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Council hears warning on hydroelectric relicensing: canal walls, gatehouses and flood risk cited
Summary
Groundwork and community partners told the council that relicensing of the Lawrence Hydroelectric project raises flood and infrastructure risks for canal walls and gatehouses and urged city involvement to secure community benefits including shared-use paths.
City staff and community partners urged the Lawrence City Council to pay close attention to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relicensing process for the Lawrence Hydroelectric project, saying recent study submissions identify inoperable gatehouses and weakened canal walls and signal potential flood risk to nearby properties and facilities.
Brad (Groundwork representative) and other presenters highlighted structural issues in the North Canal and South Canal gatehouses and deterioration in canal walls. They warned that flooding in the Lower Merrimack/Lower Tahoe neighborhood could affect key community assets, including the Boys and Girls Club, large industrial yards, the city’s primary grocery store and the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center.
Why it matters: Relicensing — the next licensing cycle for the hydroelectric project — is a once-in-several-decades opportunity to require project owners to address structural and environmental impacts, negotiate public benefits, and secure access for a shared-use path along the Merrimack River and canal corridors.
Presenters asked the council to mobilize to ensure the relicensing record and studies account for canal infrastructure needs, flood mitigation and public access. They described a long-running effort to secure a shared-use path along the South Bank of the Merrimack and better connections to the Lawrence Rail Trail and Riverfront State Park; presenters said the project owner has created obstacles to access and that city support would strengthen community bargaining power.
Discussion vs. decision: The council heard the report, acknowledged the need for coordinated city action and moved to table the item for further committee consideration. Councilors and staff agreed on the need for a city strategy and potential letters or formal participation in the FERC relicensing process.
What comes next: Presenters asked the council to consider formal letters, public participation in FERC proceedings, and cross-department coordination to document flood risk and community benefit priorities for relicensing negotiations.
