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It's Time for Show and Tell on the Presumpscot River ; Sappi Claims Fishways Will Be Too Expensive but Refuses to Back It Up With Numbers.

Posted on: Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 15:00 CST

The Presumpscot River is the only major river in Maine on which passage for sea-run fish has not been planned or installed.

That may change now that the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has agreed to initiate a proceeding that could end with an order to build fish ladders on the Cumberland Mills Dam in Westbrook.

Sappi Fine Paper, a South African paper company that owns seven dams on the river, has resisted all efforts to secure passage for alewives, blueback herring or Atlantic salmon. Sappi fought an order requiring it to build ladders on six federally licensed hydropower dams all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and lost.

However, before Sappi has to retrofit those structures, starting with the Saccarappa Dam, fish first have to get past the state- licensed Cumberland Mills downstream. River advocates suggest it could cost Sappi $3 million to make that happen.

Sappi argues that building fish ladders is too expensive and would undermine the mill's financial viability.

But the proceeding IFW has initiated makes no allowance for economic hardship.

The law says that if one or more sea-run species can be restored in substantial numbers in the watershed above the dam, or if a fishway is necessary to enhance populations of an endangered species such as Atlantic salmon, a fishway must be built.

The state has never had to compel a dam owner to install fishways. Given Sappi's history, it's likely it will contest any IFW order in state court.

Other companies have invested considerable sums to mitigate their dams' impact. FPL has spent $16 million retrofitting its Saco River dams.

If Sappi wants public support for its position, it will have to be more transparent about its situation.

It's tough to feel their pain if they won't explain why it hurts.

(c) 2007 Portland Press Herald. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

Source: Portland Press Herald

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