GILL — Erosion was the Conservation Commission’s chief concern during a discussion Tuesday regarding the state Department of Environmental Protection’s draft decision approving a water quality certification for FirstLight Hydro Generating Co.

The 117-page draft decision, released Jan. 24, states that MassDEP grants certification for both the Turners Falls Hydroelectric Project and the Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Project, with conditions such as increasing water flow. The decision marked the latest required step in FirstLight’s relicensing process through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Members of the public who attended the meeting at Gill Town Hall questioned some of the draft’s language, unresolved FirstLight projects in Gill and the level of input the Conservation Commission has in how MassDEP enforces these conditions.

“Our purpose is to gather any comments or questions that townspeople have, so that we can shape our own comments back to [MassDEP] in the next couple weeks,” Conservation Commission Chair Brian Donahue said.

Member Phil Gilfeather-Girton outlined the commission’s authority, the requests from Gill and the Conservation Commission during the 2024 public comment period, and conditions for erosion mitigation, stabilization and monitoring that were included in MassDEP’s draft decision. While the draft is extensive, Gilfeather-Girton said, the commission is focusing on erosion as it is something it has experience with as an authority that enforces the state’s Wetlands Protection Act.

The eight erosion conditions included in the draft decision require FirstLight to repair and stabilize known areas of erosion that have not yet been stabilized, locate new areas of erosion to stabilize, implement a plan with MassDEP to develop an Erosion Control Monitoring Plan, create a “no wake zone” for boats from the dam to upstream of Barton Cove, and conduct inspections of the Connecticut River from a boat on the water.

Of the requests that the Conservation Commission and the town made to MassDEP, some were included in the draft decision, like requirements for FirstLight to be responsible for maintenance of all bank restoration projects, and to minimize soil erosion and siltation on land next to the river from construction.

One concern from the commission that was included in the 2024 public comments was FirstLight’s outstanding Orders of Conditions for projects on the river. Conservation Commission member Paul Sievert spoke to this issue of outstanding Orders of Condition from a 2009 project, saying that FirstLight has not obtained a certificate of compliance because it could not prove its project met the standards set forward by the commission.

“The bottom line is that that order has never been fulfilled because they’ve never been able to demonstrate that they can maintain a vegetated bench to protect our shoreline, and that is why there has never been a certificate of compliance,” Sievert said.

MassDEP’s draft decision approving a water quality certification explained the department’s process has involved reviewing FirstLight’s application as well as information on the administrative record and from the public comment period.

A water quality certification from MassDEP is required as part of FirstLight’s relicensing process through FERC for its Connecticut River hydroelectric facilities. FirstLight has operated the Turners Falls dams and Northfield hydro-pump facility under a temporary license since 2018 and is seeking a 50-year license renewal.

Public feedback on the draft certification will be accepted until Feb. 24. A final decision to issue, deny or waive a certification will be due by April 22. MassDEP will host a hybrid public hearing for residents to share their comments on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m. at the Cohn Family Dining Commons at Greenfield Community College.

For more information about MassDEP’s 401 Water Quality Certification, to view the draft decision or to register for the Feb. 19 hearing, visit mass.gov/info-details/401-wqc-for-the-firstlight-hydroelectric-re-licensing-project.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.