MAINE PUBLIC • May 13, 2021
Three conservation groups plan to sue the owner of four Kennebec River dams over what they say are repeated violations of the Endangered Species Act. The Natural Resources Council of Maine, Maine Rivers and the Conservation Law Foundation filed a notice of intent to sue Brookfield Renewable yesterday. It's the latest in a series of conflicts over the dams, which have faced scrutiny from environmental groups and regulators. NRCM Senior Staff Scientist Nick Bennett says that Brookfield has continued to "take" Atlantic salmon at its facility after its federal license expired in 2019, and federal officials have said in recent months that the company has lost its coverage under the Endangered Species Act.