Citizens with something to say about the federal permit for the city of Spearfish's hydroelectric plant on Spearfish Creek will get their chance today and Wednesday.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission meetings at Spearfish city hall, 625 Fifth St., are to help identify the scope of environmental issues associated with the city's permit application.

The public meetings run from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday.

The plant, near Spearfish City Park, uses water diverted from Spearfish Creek through a bypass tunnel and pipe. Homestake Mining Co. built the plant and the pipeline in 1910-11 and the city took over the operation in 2004 after the mine closed.