MAINE PUBLIC • January 6, 2025
Conservation groups see an opportunity to restore migratory fish on the Androscoggin River as a hydropower dam in Brunswick goes through federal relicensing. Brookfield Renewable wants to keep the dam operating after its license expires in 2029. But critics say its current fish passage is ineffective and are pressing the company to consider all alternatives to improve passage. Free the Andro, a recently established coalition of local and national conservation groups argue the 40-year-old dam blocks Atlantic Salmon, shad and other fish from traveling the river to spawn. "It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, and multiple generations are going to either benefit or not benefit from the decisions made in the next five years around this relicensing," said organizer Chip Spies, a Brunswick resident.