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The Project
The Dams
Four dams currently impound water on the main stem of the Boardman River. They are, from upstream to downstream, Brown Bridge Dam, Boardman Dam, Sabin Dam, and Union Street Dam. Currently, all dams with the exception of Union Street generate hydropower. Since the Union Street Dam is located within the general project area and is of similar age and structure as the other dams, it has also been incorporated into this project.
The hydro dams are operated by Traverse City Light and Power (TCLP) and licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Requirements by FERC to install emergency spillways at Brown Bridge Dam are among the factors that caused TCLP to seek de-licensing and decommissioning of the dams because the operations were deemed by TCLP to no longer be economically viable.
TCLP leased the dams for hydropower operations from the City of Traverse City and Grand Traverse County. Brown Bridge and Union Street dams are owned by the City of Traverse City. Boardman and Sabin dams are owned by Grand Traverse County.
Under the lease agreement the dams and any associated maintenance will become the responsibility of the owners once TCLP decommissions the dams. TCLP has formally notified FERC of their intent to surrender their license to operate at the dam sites. Regulation of the dams would revert to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) dam safety program in the absence of FERC licensing. Questions regarding maintenance and other costs once the dams are under DEQ jurisdiction also need to be addressed.
The Settlement Agreement
The de-licensing and decommissioning process began with preparation of a Settlement Agreement and subsequent Preliminary Restoration Plan (PRP) required by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the project to be eligible for USACE funding. The PRP (attached) outlines issues involving the dams and recommends a course of action. It does not, however, fully address the societal, economic, environmental or engineering questions and concerns of the Boardman River Dams Committee.
The settlement agreement for the Boardman River Dams established an Implementation Team to determine the disposition of the dams covered by the Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement enabled the Implementation Team to establish advisory groups. Accordingly, the Implementation Team established the Boardman River Dams Committee (BRDC) to engage all interests in determining the future of the dams so that the Implementation Team's recommendation is based upon an exhaustive assessment of public concerns, issues and questions.