Androscoggin Hydro Achieves LIHI Certification for the four Maine Facilities

(April 8, 2010) Portland, Maine - Based on information that th
e Application Reviewer received from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regarding toxic contamination (or lack thereof), the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) is able to issue Low Impact Certification for Verso's Androscoggin Hydroelectric Project with an effective date of September 25, 2009.

At their January 27, 2010 meeting the Institute's Governing Board adopted
the Application Reviewer's recommendation that the four Verso facilities be certified to be in compliance with LIHI's criteria. However, certification was conditioned upon a finding by the DEP that 2009 sampled fish in the Otis impoundment and below the Livermore Falls dam do not have elevated levels of contamination or that any elevated levels found are not caused or contributed to by one or more of the four facilities. The Executive Director made a determination that this condition has been met by the DEP's study results:

"...there is no significant difference in contaminant levels between fish caught in the Otis impoundment and fish caught in the river below the Livermore Dam, and that the presence of Verso's Riley, Jay, Otis and Livermore Falls dams is not contributing to the issuance of fish consumption advisories on the Androscoggin River." (Letter to Thomas B. Saviello, VERSO from Dana Paul Murch, DEP, April 7, 2010)

The Board's vote to certify the Androscoggin Hydroelectric Project was unanimous. LIHI received no public comments on this application.

LIHI certification for five years for the Androscoggin Hydroelectric Project is granted, with the 5-year certification time period beginning on September 25, 2009. The certification of the Androscoggin Hydroelectric Project will expire on September 25, 2014.

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