Thank you, Recorder for your coverage of last week’s state Department of Environmental Protection hearing on FirstLight’s application for continued operation of its facilities on our beloved Connecticut River. Naturally there was a lot of concern expressed during the hearing directed at the Northfield Mountain Pump Station (NMPS).

This writer was afforded the opportunity to pose a friend’s question to the DEP in the virtual portion of the hearing. It turned out to be the first question asked of the DEP after their presentation. It was an important question: “Does the DEP monitor water quality coming from the outfall of the NMPS?” After some equivocation, the answer was “no.”

Given that NMPS turbines suck life out of the river up to the mountain reservoir and back down in its discharge, the remains of all the fish and other aquatic life that are killed and ground up become pollution. How is it our DEP does not monitor for that water quality?

Furthermore, if it turns out listed endangered shortnose sturgeon are found above the Turners Falls dam and are therefore subject to death in the NMPS fish grinder, isn’t that reason enough to shut down that operation?

It seems to this writer that our state representatives and senators should be answering these questions and acting upon them. Even with FirstLight’s proposed “screens,” shortnose sturgeon and all other life in the river will be threatened. Screens simply do not work well enough. Shutting down NMPS does.

Don Ogden

Florence