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Appeals Fail to Block Destruction of Dam on Sebasticook River

June 25, 2008 - WINSLOW — FPL Energy Hydro says it will proceed with removal of the Fort Halifax Dam on the Sebasticook River now that the Winslow Zoning Board of Appeals has unanimously denied appeals to block the plan.

Allen Wiley, vice president of FPL Energy Hydro LLC, on Wednesday said he and others felt the zoning board made the right decision when it voted 5-0 Monday to affirm a Planning Board decision approving the removal plan.

Appeals were filed by a local group, Save Our Sebasticook, founded by state Rep. Kenneth C. Fletcher, R-Winslow, and local resident Jane Edwards.

The group plans to meet this week to discuss whether to appeal the zoning board decision, Fletcher said Wednesday.

"We'll get together as a group, discuss the situation, get a feel for what people want to do and go from there," he said.

Speaking from his Augusta office, Wiley said FPL Energy plans to draw the water level down at the dam, "as outlined in the Planning Board permit, the first of July, and after about a two-week drawdown we'd start breaching the dam -- mid-July."

After about another week of drawdown, removal of the structure would start, he said.

"We're basically talking between July and probably into the latter part of September," Wiley said.

The zoning board vote came with conditions, Town Attorney William Lee said Wednesday.

One of them is that the entire dam, not part of it, be removed. FPL had proposed removing 87 feet, and leaving 220 feet on the south side and part of the north section, he said.

Save Our Sebasticook and Edwards filed separate appeals of the Planning Board decision, saying the board erred when it approved the company's application.

Edwards' appeal argued that the Planning Board did not discuss an issue involving chromium in the soil potentially causing a health and safety problem if the dam is removed.

Save Our Sebasticook argued several issues, including that dam removal could result in significant erosion and adversely affect wildlife, and that residents and homes on Dallaire Street could be at risk from erosion.Save Our Sebasticook argued several issues, including that dam removal could result in significant erosion and adversely affect wildlife.

By AMY CALDER, Portland Press Herald, June 19, 2008

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