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United States. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Hydropower Licenses: A Comprehensive Review

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed relicensing of the Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Project and the Turners Falls Hydroelectric Project. Located on the Connecticut River, these projects span across Franklin County, Massachusetts; Windham County, Vermont; and Cheshire County, New Hampshire. The draft EIS documents the views of governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, affected Indian Tribes, the public, and the license applicant, evaluating the applicant's proposal and alternatives for relicensing the projects.

Key Takeaways:

  • The draft EIS assesses the environmental impacts of relicensing the Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Project (Project No. 2485-071) and the Turners Falls Hydroelectric Project (Project No. 1889-085) on the Connecticut River.
  • The projects cover approximately 20 acres of federally owned land associated with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Silvio Conte Anadromous Fish Laboratory and no federal lands within the project boundary of the Northfield Mountain Project.
  • The draft EIS was made available to the public on May 30, 2025, and can be accessed on the Commission's Home Page through the "eLibrary" link or by registering online to receive notifications via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects.
  • The Commission provides an opportunity for interested persons to view and/or print the draft EIS via the Internet, using the docket number and accessing the document through the Commission's Home Page.
  • The draft EIS contains staff evaluations of the applicant's proposal and alternatives for relicensing the Northfield Mountain and Turners Falls projects, which will be taken into account by the Commission before making a licensing decision.

Statistics:

  • 20 acres of federally owned land associated with the Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Silvio Conte Anadromous Fish Laboratory is located within the Turners Falls project boundary.
  • The draft EIS was made available to the public on May 30, 2025.
  • The Commission's Home Page can be accessed at http://www.ferc.gov/, and the draft EIS can be viewed and/or printed via the "eLibrary" link.
  • Interested persons can register online at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects.

Sources:

  • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, "Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Hydropower Licenses Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Project--FERC Project No. 2485-071 Turners Falls Hydroelectric Project--FERC Project No. 1889-085 Massachusetts/New Hampshire/Vermont", May 2025.
  • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, "Office of Energy Projects Division of Hydropower Licensing 888 First Street, NE Washington, D.C. 20426 May 2025 Document Accession #: 20250530-3009 Filed Date: 05/30/2025".

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