Injunction for salmon rejected
A U.S. District Court judge has denied two environmental groups' request to halt reconstruction work at the Worumbo Dam in Lisbon Falls.
Friends of Merrymeeting Bay and Environment Maine in February filed lawsuits against a handful of dam owners on the Androscroggin and Kennebec rivers, arguing turbines injure and kill salmon, violating the Endangered Species Act. In July, a judge allowed suits against two dam owners, Topsham Hydro and Miller Hydro, to proceed, while the other suits are pending. However, the groups' motion for a preliminary injunction to halt work on the Worumbo Dam, owned by Miller Hydro, was rejected, according to the Sun Journal. The groups wanted a salmon study being performed by National Marine Fisheries Service to be completed before reconstruction could begin, arguing the work would harm salmon.
The judge decided that holding off rebuilding part of the dam would threaten public safety. The marine fisheries service agreed to waive an environmental impact consultation because the project was deemed an emergency. Reconstruction of the dam is expected to be complete by November.
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