The federal authorities dominated Monday that the final wild Atlantic salmon within the nation can coexist with hydroelectric dams on a Maine river, dealing a blow to environmentalists who’ve lengthy sought to take away the dams.
The salmon, as soon as ample within the U.S., now return to just a few Maine rivers. One is the Kennebec River, dammed by Brookfield Renewable Vitality Companions. The Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration mentioned Monday that the dams usually are not prone to jeopardize the continued existence of the salmon if conservation measures are taken.
Conservation measures alongside Brookfield’s 4 Kennebec dams are designed to enhance fish passages and would require an funding of greater than $100 million by Brookfield, NOAA mentioned. The dam upgrades would permit the salmon to swim up the Kennebec from the Atlantic Ocean to freshwater inland habitats for the primary time for the reason that development of the dams within the nineteenth century, the company mentioned.
The company reviewed the dams as a result of Brookfield is searching for to relicense certainly one of them and amend the licenses for 3 others, mentioned NOAA spokesperson Allison Ferreira. NOAA mentioned in an announcement that it’ll “oversee an intensive monitoring program to make sure that the dams meet the expectations of improved fish passage within the Kennebec River.”
NOAA’s opinion “is a vital milestone in making certain that these services can proceed to assist Maine’s clear power future and conventional industries alongside the decrease Kennebec River,” mentioned David Heidrich, a spokesperson for Brookfield.
Nonetheless, environmental teams mentioned the dams threaten extinction of the salmon, and NOAA’s ruling is shortsighted. In addition they mentioned the dams endanger different susceptible species of fish, resembling sturgeon.
The dams’ destructive impacts on salmon are a violation of the Endangered Species Act, mentioned the Kennebec Coalition, an alliance of a number of environmental teams supporting dam removing, in an announcement. They argue that along with blocking entry to key spawning habitat, the dams additionally create hazardous situations for this fish.
“Removing of those dams offers one of the best probability to stop Atlantic salmon from turning into extinct, whereas additionally persevering with the restoration of a vibrant, wholesome Kennebec River,” the assertion mentioned.
Atlantic salmon populations within the U.S. fell into the a whole bunch as a consequence of components resembling overfishing and habitat loss, in accordance to NOAA. They’ve been listed underneath the Endangered Species Act for over twenty years.
Conservationists and Native American tribes have for years made the case that Brookfield has not fulfilled its obligations to guard the remaining salmon.