SUN JOURNAL • February 3, 2025
City officials on both sides of the Androscoggin River are working with environmental organizations to negotiate better river access and recreational amenities as the owner of the Lewiston Falls Hydroelectric Project looks to relicense the dams. Eric Cousens, executive director of public services in Auburn, said that since the hydropower facility is relicensed once every 30-50 years, this is the cities’ “one shot to advocate for fair and balanced use of the public river.” The cities and its partners in agencies such as the National Park Service are still far apart in negotiations with Brookfield on some requests, including timed releases, a portage trail, emergency and recreation access below the falls, and recreational flow info that can be made available in real time to the public for trip planning.