Purpose
The purpose behind the State Planning Office dam removal policy development initiative in fall 2002 is to solicit input from primary stakeholders on dam removal issues, to respond to a growing interest in this issue, to educate itself and others about pertinent Maine issues and to create the conditions for a collaborative dialogue leading to appropriate adjustments in Maine policy and law, if necessary. So far a couple of controversial proposals for removal of hydropower generating dams in Maine have been the drivers for much of the debate. A couple of attempts at dam removal legislation were offered last session but were not adopted.
The kind of case-by-case, de facto approach to dam removal that Maine has used in the past has worked until now. We don’t want to fix what might not be broken, but at the same time, by initiating this discussion, SPO hopes to identify and address any needs for change in or creation of policy for dam removals. Such a policy or legislative initiative on dam removal should apply broadly to all dams but not limit flexibility or restrict creative solutions which may be applied on a case by case basis.
The purpose of SPO’s involvement in the debate arrives out of an impulse to facilitate the development of a constructive and visionary approach to dam removals in Maine. SPO should in no way be interpreted to be promoting dam removal. SPO upholds the existing hydropower law and its intent, which recognizes the unique attributes and contribution to the indigenous energy supply that hydropower provides for the people of Maine. We are merely posing the question, “How different is dam deconstruction from dam development and is it accommodated adequately in current law and protocol?” We realize that dam removals have different impacts and are dissimilar enough from developments that they may require specialized treatment. This is what motivates our interest in facilitating a constructive dialogue on the topic. We hope that by doing so we can avert reactive and narrow approaches to dam removal policy in Maine.
John Kerry
Hydropower Coordinator
Maine State Planning Office |
