WCSH-TV6 • September 1, 2021
It's been months since the Maine Department of Marine Resources threw out its Kennebec River Management Plan. The plan, which recommended the removal of two dams on the river, was dismissed after several legislators and members of the public questioned its legality. The Shawmut dam in Fairfield, one of those originally slated to be removed, is also up for relicensing. It's running up against an obstacle, much like the Atlantic salmon and other fish trying to swim past the dam. “The updated submission will clearly demonstrate that the Shawmut project meets all water quality requirements," Miranda Kessel, spokeswoman for the dam's owner, Brookfield Renewable Partners, said Wednesday. Conservation groups like the Natural Resources Council of Maine still advocate for the removal of all the dams to restore native fish species like Atlantic salmon.