Analysis of legal obstacles and incentives to the development of low-head hydroelectric power in Maine

The legal and institutional obstacles to the development of small-scale hydroelectric energy at the state level in Maine is discussed. The Federal government also exercises extensive regulatory authority in the area. The dual regulatory system is examined. The first step any developer of small-scale...

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Main Author: None
Language:unknown
Published: 2014
Subjects:
USA
Online Access:http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5167786
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5167786
https://doi.org/10.2172/5167786
id ftosti:oai:osti.gov:5167786
record_format openpolar
spelling ftosti:oai:osti.gov:5167786 2023-07-30T04:05:30+02:00 Analysis of legal obstacles and incentives to the development of low-head hydroelectric power in Maine None 2014-05-12 application/pdf http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5167786 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5167786 https://doi.org/10.2172/5167786 unknown http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5167786 https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5167786 https://doi.org/10.2172/5167786 doi:10.2172/5167786 13 HYDRO ENERGY 29 ENERGY PLANNING POLICY AND ECONOMY LOW-HEAD HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS LAND USE LEGAL ASPECTS REGULATIONS MAINE DAMS ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INCENTIVES GOVERNMENT POLICIES INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS OWNERSHIP STATE GOVERNMENT WATER RIGHTS HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS NORTH AMERICA NORTH ATLANTIC REGION POWER PLANTS USA 2014 ftosti https://doi.org/10.2172/5167786 2023-07-11T10:37:10Z The legal and institutional obstacles to the development of small-scale hydroelectric energy at the state level in Maine is discussed. The Federal government also exercises extensive regulatory authority in the area. The dual regulatory system is examined. The first step any developer of small-scale hydropower must take is to acquire right, title, or interest in the real property. In Maine, that step requires acquisition in some form of both river banks, the river bed, and where necessary, the land needed for the upstream impoundment area. The developer must acquire the river banks to be considered a riparian owner. Classification as a riparian is important, for only a use of water by a riparian owner is deemed a reasonable use and hence a legal use. A non-riparian could not draw water from a stream to increase the water level of an impoundment area on another stream. Apart from the usual methods of land acquisition involving sale, lease, or perhaps gift, Maine has two somewhat unique methods a developer may use for property acquisition. These methods, authorized by statute, are use of the abandoned dams law and use of the Mill Dam Act for flowage of upstream impoundment areas. Other/Unknown Material North Atlantic SciTec Connect (Office of Scientific and Technical Information - OSTI, U.S. Department of Energy) Low Head ENVELOPE(-58.133,-58.133,-62.150,-62.150)
institution Open Polar
collection SciTec Connect (Office of Scientific and Technical Information - OSTI, U.S. Department of Energy)
op_collection_id ftosti
language unknown
topic 13 HYDRO ENERGY
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
LOW-HEAD HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
LAND USE
LEGAL ASPECTS
REGULATIONS
MAINE
DAMS
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
OWNERSHIP
STATE GOVERNMENT
WATER RIGHTS
HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH ATLANTIC REGION
POWER PLANTS
USA
spellingShingle 13 HYDRO ENERGY
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
LOW-HEAD HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
LAND USE
LEGAL ASPECTS
REGULATIONS
MAINE
DAMS
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
OWNERSHIP
STATE GOVERNMENT
WATER RIGHTS
HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH ATLANTIC REGION
POWER PLANTS
USA
None
Analysis of legal obstacles and incentives to the development of low-head hydroelectric power in Maine
topic_facet 13 HYDRO ENERGY
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
LOW-HEAD HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
LAND USE
LEGAL ASPECTS
REGULATIONS
MAINE
DAMS
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
OWNERSHIP
STATE GOVERNMENT
WATER RIGHTS
HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH ATLANTIC REGION
POWER PLANTS
USA
description The legal and institutional obstacles to the development of small-scale hydroelectric energy at the state level in Maine is discussed. The Federal government also exercises extensive regulatory authority in the area. The dual regulatory system is examined. The first step any developer of small-scale hydropower must take is to acquire right, title, or interest in the real property. In Maine, that step requires acquisition in some form of both river banks, the river bed, and where necessary, the land needed for the upstream impoundment area. The developer must acquire the river banks to be considered a riparian owner. Classification as a riparian is important, for only a use of water by a riparian owner is deemed a reasonable use and hence a legal use. A non-riparian could not draw water from a stream to increase the water level of an impoundment area on another stream. Apart from the usual methods of land acquisition involving sale, lease, or perhaps gift, Maine has two somewhat unique methods a developer may use for property acquisition. These methods, authorized by statute, are use of the abandoned dams law and use of the Mill Dam Act for flowage of upstream impoundment areas.
author None
author_facet None
author_sort None
title Analysis of legal obstacles and incentives to the development of low-head hydroelectric power in Maine
title_short Analysis of legal obstacles and incentives to the development of low-head hydroelectric power in Maine
title_full Analysis of legal obstacles and incentives to the development of low-head hydroelectric power in Maine
title_fullStr Analysis of legal obstacles and incentives to the development of low-head hydroelectric power in Maine
title_full_unstemmed Analysis of legal obstacles and incentives to the development of low-head hydroelectric power in Maine
title_sort analysis of legal obstacles and incentives to the development of low-head hydroelectric power in maine
publishDate 2014
url http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5167786
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5167786
https://doi.org/10.2172/5167786
long_lat ENVELOPE(-58.133,-58.133,-62.150,-62.150)
geographic Low Head
geographic_facet Low Head
genre North Atlantic
genre_facet North Atlantic
op_relation http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5167786
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5167786
https://doi.org/10.2172/5167786
doi:10.2172/5167786
op_doi https://doi.org/10.2172/5167786
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