The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold two public hearings this week on the relicensing of four dams along the Kennebec River: the Lockwood Dam and Hydro Kennebec Dam in Waterville, Shawmut Dam in Fairfield and the Weston Dam in Skowhegan.
In March, a draft environmental impact statement from agency staff recommended the relicensing, with conditions for turbine shutdowns and new fish lifts, to protect migrating fish species.
But Nick Bennett with the Natural Resources Council of Maine said the proposals do not do enough to protect fish.
"The downstream fish passage facilities are not adequate, and the upstream fish passage facilities are not adequate," he said. "And we've seen this type of proposal used before and it's never worked."
Bennett said that each dam needs multiple upstream fish passages, not just one. And he would like to see narrow screens on the turbines at the dams to keep fish out as they migrate downstream.
The first hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 21 at Thomas College in Waterville, and the second at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Augusta Civic Center.
