected] Dan Yarumian, Committee Member BWPH Decommissioning Committee 398 Plains Rd Hollis, ME 04042 [email protected] Heath Knight, Committee Member BWPH Decommissioning Committee 61 Old Thompson Rd Buxton, ME 04093 [email protected] Jamie Marshall, Committee Member BWPH Decommissioning Committee 174 Lower Egypt Road Buxton, ME 04093 [email protected] Terry Walters, Committee Member BWPH Decommissioning Committee 8 Oxford Dr Hollis, ME 04042 [email protected] Cindy Fanning, Committee Member BWPH Decommissioning Committee PO Box 374 Bar Mills, ME 04004 [email protected]

  Mark Woodruff, Committee Member BWPH Decommissioning Committee 17 Lower Eygpt Rd Buxton, ME 04093 [email protected] David Heidrich BWPH [email protected] Ryan Nadeau BWPH [email protected] Bruce Digennaro Essex Parnership [email protected] West Buxton Library [email protected] Hollis Library [email protected] Berry Library [email protected] Salmon Falls Library [email protected]