CANTON – Members of the Lake Anasagunticook Dam Core Committee learned Monday of an effort to get federal money to pay for a new dam on Whitney Brook.

Committee Chairman Malcolm Ray reported that the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments in Auburn will take the lead in exploring federal grants to pay for building the dam. The effort by AVCOG will cost the town nothing, he said.

The agency needs permission to proceed and Ray plans to draft a letter to be signed by both towns Thursday.

Ray said four members of the committee recently met with Androscoggin Valley Council on Governments’ Executive Director Robert Thompson, AVCOG economic development planner Amy Landry, state Rep. Sheryl Briggs, D-Canton, and others to discuss funding possibilities.

The new dam, recommended by the committee and estimated to cost $700,000, would replace the dilapidated one the town took by eminent domain last summer. Due to its condition, its flood gates have been open since May 2007, lowering the lake level by 6 feet.

Whitney Brook is an outlet to the lake on the northeast shore in Canton, but most of the shoreline of the 556-acre lake is in Hartford.

Though Canton is not a member of AVCOG, Hartford is.

Ray asked that a meeting be scheduled this week with selectmen from both towns to work out an agreement on ownership, maintenance and operation of the dam.

The committee, made up of members from Canton and Hartford to study ways to solve the dam problem, has suggested an agreement where each town would have two voting members and the Canton Water District would be an adviser with no voting privileges. The proposed agreement stipulates that maintenance costs for the dam would be split evenly.

Hartford Selectman Jack Plumley has said he thinks Hartford should be considered part owner of the dam. The town voted last year to give $20,000 toward Canton’s effort to take ownership of it from Ray Fortier of Sabattus.