There is an important and urgent matter that impacts all of us who own property on Sebago Lake – summer and fall lake levels.

Perhaps you know that the Eel Weir dam on Sebago goes through periodic licensing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Once granted, these licenses dictate lake levels for decades. Currently, a new license has been applied for by S.D. Warren (a subsidiary of Sappi Paper) which will affect the lake level for the next 30 years. In its license application, S.D. Warren has asked for a substantial change from the way the lake has been managed since 1997. From 1997 to the present, the target high water level of the lake has been 266.65 feet above mean sea level, to be reached for up to a three-week period sometime between May 1 and June 15. The lake may then be drained gradually with targets reaching approximately 265 feet on Aug. 1 and 262 feet on Nov. 15. For two years in nine, the low water target is reduced to 261 feet.

Under the new plan proposed by S.D. Warren, the target high water mark for the period between May 1 and June 15 would be lowered to 266 feet, eight inches lower than the current target. The low water target of 262 feet would remain in effect. The two year in nine requirement of 261 feet would be eliminated, which is good news. The bad news is that S.D. Warren has asked for no additional targets other than the high and low water spring and fall levels. It wishes to be free to manage the lake as it sees fit during the rest of the year, as long as the lake level stays within the 4-foot band. This means that it is more likely we would see very low wintertime levels in the summer and fall – boat slips could be dry, beaches de-watered and boating made more hazardous. Marinas, resorts and other business enterprises would be hurt. Property values for those hurt by low water could drop, perhaps significantly.

Under the new approach, S.D. Warren would be required to go to a minimum flow when the lake gets down to 262 feet. However, under the S.D. Warren plan, the current minimum flow of 15,000 cubic feet per minute (cfm) would be changed to 24,500 cfm, a 60 percent increase. This means that when the lake gets down to 262 feet, it will keep going down. There will be no effective minimum lake level.

To summarize, there is a trifecta of changes that will negatively affect future lake levels – the springtime high water mark will be 8 inches lower, the minimum lake level in the summer will be about 3 feet lower than the current minimum, and the minimum flow out of the lake will be increased by 60 percent.

There is a two step process that S.D. Warren must go through to implement the new plan. First it must obtain a Water Quality Certification from the Maine DEP that the new plan will not negatively impact the lake on a variety of measurements, including recreational and navigational use. S.D.Warren has been successful in obtaining this WQC, which is now under appeal.

The second step in the process is approval of the new plan by FERC. The FERC review will likely not take place until the appeal of the WQC is completed.

A new non-profit 501(c)4 organization called Save Our Sebago has been formed to advocate for maintenance of adequate summer and fall water levels on the lake. You can learn more about Save Our Sebago on our website: www.saveoursebago.org; our Board of Directors is listed there.

Save Our Sebago is supporting an appeal of the Maine DEP’s Water Quality Certification. There is a Maine Board of Environmental Protection hearing scheduled for Oct. 4 in Augusta to determine whether the appeal may go forward. Save Our Sebago has hired legal counsel and is intervening in the FERC licensing process.

It is recruiting and organizing others to also intervene in the Maine DEP and FERC processes. Save Our Sebago is being actively supported by the Town of Frye Island and the Town of Sebago. It also is being actively supported by many businesses on Sebago Lake and by dozens of homeowners. It is educating others as to what they can do to protect our property interests and the lake from the fate that S.D.Warren’s plans would provide.

There are a number of things that you can do that will positively impact the outcome.

1. The most important thing that you can do is to e-comment FERC and let them know how low lake levels will impact you, and, if you agree, that you support Save Our Sebago’s position. (Save Our Sebago supports lake level minimums of at least 265 feet in the summer and fall, and at least 264 feet in the winter. It supports a minimum flow closer to the 15,000 cfm now if effect.) We hope and expect that FERC will listen to an outpouring of our voices. To comment to FERC, go to http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. There you will be asked for a docket number, which is P-2984-000.

2. Join Save Our Sebago. Good legal representation to guide us through this process is expensive. Dozens of people have already donated to Save Our Sebago. We suggest non-tax-deductible donations of $100 from individuals and $500 from businesses and associations, but any amount is accepted. You may contribute either by sending a check payable to Save Our Sebago and mailed to David Tatro, 87 1?2 Harpswell Road, Brunswick, Maine 04011, or by going to www.saveoursebago.org and making a credit card contribution using Paypal.

3. Stay informed and spread the word. Add your name to Save Our Sebago’s e-mail distribution list by e-mailing [email protected] your friends and neighbors about Save Our Sebago and ask them to get in touch with us.

Peter Dunn is president of Save Our Sebago.