Letter to FERC-Crooked River resident

FOSL comment: This letter was copied recently from FERC elibrary files.
FOSL has several submissions to FERC about this degradation which is a violation
of the Clean Water Act.


Comment of James O'Connor in Docket(s)/Project(s) P-2984-066

Submission Date: 5/8/2008

Re;
Eel Weir Hydro Project, FERC No. p-2984, correspondence with FERC.

Please note any and all relating to this project

IRREVERSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
SEBAGO LAKE LEVEL

We have had a tremendous amount of erosion on the Crooked River in NAPLES and
CASCO MAINE as a result of high water in the lake at the wrong times over the last decade. The crooked river can’t handle the spring runoff if the lake is at full
pond nor can it during a big rain event while at full pond. This is What happens
during a flood on the very long crooked river - irreversible environmental damage,
not only erosion but, uprooted trees, dead beavers, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, muskrats, nesting birds, frogs and waterfowl. Oxbows are 'cleaned out" of spring hatch. The salmon won’t run because the smelt won’t run. Trout won’t come
into turbid water (silt). Another important and hazardous impact to the environment is- pollutants washed down the river from the flood. Gas cans, oil, trash, any thing left on the ground gets into the water supply including raw sewage.

The crooked river is the largest tributary of Sebago Lake.

Jim O'Connor

Long Beach Aug 3, 1965 pm

Wind in Pines Raymond

Long Beach Ossippee Street view north

Long Beach

Tell it like it is from Gardiner

From Portland Press Herald

Maine Lake Watch of Gardiner, ME
May 8, 2008 4:16 PM
It is about time for enviromental organizations, Communities and the State to walk the walk instead of just talking the talk. They like to blame shoreowners for the millions and millions of tons of effluent running into our lakes because it make them a nice "smoke sceen" to cover up for industrial, state and municipal damage done to our lakes, rivers and streams.

These "enviro-mental" groups need to take a good look at the destruction of our resources that they cause...Like the horrendous erosion of the shores of our lakes caused by trying to fill these ponds to the brim for the pleasure of the few. Mother nature did not create these ponds for the use of cigarette boats, to keep marina operators happy. This exploitation of our resources by enviromental groups causes severe erosion, loss of wildlife habitat, wetland destruction.

We are glad to see that one of these groups is finally concerned about their tons of runoff and what they have done might help. Now they need to take a look at what they have done to the natural beaches at Sebago and take a very L O N G hard look!

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Oldest FOSL Sebago Lake beach photo

This photo dates to the 1902-1905 era. It is a photo of the beach at Sebago Lake Station where there is a controversial boat launch.

To clarify ownership Paul Hunt-PWD writes
"The District does not own or operate the boat launch. The District owns the land on either side and in fact under the boat launch but the town owns a 99-foot wide ROW at the end of which is the boat launch which was constructed and is owned and operated by the town. It would be more accurate to refer to it as the town of Standish boat launch."