Your Help Needed to Take Another Big Step on the Penobscot

Posted on August 27, 2009 | Filed Under: Dams & Dam Removal , Restoring Rivers

Caitlin Jennings
Communications Associate

The Penobscot River Restoration Trust, of which American Rivers is a founding member, has been working toward removing the Penobscot’s outdated dams for several years and we are getting even closer to our goal.

On August 4, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) that recommends dam removal on the Penobscot, New England’s second largest river.  This is a major step in the Penobscot Restoration project, which is one of the largest restoration projects in the nation. Removal of both the Veazie and Great Works Dams and installation of a bypass channel fishway at Howland Dam will restore more than 1,000 miles of historically significant river habitat for Atlantic salmon, American shad, river herring, and seven other migratory species, some of which are endangered.

FERC is soliciting public comments on this Draft EA until September 3, 2009. If you would like to let them know you agree with their recommendation, submit a comment by following these instructions:

1. Go to FERC's quick comment site
2. Enter the required information and click "Authorize"
3. Go to your e-mail inbox and get the authorization e-mail from the FERC website, and follow the link it gives you to file a quick comment.
4. Where it asks for a docket number use P-2403-056, then click the "search" button.
5. Paste/Write your comments
6. Submit your quick comments!

We have named the Penobscot as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers™ every year from 1989 to 1996 because of existing or proposed dams. With your help, some day soon we will be able to declare the Penobscot "Most Improved!"

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