Boyne USA Responds to Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians' Comments on Boyne River Hydroelectric Project

Boyne USA, a leading developer of hydroelectric power projects, has submitted a comprehensive response to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians' (LTBB) comments on the Boyne River Hydroelectric Project. The response addresses various concerns raised by LTBB, including public access, fisheries, and dam safety. Boyne USA emphasizes its commitment to responsible dam operations, compliance with FERC regulations, and the importance of balancing public interests with environmental and safety considerations.

Key Takeaways:

• Boyne USA acknowledges LTBB's concerns about public access and recognizes the importance of protecting navigable waterways in Michigan. However, Boyne notes that the Boyne River is a non-navigable stream, as classified by Charlevoix County, and that public access has caused the most detrimental effects on streambank stability.
• The Boyne Dam Project does not impact downstream temperature in a way that would harm native fisheries. Instead, the dam acts as a barrier to spawning salmon, sea lamprey, and other invasive species, allowing native trout populations to thrive above the dam.
• Boyne USA shares LTBB's priority on dam safety and has proactively undertaken maintenance and modernization upgrades, including turbine and shaft replacement, penstock cleaning and recoating, and electrical relay upgrades.
• FERC's Office of Energy Projects, Division of Dam Safety and Inspections conducted a Dam Safety Inspection in July 2025 and found no dam safety deficiencies requiring immediate action.
• Boyne USA requests that FERC consider this information and supporting documents in its review of the Boyne Dam Project, and respectfully requests that the re-licensing process move forward expeditiously.

Statistics:

• The Boyne River is a non-navigable stream, as classified by Charlevoix County, with an average flow of XX cubic feet per second and an average width of YY feet.
• Boyne USA has invested in upgrading the dam's infrastructure, including replacing turbines and shafts, cleaning and recoating penstocks, and upgrading electrical relays.
• FERC's Dam Safety Inspection in July 2025 found no dam safety deficiencies requiring immediate action.
• The Boyne Dam Project has a generation capacity of XX MW and has provided power to the local community since XX.

Sources:

• Exhibit A: LTBB July 18th Comments
• Exhibit B: Charlevoix County Prosecutor Memo
• Exhibit C: Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians 1836 Ceded Territory 2023 Natural Resources Rules and Regulations
• Exhibit D: Exemplar Streambank Stability Assessment
• Exhibit E: Merjent Environmental Assessment
• Exhibit F: FERC Dam Safety Endorsement 2025
• Boyne USA's Re-Licensing Application