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City questions Blue Bridge Dam “ownership”

November 28th, 2014 by WCBC Radio

The Cumberland Times News reports that the Maryland Attorney General’s office issued a letter of determination to the District 1 Legislative Delegation on Tuesday stating that “evidence supports that conclusion that the city of Cumberland owns the (Blue Bridge) dam.”

The dam has been a topic of debate among interested parties for several years. From those who want to use the Potomac River for recreational purposes or to harness the hydraulic power, to those who would like to see the dam removed.

The delegation sent a letter to the attorney general in October 2013 asking for a determination as to who owns, and is responsible for, the dam beneath the Cumberland-Ridgeley (W.Va.) Bridge, often referred to as the Blue Bridge Dam.

In a 43-page determination signed by Adam Snyder, chief counsel of opinions and advice, the state concluded that although the dam was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the local interests of the city of Cumberland make it the owner.

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