Senator Brenner, Representative Tucker, and members of the ENR Committee: My name is Nick Bennett, and I am the staff scientist for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), Maine’s largest environmental advocacy group with more than 25,000 members and supporters. I am testifying in strong opposition to LD 1979. This primary purpose of this Read More
Edwards Dam
Brookfield Faces Lawsuit for Violations of Endangered Species Act on Kennebec River
May 13, 2021 (Augusta, ME) — Three conservation groups have announced they intend to sue the international energy giant Brookfield Renewable Partners (Brookfield) for repeated violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on Maine’s Kennebec River. Brookfield’s four dams located between Waterville and Skowhegan are threatening the survival of endangered Atlantic salmon, according to a Read More
Mainers Call for Removal of Dams to Restore a Healthy Kennebec & Save Salmon
Kennebec Coalition News Release Augusta, ME (March 11, 2021) – Endangered Atlantic salmon are on the brink of dying out in Maine’s Kennebec River because of four antiquated dams between Waterville and Skowhegan, according to state and federal officials. A broad coalition of Maine people and organizations are speaking out in support of removing the Read More
News & Noteworthy — June 2020
June 26, 2020 Maine Magazine recently wrote about “The Conservation Legacy of Angus King,” from the mid-1970s to today. Did you know that he once lobbied on behalf of the Natural Resources Council of Maine on Maine’s Bottle Bill? Earlier this week, NRCM and others filed suit over the CMP corridor’s crossing of public lands Read More
Enjoying Maine Waters Every Year
I never get enough of being on the water, especially on Maine’s wonderful inland rivers and lakes. Each year, I make a point of paddling a few new water bodies. Last spring, I canoed a section of the Sandy River when the waters were still running high. On a warm day in early October, I Read More
October 16, 2019: NRCM’s Conservation Leadership Awards, Portland
NRCM was pleased to recognize three exceptional individuals and a coalition of young climate activists at this year’s Conservation Leadership Awards ceremony held Wednesday, October 16, at the Jewish Community Alliance, 1342 Congress Street in Portland. The evening included music, wine, light refreshments, and, of course, the inspirational stories of this year’s recipients. • Jon Read More
20 Years Ago, Edwards Dam Removal Sparked a Movement for Free-flowing Rivers
NRCM Announces Plans for an Educational Display at the Dam Site NRCM news release July 1, 2019 (Augusta, ME) – Alewives, Bald Eagles, and other wildlife continue their inspirational return to the Kennebec River and its tributaries, 20 years after the Edwards Dam was removed here along the banks of Maine’s capital city. The dam’s Read More
My Maine This Week: Beth Comeau
“In celebration of today’s 20th anniversary since the removal of the Edwards Dam in Augusta, I wanted to share these photos. These are two sturgeon jumping out of the Kennebec River right in front of the site of the former Edwards Dam. I remember clearly being on the banks of the river 20 years ago Read More
July 1, 2019: Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Edwards Dam Removal, Augusta
Twenty years ago on Monday, July 1st, hundreds of Mainers stood along the banks of the Kennebec River in Augusta to watch as the Edwards Dam was breached and the river passed through the dam, freely, for the first time in more than 160 years. On the 20th Anniversary of that historic event, we have Read More
