I recently attended the state of Maine’s Land Use Planning Commission’s public hearing on the Middle Dam Renewal Project, held in Rumford on March 19. Public testimony was spot-on and resonated again and again the constant theme, “we have one chance to get this right.”

Getting it right — sounds easy — yet very difficult to achieve. All parties — Brookfield, regulators, intervenors and the public — have a daunting task.

A little background from the LUPC: “In order to meet the applicable FERC license conditions, Brookfield has determined that a complete renewal of the dam, referred to as the Middle Dam Renewal Project, is the most structurally sound and feasible long-term option. The Middle Dam Renewal Project is anticipated to take 5 years to complete.”

Richardson Lake is located in the mountains of Western Maine and is one of the more pristine lakes in the Rangeley Lake Chain. Upper Dam is the main in-flow to Richardson Lake, while Middle Dam outlets to Rapid River.

Middle Dam and Rapid River remain, to this day, one of the very few world-class native brook trout fisheries — a treasure that needs to be preserved for future generations.

No one disputes the need for a total structural replacement. As with any major endeavor, the proof is in the details. Anyone who has visited or fly-fished Upper Dam post reconstruction will tell you they (Brookfield) “didn’t get it (Upper Dam Renewal) right”.

Fishing access has been drastically altered, habitats degraded, access points are few and difficult to reach. Aesthetically, Upper Dam looks like a maximum-security prison. Once a treasure, the allure of Upper Dam has been lost forever.

Brookfield’s plan was full of good intentions, studies and surveys, conceptual discussions on access, working groups, regulatory permits, etc. Yet it failed. Brookfield failed. The state of Maine and its citizens deserve better.

Brookfield stated in their summary statement during the hearing that they have met all the requirements for being granted a permit for Middle Dam. They are clearly delusional or have a very short memory regarding the failures of Upper Dam. Brookfield has lost the public trust. Just ask those who have been impacted by the reconstruction of Upper Dam.

Examples of unsolicited testimonials that I have received prior to and after the hearing include:

• “The flow was to remain centered; side currents were to follow their usual swirl. There were to be fishing opportunities below the dam where the aprons had been previously. None of that materialized and the pool is just a shadow of its former self.”

• “The rebuild of Upper Dam destroyed a historic landmark and greatly degraded the quality of the Upper Dam experience for the camp owners and for visitors, both the anglers and the tourists.”

• “Companies (Brookfield) seem to have no sense of responsibility to consider and appreciate the value of a traditional setting — their hands should be forced!”

The state of Maine deserves better and the way to avoid a repeat of Upper Dam is to withhold issuing a permit to Brookfield until the following mandates are incorporated into the renewal plan:

• Require Brookfield to conduct an engineering study of the existing pool dynamics, flows, depths and habitat, and design a detailed pool restoration plan that specifies materials, bottom configuration, placement of habitat enhancements, and water flows;

• In Brookfield’s plan, parts of Fisheries working group recommendations are positioned as “conceptual” — with Brookfield in control on what they choose to do. They should accept the majority recommendation of noted experts as a binding mandate;

• Mandate ADA access to the dam and fishing access to the pool;

• Engage a professional landscape architect to enhance the visual setting impact within the confines of structural requirements. Include this design requirement in the plan permit;

• Require Brookfield to remediate major deficiencies in access, habitat restoration and landscape restoration that may result from the reconstruction;

• Require Brookfield to post a performance bond of $10 million, which requires payment of a performance penalty if restoration and access criteria issues, post construction, are not remediated with suitable corrections or alternatives.

I echo the sentiments of Maine Preservation — “With the loss of this historic structure (Middle Dam) comes a responsibility to ensure that the new dam does not further erode the scenic, recreational and ecological features of this unique and valuable area.”

I implore LUPC to use their authority and secure a renewal (reconstruction) plan that befits the citizens and guests of the great state of Maine.

John Preble owns a camp on Richardson Lake and is director/treasurer of Friends of Richardson Lake. He lives in Rumford.

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