Green River Reservoir dam. Photo by DEC Dam Safety Program A hydroelectric dam on the Green River in Hyde Park will continue operating under a settlement between the dam’s operator, state agencies and conservation and recreation groups, state officials announced at a press conference on Wednes day.” The settlement provides some certainty for the fate of the dam and Green River Reservoir State Park, although questions remain about the facility’s long-term future. “This agreement shows what’s possible when we do the hard work to find common ground,” Gov. Phil Scott said at a press conference on Wednesday. READ MORE Under the terms of the settlement, Morrisville Water Light, a nonprofit public utility, will withdraw its request to decommission the facility and will instead pursue a new federal license to continue operating.  The utility will continue to operate the dam while the state takes a closer look at water quality requirements that dictate how the dam is operated — regulations that the utility’s operators have argued make continuing to run the dam economically unfeasible.  The review will finish by the beginning of 2029, and its outcome will help shape what comes next for the dam.  The dam has been the subject of litigation and dispute for years, particularly over how much the utility is allowed to change the reservoir’s water level. The dam generates hydroelectric power for customers in Lamoille County, and also helps maintain the Green River Reservoir, a popular spot for outdoor recreation.  In 2021, Morrisville Water Light announced that it intended to decommission the dam, saying that operating it under the water quality requirements outlined by the state was too economically burdensome. The utility asked the state to consider purchasing the facility, but the state declined.  While decommissioning the dam is off the table for now, it is still a future possibility under the settlement’s terms. If the state does not recommend changes to the water quality standards, the utility provider would still be able to pursue decommissioning the facility or transferring its ownership, according to Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore.  “I want to be upfront, as we have been with Morrisville,” Moore said at a press conference on Wednesday. “We are making no promises about the outcome of that process.” “The settlement provides immediate improvements for water quality and fisheries in the Lamoille and Green rivers and a clear schedule to ensure that the hydroelectric project will meet the Vermont water quality standards,” Lauren Hierl, executive director of the Vermont Natural Resources Council, said in a press conference. While the long-term future of the dam and associated reservoir are still not certain, the parties involved in the settlement emphasized that provides a level of certainty about the near-term.  “It’s a very good day because we have a path forward,” Scott Johnstone, the manager of Morrisville Water Light, said at the press conference. “Is it perfect from anyone’s eyes? Probably not. But what’s important here is there is clarity about where we go from here.” Read the story on VTDigger here: Settlement will keep Green River Reservoir dam operating — for now  . ...read more read less