FERC will now complete its environmental analysis of the licence application whilst soliciting public input. It should complete this process by the end of 2005, more than a year before the current licence expires.
Brascan collaborated with various stakeholders to reach a settlement agreement, which included ensuring that the hydro power plant is located on the Salmon river, a tributary to the St. Lawrence river, a popular trout stream.
Through the settlement, Brascan agreed to make several major improvements at the Macomb site, including:
• Installation of 2.5cm spaced trashracks to protect fish from passing through the hydro turbines. The new trashracks will replace the 6.25cm spaced trashracks currently at the site.
• Elimination of daily pond fluctuations to protect wetland resources upstream and enhance fish habitat downstream.
• Installation of a fish stocking tube to allow the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to effectively stock trout in the river downstream of the Macomb plant.
• Adoption of an interim sediment management plan to help facilitate the natural passage of sediment downstream while the DEC develops a plan for the entire Salmon river.
