MORGANTOWN — Historic preservation officials in West Virginia and Pennsylvania have given their OK — from a historic preservation perspective — to Lake Lynn Generation’s proposal to change the boundaries of its hydroelectric project and remove just over 240 acres from federal protection.
Lake Lynn Generation submitted the letters from the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, and from the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday.
FERC is reviewing Lake Lynn Generation’s application to renew its Lake Lynn Hydroelectric Project license, which expires Nov. 30. As part of the application, Lake Lynn Generation/Eagle Creek Renewable Energy proposes to remove 243.8 acres surrounding Cheat Lake from federal protection. The company has said it has no plans to sell the land, though public distrust remains, reflected in dozens of public comments submitted to FERC.
West Virginia Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Susan Pierce listed several observations in her letter. She noted that Lake Lynn Generation proposes no modifications to existing facilities, outside of normal maintenance activities.
She said several archaeological resources — the Cheat Mine and Tipple remains, the Cheat Haven and Bruceton Railroad grade, and the remains of the Morgan Run Farm — are within or adjacent to areas proposed for removal.
The lands removed would remain in Lake Lynn ownership, she said, and no ground-disturbing activities are proposed. “Consequently, we concur that the proposed acreage removal is not likely to adversely affect historical resources.”
She said the state understands that Lake Lynn will develop property management and shoreline management plans over the next few years.
Pennsylvania SHPO’s letter from Environmental Review Division Manager Emma Diehl said, “It is our opinion that the project will have no effect on above-ground historic properties, including historic buildings, districts, structures and/or other objects, should they exist.”
The amount of acreage Lake Lynn proposes to remove from its project boundary has changed since the company first held a public meeting in Morgantown last September. At that time, it was 307.1 acres, a figure reported several times since.
The company revised the proposal in April, telling FERC the original figure was in error, based on a 1991 map. They subsequently located a more-accurate-and-readable 1996 map.
Consequently, they are now proposing to remove 243.8 acres of project land no longer needed for project purposes. The existing boundary is to a contour elevation that varies between the normal full reservoir pool elevation of 870 feet up to 885 feet.
The new proposal filed in April says, “Any lands located between the 885 feet and 870 feet contour elevation that do not encompass a project recreation site or one of the four designated nature viewing/wildlife habitat areas are not needed for project purposes. In total, Lake Lynn is proposing to remove 243.8 acres of land from the project boundary.”
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