Crown Hydro Update

Updated on 1/21/2012 - See end of post

The latest news on the Crown Hydro project proposed for Mill Ruins Park on the Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront (documents in reverse chronological order):

Crown Hydro Requests New Location for Hydro Plant

Minneapolis Parks & Recreation Board (MPRB) Response to Crown Hydro FERC Termination Letter Response

Crown Hydro Response to FERC Termination Letter

FERC Termination Letter to Crown Hydro

Update on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 7:19AM by David Tinjum

From local resident Doug Verdier:

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board will vote to approve its 2012 Legislative Agenda during the next regular MPRB meeting Jan. 18. One of the items on the Legislative Agenda is the following which addresses the Crown Hydro proposal:

PROTECT LOCAL CONTROL OF PARK LAND: Attempts were made last year to force the Park Board to grant a private entity the right to use park land for a hydroelectric facility. The Park Board and other local governmental units had serious concerns about the constitutionality of the legislation and the usurpation of local control, and no such legislation was passed. We will again fight any efforts to force the Park Board to relinquish control of its land to private entities.

Update on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 7:04AM by David Tinjum

From local resident Doug Verdier:

This latest effort by Crown Hydro to advance the hydro plant at Upper St. Anthony Falls indicates that they now are trying to cut a deal with the Corps of Engineers to build the plant on Corps-controlled land, thus bypassing the MPRB and local government authorities. This letter announces that Crown wants to amend their license again so they can proceed with the project.

See the document above.

Comments

[Doug Verdier]

Riverfront residents who are opposed to the Crown Hydro project should send their comments to Ms. Kimberly Bose at FERC. Use her address as shown on the letter from Parks President John Erwin (above attached). Public opinion can make a difference.