Water Clarity and Safety Vs Electricity—

Lake Debris

Frustrates Residents

By Kendra Bobowick

They can’t have it both ways.

Lakeside residents intent on a weekend of swimming, boating, or just enjoying an otherwise serene lake view on Saturday and Sunday, June 6 and 7, rallied a loud protest expressed in letters to hydro-company FirstLight Power and to The Bee when the heavy flow of debris — large sticks and logs included — kept them off Lake Lillinonah.

Residents blamed an increased water level — an action within FirstLight’s operation rights — for the resulting detritus dragged from the shore with no place to go until it is cleared away or floats ashore. Waterskiing or bouncing behind a boat in a tube, for example, were out of the question.

Angry and in search of answers, residents, including Newtown property owner Scott Conant, sent e-mails to FirstLight representatives when the weekend debris greeted them Saturday morning. Mr Conant wrote, “It has become clear to me that the high water level is worth some bad PR...” Expressing what quickly became a popular point of view from a handful of e-mail letter writers from Brookfield, Bridgewater, and Newtown, which all share the lake’s shores, Mr Conant opened his main argument: “FirstLight Power would obviously rather obtain a higher rate during heavy demand and put up with a few ugly e-mails...than keep the lake safe and clean...”

FirstLight Power has a job to do, however, and Vice President of External Affairs James Ginnetti had been flooded with e-mail complaints following the weekend. In his reply to one message specifically, he requested working together “rather than sending e-mails containing unfair and unfounded attacks against the management of FirstLight.” As he tried to explain in a reply mail he sent to resident Greg Bollard, which he later reiterated for The Bee, “We have many obligations factored into [operations].” With the weekend’s temperatures literally jumping beyond the 90-degree mark, he said, “We expected high [energy demands] and raised the elevation...” Why? “To have water available to run during the heat wave...with the heat-wave we just had we have obligations to store water when there are high demands for power,” Mr Ginnetti said. Simply, “When it gets that hot it raises demand.”

Mr Bollard had joined the argument on Sunday. He complained, “Words fall short of my disappointment and lack of judgment from FirstLight….we all know that high water levels…cause massive debris fields…you have effectively closed our lake to all recreational uses…the lack of public access and additional public safety risk is inexcusable.” He further criticizes FirstLight’s “corporate mentality” and credibility, then asks, “Please let me know your thoughts.”

Mr Ginnetti replied.

In an e-mail response to Mr Bollard, which Mr Bollard forwarded to The Bee, Mr Ginnetti wrote, “While we understand your disappointment and frustration with the fact that portions of the lake are littered with nuisance debris over this hot weekend, which has limited recreational use of the lake, we reject your assertion that it reflects a ‘lack of judgment,’ and a ‘very sad corporate mentality,’ and that a public safety issue has been created.” In a later e-mail, Mr Conant shot down this part of Mr Ginnetti’s reply, saying Mr Ginnetti’s reply “is ridiculous.”

Mr Ginnetti explained to Mr Bollard that FirstLight, as owner and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensee and participant of the New England power market has “many, sometimes competing, obligations that govern the way we operate…” In his next remark he stated the very clear bottom line his company faces: “Although recreational use is certainly one important consideration, we are also obligated to generate power.” He noted that his company must “contribute to the reliability of the region’s power system, particularly when conditions are as they are this weekend and demand on the electric system is at its highest.”

His company “does its best” to balance recreational use with power needs and “accommodate the wishes of those who use the lake for recreation.” He adds that at times the lake levels are lower “at a financial cost to our company.” FirstLight has also “at its own expense” contributed significant resources and time in its efforts to manage the debris level, Mr Ginnetti wrote to Mr Bollard.

During a later interview Mr Ginnetti explained further, but not necessarily in response to the past weekend, “We’ve increased the number of days we’re out skimming and we have gone above and beyond…” The company uses a skimming machine, which had recently been moved to Lake Zoar. The machine will be back at Lillinonah by Friday, June 13, Mr Ginnetti said.

