The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced it has issued a water quality  certification for the continued operation and maintenance of Exelon’s Muddy Run hydroelectric project in Martic and Drumore townships, Lancaster County. 

“DEP has determined that the Muddy Run Project is continuing to meet all applicable state regulations and water quality standards,” DEP Secretary E. Christopher Abruzzo said. “Exelon has agreed to make substantial commitments to mitigating the aquatic resource impacts of the project and we appreciate the cooperative approach that Exelon brought to the table in development of this water quality certification.”

Muddy Run, owned and operated by Exelon, is an existing 800 megawatt hydroelectric project located on the eastern shore of the Conowingo Pond on the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County. The project has operated since 1966.

In order for the project to continue operation and to minimize the effects of the facility on aquatic resources, Exelon must:

— Implement a program to trap about one million American Eels per year from below the Conowingo Dam in Maryland and in the Octoraro Creek and transport them to multiple locations in the Susquehanna Watershed;

— Provide $500,000 per year for 16 years for agricultural pasture and barnyard best management practices to address sediment introduction and other habitat improvement projects, such as stream improvement projects, riparian buffers and small dam removal in Lancaster and York counties;

— Provide a version of Exelon’s computer model for evaluating river flows on the Lower Susquehanna River to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission;

— Achieve certain fish passage targets for migratory fish and eels passing through the project area, and take corrective action if the fish passage targets are not achieved; and

— Conduct dissolved oxygen testing and endangered species evaluation.

“The robust effort to re-establish eel populations within the Susquehanna River watershed is noteworthy.” DEP Southcentral Regional Director Lynn Langer said. “The eels have largely been absent in the watershed since the first dams on the lower Susquehanna were constructed.”

Eels act as a host species for freshwater mussels, which play an important role in water quality filtering in Pennsylvania’s local streams and rivers, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

The $8 million provided over 16 years by Exelon to the Lancaster and York County conservation districts and the Fish and Boat Commission will also fund projects that will help Pennsylvania achieve commitments to protect the Chesapeake Bay.

Pennsylvania water quality certification is required for relicensing by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for projects like the Muddy Run Project under the Federal Power Act. WQ certifications are authorized under the Federal Clean Water Act, the Pennsylvania Dam Safety and Encroachments Act and the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law.

A copy of the water quality certification is available online.

6/9/2014