Published in: Keski-Uusimaa, 25th of April, 2003

- THE MILLER OF HAARAJOKI IS STRONGLY AGAINST THE NEW SUBMERGED DAM

- "THERE'S NO WAY I CAN BELIEVE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING"

- ACCORDING TO THE MILLER, NOBODY HASN'T ASKED A PERMISSION TO DEMOLISH THE DAM AND NOBODY HASN'T GIVEN A PERMISSION TO DO SO!

- The miller of Haarajoki, who has been in the business for the past fifty years, is strongly against the new submerged dam plan. He fears that it will take the water from his mill. Miller who owns the present dam, would loose his right for the dam and the city would build a new, manifold dam to the place. Also a way for the fishes to travel in the river is planned. The miller says, that he hasn't given a permission for the plan and he wont be doing so in the future. The technical board was processing the plan during Wednesday and decided to introduce it to the city council, so that they could approve it. The text states, that the miller doesn't object the plan. The actual plan has been made in the local environment center and it's being financed by the local water preservation federation of municipalities.

- The miller, who has been in the business for the past fifty years, says that he was quite surprised when he read from the newspaper, that the dam that he owns, will be demolished without a permission. A new dam would be built on the site and a way for the fishes to travel in the river. The technical board processed the plan on Wednesday and decided to introduce it to the city council so that they could approve it. After that, the plan would need to have approval from the environment permission office of West-Finland. The holder of the permission, meaning the city of Järvenpää, would have the ownership of the new dam and it's structures. The demolition work and the construction work would start at it's earliest in 2004 or 2005. 

- The miller met the CEO from the federation of municipalities at the old dam bridge and the atmosphere was really tense. CEO tells that he have met the miller three times, because of this issue. In the enclosure of technical board's agenda, is a note that two engineers from the local environment office visited miller and his son in March and introduced the plan. According to the text, miller and his son stated that the new construction plan will limit their ability to use the hydroelectric power, but according to the text, they really didn't object too much the plan. The agenda states this in the following way: "The construction plan has been shown to the miller, at it's different stages and he hasn't objected it". The miller however, has a different picture about these negotiations: "There's no way I can believe what you guys are saying. Nobody hasn't asked my permission and I certainly wont be giving the permission, ever! It just wont happen".

- The miller is afraid that the new dam will leave his mill without water and the generator that produces electricity for his estate, will stop. "It will eventually stop, when the river is dry most of the year". According to the CEO, the new submerged dam and a route for fishes, wont harm the output of the mill as much as the miller thinks. The last time that the river was dry, it was the year 1966 and this kind of event will take place only once in 150 years. In any case, the city can make their permission application even during this spring, without the permission from the owner. The idea behind this construction plan, that will cost around 170 000 euros, is to increase the amenity value of the place and to maintain the value of the land along the river bank. Also the fishes would need a route to swim up to the river, which isn't possible at the moment. The benefits will probably cover the expenses. Additionally, the submerged dam and the fish route, will have a positive impact on the landscape. The bridge that now leads across the old dam will be gone and a new bridge will be build north from the old bridge. According to the miller, his opinions has been neglected and his opinion is quite clear: "This dam wont be demolished and a new one wont be built!"