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Environmental Groups Threaten to Sue Town Over Broken Fish Ladder

Several environmental groups have written a letter demanding that the town of Yarmouth and a mill owner fix a broken fish ladder at a dam on the Royal River.

The Conservation Law Foundation had previously filed a notice of intent to sue the town and the mill owner over the issue.

Sean Mahoney of CLF told the Portland Press Herald that the old dams are keeping the Royal River from being fully restored for recreation and for the return of critical keystone fish.

Yarmouth Town Manager Nat Tupper says Yarmouth residents are divided about dam removal. One concern is about the effect on boat yards downstream.

“They're very worried that the release of any sediment behind the dams would cause a need for dredging and possibly would release any contaminants that are held above the dams, which would then make the dredging far more difficult and more expensive to permit.”

Tupper says the town has taken the matter under advisement and has hired an attorney to review the issues and options.

Ed is a Maine native who spent his early childhood in Livermore Falls before moving to Farmington. He graduated from Mount Blue High School in 1970 before going to the University of Maine at Orono where he received his BA in speech in 1974 with a broadcast concentration. It was during that time that he first became involved with public broadcasting. He served as an intern for what was then called MPBN TV and also did volunteer work for MPBN Radio.