Fate of 300 acres at Cheat Lake is unclear after dam proposal

by: Sam Gorski, WBOY News 12,

September 19, 2023

CHEAT LAKE, W.Va. (WBOY) — Cheat Lake community members are raising concerns over the proposed shifting of the nearby hydroelectric dam’s boundaries that would exclude about 300 acres of land, leaving many to wonder what would happen to the land afterward.

The dam in question, the Lake Lynn Hydroelectric Project, is currently applying to renew its license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to continue operating in the Cheat Lake area. The complete license proposal, which can be found at the bottom of this story, includes a section (page 290) that asks for the removal of approximately 310.89 acres from the Lake Lynn Hydroelectric Project’s boundaries, saying that the land is not needed for dam operations.

Proposed land (in pink) that would be removed from Lake Lynn Hydroelectric Project boundaries. (Courtesy, Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, Google Maps)

Some members of the Cheat Lake community are voicing their concerns about what will happen with the land if it’s removed from the project zone. Save Cheat Lake, a volunteer advocacy group for Cheat Lake and its surrounding parks, said that its biggest worry is the sale of lakeside land that is already being used for parks and trail systems to private entities.

On Monday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. there will be a public meeting at the Cranberry Hotel in Morgantown for anyone who wants to make their objections, thoughts or opinions heard about the proposal. On Sept. 26, an environmental site review will be held at the Lake Lynn Hydroelectric Project. The last day to RSVP for the site review is Tuesday, Sept. 19.

The Lake Lynn Hydroelectric Project is owned by Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation which is entirely owned by the government of the Canadian province of Ontario. In Canada “Crown corporations” are businesses owned and regulated by federal or provincial governments; Ontario Power Generation is one of these Crown corporations.

The current license for the Lake Lynn Project was issued on Dec. 27, 1994, and will expire on Nov. 30, 2024.

Eagle Creek Renewable Energy has been asked for a comment about what their plans are for the land and why they want it removed from project boundaries but has not yet responded.