Bangor Daily News - Latest Comments in Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

green9 — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 17:54:41 -0000

Elsa, I'm pretty sure that my 16 seer rated heat pump that runs on hydro-electric generated power, creates less environmental impact than the oil furnaces or air conditioning units that are powered by natural gas or oil-fired turbines.
50 years ago the rivers had more pollution and more fish. The main reason for the decline in fish stocks is better fishing techniques and more people on earth.
200 years ago, you could catch lobsters easily in Peter's town of Searsport. I wish that we could still do that, but I don't advocate dismantling all the industry there so that I can have my Utopia. There has to be give and take on both sides. Whatever solution that we have for our energy needs is going to require sacrifice.
Oh by the way.... Never have voted Republican

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

ewersmith — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 16:40:30 -0000

In 20 or 30 years there will be a reversal and the big push will be to build dams for power, once oil becomes too expensive to use, the environmentalist push to shut down coal fired power and the reality that wind and solar can't produce enough power.

Unfortunately by then it will cost 100s of millions of dollars to rebuild dams, instead of a few million to upgrade, but what the heck it's only taxpayers money as far as OUR Government is concerned.

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

Guest — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 15:42:00 -0000

This Is Wrong-
No matter how these liberal loons spin this, dam removal will only force us towards more dependence on oil…!

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

budsview — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 14:45:16 -0000

did you see the article about no fish in the kennebec post a day or two ago??

recreational use for who? boaters are out but bird watchers are in?

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

just_a_voter — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 14:02:04 -0000

The bottom line is that dam removal has to be studied case by case. The cost to upgrade some older dams to today's standards is just not worth it. It is a mistake to think that these few examples apply to all dams.

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

PaulNotBunyan — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:48:46 -0000

Yeah and smart people are supposed to sit around in a circle singing and reciting poetry. If they use their IQ to do anything technological, it's bad for the earth. Creating a 1 acre irrigation pond is bad. A beaver dam that puts 5 acres under water is good. Makes perfect sense to me.

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:06:10 -0000

we should be building more dams not tearing them down. we need affordable electricity.

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

Guest — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 12:53:31 -0000

"The reality is that, as with all life, human beings are determined to survive but unless they're prepared to work with the rest of creation, not ride roughshod over it, they just won't."

I think the overwhelming tide of humanity nearing 7 billion souls would indicate otherwise.

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

Guest — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 12:25:46 -0000

I hope those guys up at UMO can come up with a way to harness all those returning salmon to produce electricity.

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

PeterTaber — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 12:24:22 -0000

I don't know anyone who believes that. Perhaps Hollywood's idea of a flower child does but at least in the real world I doubt there are many of those past the age of about 19. You are setting up a straw man argument.

The reality is that, as with all life, human beings are determined to survive but unless they're prepared to work with the rest of creation, not ride roughshod over it, they just won't.

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

Guest — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 12:23:03 -0000

The rocket scientists that are behind these dam removals should have to live in a cave with no utilities or heat.

Take note Katahdin region;
"Almost entirely contained within Washington’s Olympic National Park, the Elwha.........."

With RQ's national park proposal being sold here in the region as we speak, how do you think this will affect the hydro system that is now in place???????

No logging.
No roads.
No hunting.
No air emisions license... so,
No paper mills.
No ATVs.
No snowmobiles.
No cel towers.
No water impoundments.

This all leads to one thing....
No business.

And the end result that these people have been trying for decades to achieve?
No people.

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

PaulNotBunyan — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 11:00:54 -0000

You start by believing the false premise that all "natural" things are perfect and "artificial" things are bad. Continue in that direction and you'll eventually be opposed to water wells, cisterns, any type of man-made drainage systems, water tanks, indoor plumbing and so much more.

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

PeterTaber — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:35:10 -0000

It's hydropower that's usually inefficient and, in any case, that comes at a serious environmental cost.

It's too bad there isn't a locally written sidebar reminding readers of Maine's role in pioneering this much-needed reform a dozen years ago with the removal of the Edwards Dam. In return for the loss of a facility that met less than a tenth of one percent of the state's electrical needs, Maine is gaining the restoration of the Kennebec River.

This has been no mean accomplishment. When the dam was built in 1837 the Kennebec's rich capacity for spawning grounds for Atlantic fish like Atlantic salmon, alewives, American shad, sturgeon and striped bass ranked it with the Hudson and Chesapeake Bay. Soon after the Civil War this had all been essentially extinguished and it remained so for the next 130 years. Now considerable numbers of alewives, striped bass and American shad come up to Waterville, 18 miles above the old dam site. The river's water quality classification has been sharply upgraded. Communities along the Kennebec now regularly conduct river festivals as burgeoning recreational opportunities spell significant economic benefits.

Elsewhere in the state, other dam removal efforts have also been successful and have also proven their worth. One example is the one at Route 1A in Hampden on the Souadabscook whose almost unnoticed removal led just a year later to the return of truly wild Atlantic salmon after a man-made exclusion lasting more than two centuries. Another is the much-fought-over West Winterport Dam, a similarly insignificant facility whose eventual removal has well demonstrated just how much of the original hysteria about flood hazard, images of lifeless mud flats and lost recreational opportunities was just that.

Finally, it should be noted that next June demolition of the Great Works Dam on the Penobscot will launch the dramatically visible portion of one of the largest and most innovative river restoration projects in American history. In a $30 million collaboration described as unprecedented, hydropower interests are joining seven environmental organizations, the Penobscot Indian Nation and state and federal agencies in working to restore 11 species of sea-run fish to the Penobscot. The Penobscot River Restoration Project will include the removal as well of the Veazie Dam and the decommissioning and modification of the Howland Dam to provide a fish bypass.

Peter Taber
Publisher
Wild Maine Times
Searsport

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

green9 — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:11:55 -0000

Good bye 6 cents per kilowatt..... How's that Atlantic salmon restoration coming along ? The dams have been removed for at least 25 years now.
Using Brian Winter's logic, The Penobscot should be teeming with Salmon ....
There are countless salmon killed by sea lions in the Columbia River but they are a protected species.

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

opinionated23 — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 09:30:35 -0000

Something about clawing at the base of a dam... that has water behind it.. feels like it could end badly for the person driving the escavator

Re: Dam removal in Washington another step in part of growing movement

overtaxedagain — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 08:36:27 -0000

Taking out efficient hydro power to make room for government funded inefficient wind power when will this nonsense end