Mr Ginnetti noted that Lake Lillinonah had been clear and safe before the skimmer had been relocated to Zoar. The good conditions coincided with a Save The Lake Day run by Friends of the Lake, to which Mr Ginnetti had been invited. Later in his e-mail reply to Mr Bollard, Mr Ginnetti alluded to a prior mail he received following his attendance at Save The Lake Day, May 31, during which the water was clear. He wrote: “We are committed to the lake, as you pointed out in your e-mail to me last weekend after Save The Lake Day in which you noted that ‘FirstLight and its employees continue to go the extra mile and demonstrate good stewardship to the lake and beyond. This participation speaks volumes on your commitment and dedication to the lake.’”

He next acknowledged frustrations and opened a door for cooperation. He wrote, “We understand the frustration of those who recreate on Lake Lillinonah that this weekend was not all you hoped for in terms of recreational enjoyment. However, it would be far more productive to continue the dialogue between FirstLight, [Friends of the Lake], and [Lake Lillinonah Authority], and to discuss why we are managing the river as we do and how we might continue to work together to balance FirstLight’s obligations rather than sending e-mails containing unfair and unfounded attacks.”

Lake residents Russ Isaac, Mr Conant, Mr Bollard, Brookfield resident Bill Taylor, Newtown resident Andrew Siegel, Bill Smith of Brookfield, and Noreen Roth were among those sending e-mail complaints to Mr Ginnetti and other officers at FirstLight, and to the attorney generals office, in some cases. The Bee also received the correspondence.

Reflecting again to the warmer welcome he received at Save The Lake Day, Mr Ginnetti told The Bee, “Positions changed quickly.” He noted that letter writers have “one viewpoint, but the lake was built to make electric power when needed and we needed it over the weekend and Monday and Tuesday.” He also indicated that lake debris “is not new.”

“Allegations [are] that things have changed since we took ownership, that’s not the case,” he said. Supporting Mr Ginnetti was FirstLight Station Manager Robert Gates, who replied to Mr Isaac’s comments that, “We are experiencing a situation where the lake level is consistently being held at a level often a foot or more higher than ‘the normal’ high levels maintained by the previous lake owner.”

Mr Gates forwarded data showing a difference in maximum summer, weekend lake levels with a difference of less that a foot since 2003–2006 during the prior owner’s operations and when FirstLight took over in 2007 through to this year. Also, noted in the information is the number of times the lake was raised. Between 2003 and 2006 the lake rose between two and six times. FirstLight raised the lake above 197.7 feet on one weekend in 2007, and one weekend so far is recorded for 2008. After receiving complaints about heavy debris, The Bee asked Mr Conant if the lake has been like this before. Mr Conant answered, “Yes, it’s been like this…forever. The reason for the debris is that FLP raises the lake in advance of their using the Shepaug Dam to generate electricity.” He explained that higher water levels wash debris from the shoreline. “We have been after Northeast Generation and now FirstLight for years to fix the problem.”

Despite statistics, residents were, in their own words, “frustrated,” “mortified,” and “disappointed,” and collectively speaking out against the debris.

Mr Conant sent Mr Ginnetti an e-mail where he suggested purchasing “a custom trawler that can collect the smaller floating debris and employ them when you want the lake to be high, or keep the lake lower...In our opinion, to do neither is unacceptable…[FirstLight] is aware of the dangerous condition created by its choice to raise the lake…”

Already as a matter of general operations the skimmer has been used more frequently, Mr Ginnetti said.

What will FirstLight do in the future? During a conversation with The Bee Mr Ginnetti explained, “I don’t know if we can increase the skimmer use, we’ll look into that.” He also encouraged conversation. “We’ll continue to discuss this and keep working on the problem,” he said.

How was the lake as of Thursday morning? “Today it looks good,” said Joanne Conant. “The water was lowered, it was terrible over the weekend.” Wind also helped push debris away. “It would be wonderful to have this beautiful gem of a lake be clean.”