MORGANTOWN – Following last week’s closure of Milestone Point Beach at Cheat Lake Park by the Monongalia County Health Department, the citizen group Save Cheat Lake has renewed its call for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue sanctions against the park’s owner.
The health department inspected the site on June 16 and, according to Lake Lynn Generation, which operates the hydroelectric project that includes the park, on June 17 ordered the beach closed “due to the lack of potable water service required for operation of the beach,” the company told FERC on Tuesday.
Lake Lynn told FERC, “The swimming beach is expected to remain closed for the remainder of the 2026 recreation season and until potable water service is restored and the Monongalia County Health Department authorizes reopening.”
It reminded FERC that it is coordinating with the Morgantown Utility Board on construction of a new water main to restore potable water service to Cheat Lake Park. Construction is expected to begin in 2027.
MCHD’s June 16 report shows four violations of state code.
One, a recreational water facility shall be equipped with a readily available, fully stocked first aid kit. The on-site kit does not meet state requirements. It must be updated
Two, a recreational water facility shall keep deck areas, sidewalks and other areas around the recreational water facility and bath house clean. The report says there is a large hole in the sand/dirt of the beach area. This constitutes a significant trip hazard and needs correction.
Also, under this violation, the MCHD report says there are multiple trip hazards around the water fountain and bathroom (water meters, drains, etc.). These need to either be flush with the ground or clearly marked as a hazard.
The Dominion Post visited the site Wednesday afternoon. No one was at the beach. The floating barrier that defines the swimming area is in place, but the beach hasn’t been cleaned and is cluttered with driftwood.
Three, a recreational water facility shall keep bathhouses, clothing storage facilities, toilet facilities, shower facilities and other appurtenant facilities in good repair and in a clean, sanitary condition. The report says restroom facilities do not meet code requirements for a recreational water facility and updates must occur prior to resumption of service.
The restrooms at the main park and by the beach are locked. Signs on the door say, “This restroom is closed until further notice due to unavailable plumbing.”
Eagle Creek has provided portable restrooms: two at the park near the children’s playground and winter boat launch, with a hand-washing station; one by the beach, also with a hand-washing station; and one at the parking lot about 100 yards uphill from the park, with no hand-washing station.
The water fountains are still not operating. Last year, Lake Lynn provided a water dispenser situated outside the park security office near the playground. But that drew criticism from Save Cheat Lake, which alleged that the dispenser posed a health risk because it was not designed for outdoor use. There is no dispenser on-site this summer.
The fourth violation says the recreational water facility shall prominently post the rules applicable to patron behavior so as to be readily visible to the patrons. The report says signage displaying rules for patron behavior should be clearly posted.
The report concludes, “Facility is closed until repairs can be made to the water lines supplying the park.”
Lake Lynn told FERC that it promptly notified the public of the closure by updating its Cheat Lake Today website and posted signage at the park to inform visitors. It also notified appropriate stakeholders by email.
Lake Lynn has posted several white and red “BEACH CLOSED” signs along the way to the beach, including where Morgans Run Road meets the access road down to the park, between the playground and the winter boat launch where the park rules are posted, and at either end of the beach.
Save Cheat Lake’s Tuesday complaint to FERC notes that the beach closure comes “right in the middle of the summer recreation season.”
Save Cheat Lake repeats its allegation that Lake Lynn and its parent company Eagle Creek Renewable Energy are in violation of the project’s recreation plan – an allegation FERC has not supported, saying no plan violations have occurred.
Save Cheat Lake told FERC, “We demand, as we did last year, for FERC to impose the maximum daily penalty of $28,618 until the beach is reopened.” The group has also been critical of FERC and says in its complaint, “These fines would have prevented this had FERC not failed to fulfill its duties last year.”
Its complaint specifically assigns responsibility to two individuals: Eagle Creek CEO Walter Neal Simmons and FERC Hydropower Administration and Compliance Chief Alicia Jackson.
Lake Lynn told FERC that it will notify the commission when MCHD authorizes the reopening of the swimming beach or if there are material changes to the anticipated closure timeframe.
