Penobscot River Restoration Trust Purchases Three Maine Dams, Significantly Improving Fish Passage

Today, the Penobscot River Restoration Trust announced that it has closed on the purchase of three dams on the Penobscot River, the Great Works, Howland and Veazie dams, from PPL Corporation for the price of roughly $24 million.  The Trust plans to remove the Veazie and Great Works dams and install fish passage around the Howland dam.  These efforts will significantly improve access to approximately 1,000 miles of river habitat for eleven species of sea-run fish, including Atlantic salmon, sturgeon and river herring. 

The purchase is part of a public-private collaborative effort to restore natural fish runs, involving the Trust, PPL Corporation, the Penobscot Indian Nation, federal and state agencies and several conservation groups.

In addition to the fish passage benefits resulting from the deal, it is excepted that hydropower generation on the Penobscot River will be maintained at current levels, and could even increase once the project is complete.

Verrill Dana attorneys represented the Trust in this matter, including lead counsel, Scott Anderson, with support from Johanna Babb, Molly Callaghan, Mark Googins, Tony Calcagni, and Nora Healy.