Conservation commission to send comment letter saying Ashuelot River flow study omits upper‑stream data

The Washington Conservation Commission agreed at its July 8 meeting to send a comment letter to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services on an Ashuelot River in‑stream flow study.

Arin Mills, a commission member, asked whether the commission should submit comments. Jed Schwartz said he believed the study did not include enough upper‑stream data, specifically the lakes and ponds upstream of Ashuelot Pond. "He didn’t think they included enough upper stream data, looking at the lakes/ponds up stream of the Ashuelot Pond," the minutes record Jed saying.

Arin Mills noted that the commission had invited Barbara Skuly from ARLAC to speak at a prior meeting and that several members of the Lake Ashuelot Estates community had attended and raised concerns. The commission drafted a comment letter at the July 8 meeting and assigned Arin Mills to send the letter to DES.

Correspondence in the minutes also records that Barbara Skuly alerted the commission the DES comment deadline had been extended to July 17. The minutes do not record any formal vote on the letter; the record shows the commission agreed to prepare and transmit their comments.

Next steps: Arin Mills will send the comment letter to DES; the commission may follow up if DES or members of the public respond before the noted July 17 deadline.