Nestled along where York County, Pennsylvania, meets the Susquehanna River lies a landscape of rare beauty and ecological significance—Cuffs Run. This region of forested hills, preserved farmland, and scenic trails has been cherished by generations of families and outdoor enthusiasts. But now, this treasured place is under threat.
In 2023, York Energy Storage, LLC revived a decades-old proposal to build a massive, pumped storage hydroelectric facility at Cuffs Run. The plan calls for a 225-foot-high dam, the flooding of 580 acres, and the excavation of a 1.8-mile reservoir in the heart of the Susquehanna Riverlands.
This industrial-scale project would erase prime and protected farmland, displace nearly 40 families, destroy carbon sequestering and biodiverse forests that support wildlife and filter water, and sever beloved trails like the Mason-Dixon (recognized by the National Park Service as a heritage trail) and Enola Low Grade. Cuffs Run, home to naturally reproducing brook trout, would be devastated, as would vital habitat for plants and animals classified as of special concern.
A pumped storage hydroelectric facility works by moving water between two reservoirs—one uphill, one downhill—to generate electricity.
While once considered innovative, this technology is now widely viewed as outdated and environmentally harmful.
Today’s energy future lies in cleaner, more efficient solutions like battery storage and grid-scale renewables that don’t require flooding forests or displacing communities.
Hundreds of acres of forests, farmlands, and homes along the Susquehanna River will be flooded if the proposed hydroelectric facility at Cuffs Run is built.
John Pavoncello
The project would submerge an estimated 340 acres of prime agricultural lands, much of which is protected by York County or the Farm & Natural Lands Trust of York County..
John Pavoncello
The Mason-Dixon Trail can be seen in this aerial view of the Cuffs Run forest. The proposed project would submerge a portion of this historic and popular hiking trail.
John Pavoncello
Cuffs Run trails have been trod by generations of outdoor enthusiasts.
Brian Gish/CBF Staff
Lichen grows on a fallen tree in the dappled shade of the forest.
Brian Gish/CBF Staff
One of the many roads that wind through Cuffs Run's agricultural lands.
Brian Gish/CBF Staff
Like generations of area residents, Emily Broich and her dog Daisy value the beauty and scenic nature of Cuffs Run.
Brian Gish/CBF Staff
Nearly 40 families will be displaced by the hydroelectric project.
Brian Gish/CBF Staff
A goat stands sentinel at barn.
Brian Gish/CBF Staff
Small farms like this one will be displaced by the Cuffs Run hydroelectric project.
Brian Gish/CBF Staff
Cuffs Run, home to naturally producing brook trout, will be devastated if the project goes through.
Brian Gish/CBF Staff
How CBF and the Cuffs Run Community Are Fighting Back
The Cuffs Run project has been proposed four times since the 1970s. When York Energy Storage, LLC revived the project in 2023, it was quickly met with strong local opposition—including a bipartisan array of state and federal legislators who represent constituents living in or around the proposed project. Despite this resistance, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted the company a preliminary permit in November 2024, giving it four years to assess the project's feasibility.
Since it was first proposed in the 1970s, the Cuffs Run hydroelectric project has met with strong local opposition.
Brian Gish/CBF Staff
But we’re not standing by.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, along with a growing coalition of partners and residents, has mobilized to protect Cuffs Run and its associated landscape. Together, we’re standing up for clean water, healthy forests, and the right to preserve the places we love. Learn more about what we’ve been doing:
